Our Summer Bucket List

     So I was checking out a few of my favorite blogs and came across a very creative post on Little Wonders' Days about making a Summer Bucket List.  A Summer Bucket List is a perfect way to keep Liam and I busy on those days we just don't know what to do.  Summer usually starts the day the kids get out of school, but since Liam doesn't go to school yet, I decided to start our Bucket List May 1st.  Plus, we will be moving in July, so if I start it on the 1st, we will get at least two months worth of fun summer activities to do.

     Here's how it works... (I pretty much got the basic outline from Kelly's blog and adapted the master list to what our family wanted to do for the summer, events around our area, and fun local places to visit).

• First, make a master list of all the things your family would enjoy to do during the summer.
• Then break it down into how much time each activity will take and color code them by that.
• Write each activity on the corresponding colored coded paper.
• Take a simple sand bucket and decorate it with sticker letters, then place the papers inside.
• Each day or evening, depending on your already scheduled activities, someone pulls out one piece of paper. (So, if you have a busy day, then you would pick out a color coded paper for an activity for an hour or less, if you have a full day open, then you would pick out a color coded paper for an all day activity.)

     I've broke down our activities into 4 time categories with the corresponding colors:

• All Day Activities
• Half Day Activities
• 2 Hour Activities
• 1 Hour & Less Activities

     Since, I am starting this Summer Bucket List May 1st, I have 54 days or so (not counting the last week of June, we will be packing up all our stuff and getting ready to move).  Here's what I came up with for our family's Summer Bucket List:

All Day Activities

• Visit Horse Ranch
• Picnic at the Beach
• Visit Ostrich Farm
• Visit Avila Farm
• Visit Santa Barbara Zoo
• Visit Solvang
• Go to the outlet mall
• Go to Car Show
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Madonna Inn
• Visit San Luis Obispo

Half Day Activities

• Go to Indoor Aquatic Center
• Visit Children's Museum
• Go to Chuck E. Cheese
• Go to Airplane Museum
• Go blueberry picking
• Visit the Railway Museum
• Go for cupcakes
• Have a play date
• Play putt putt
• Visit thrift store
• Go to the flea market
• Chalk Festival

2 Hour Activities

• Go to the park
• Go to Sir Bounce A Lot
• Go to the pool
• Go to a movie
• Visit the Farmer's Market
• Go feed the ducks
• Go bowling
• Visit a book store
• See a movie at the drive in
• Have a campout
• Make a fort
• Have a Nerf gun fight
• Plant some flowers
• Make pizzas
• Go on ABC Hunt
• Chalk Festival

1 Hour & Less Activities

• Go for a buggie ride
• Draw with sidewalk chalk
• Make popsicles
• Go to story time 
• Play soccer
• Get ice cream
• Make a craft
• Have a water balloon fight
• Play badminton
• Play baseball
• Go for a wagon ride
• Go on a bug hunt
• Fly kites
• Play tag
• Play frisbee
• Play kickball
• Go for fresh doughnuts
• Blow some bubbles
• Paint a picture
• Put on a magic show
• Tie Dye Socks
• Board Games
• Father's Day Craft
• ABC Hunt
• Water Gun Fight

     With May right around the corner, I have been stocking up on all the supplies I will need for our activities and storing them in a wicker chest.  So on the day of the activity I can just go to the chest and pick out what we are doing for the day.  For instance, I bought some water balloons at Walmart for our water balloon fight, found some summer crafts at Michael's, found a kite on sale at Toys R Us, stocked up on bubble solution, etc.  Being organized and well prepared for the right activity will definitely help out.  Hope this inspires you to make your own family Summer Bucket List.  I look forward to taking tons of pictures of our summer this year!

     ** Don't forget to link up your list with Little Wonders' Days blog for her Summer Bucket List Party on May 1st!! **