• Travel
  • Reading
  • Math
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Recipes

The Educators' Spin On It

Learning Games and Activities

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • BOOK CLUB
  • Shop
  • Contact

By Kim Vij

Summer Bucket List {Play Learn Make Go }

A fun spin on your Summer Bucket List! Using the concepts of play, learn, make and go plan out your summer with your child this year. Download and get planning for the summer today!

Play, Learn, Make Go a Summer Bucket List Planner Packed full of ideas for fun with your child.

Summer is just about to arrive at our house and we are so excited to begin our summer fun! To get planning I spent some time making plans with my daughters for what we want to do this summer with our kids.

Are you looking for ideas for this summer?

Summer Bucket List Ideas 

Instead of creating a huge list of activities, we thought it might be fun to focus on key concepts of childhood development. We focused on these 4 four main groups for Summer Fun. 

Here’s our Summer Bucket List Categories …

  • Play
  • Learn
  • Make
  • Go
Summer Time Fun with Kids! Ideas for fun and learning this summer with your child.

PLAY – One of the most important things in childhood is time for play.

LEARN – Help you child avoid the summer gap by sneaking in learning during the summer months.
BONUS see if there is something they’d like to learn new during the break. Self-led learning can be so powerful for child. Summer reading falls into this category as well.

MAKE – Getting hands-on is crucial to your child’s development. The summer is ideal for starting projects that take a little extra time or are a little messier for your child to truly experience it. Trying out a new STEM project or recipe for kids can be a lot of fun.

GO – With a little extra time at home, summer makes for the perfect time to plan a few adventures outside of the house. We’d recommend picking an outing that ties into something you did during the week.

Grab our Summer Activity Calendar Bundle for hours of fun with your child!

Play, Learn, Make Go a Summer Bucket List Planner Packed full of ideas for fun with your child.

Play : Learn : Make : Go : Summer Bucket list!

Using these four groups of Play, Learn, Make and Go we started to brainstorm.

My 5 year old sat down with Mommy and Daddy and created our own Summer Bucket list of things we want to do together.  

I’m sure little sister will enjoy her big sister’s ideas too. I can tell that after a year in Kindergarten she’s ready for some adventures with Mommy and Daddy. 

Ready to brainstorm your summer bucket list? Download and Print our Summer Bucket List Planner

Summer Bucket List Planner for Kids
DOWNLOAD SUMMER BUCKET LIST PLANNER

Here’s a look at a sample list my 6 year old made with my 2 year old. As the years pass I know this list will change which is why these 4 Summer Bucket Categories are ideal to use. Even as teenagers they work!

Summer Bucket List Planner for Kids

This summer planner is a great way to avoid hearing “Mom, I’m bored”. Your child works to come up with ideas, here’s a peek at my daughter’s answers when she did this.

Here are a few tips for making summer memories with your child.

  • Play at the splash park
  • Play with my friends
  • Play with my grandparents
  • Play soccer
  • Play t-ball
  • Play water games like Drip, Drip, Drop
  • Play with my sister and brother
  • Play in the backyard and explore
  • Play dress up
  • Play outside in the backyard
  • Play games with lids
  • Play with my new Bear “Cupcake” and have teddy bear picnic
  • Play with all my toys and donate ones I’ve outgrown
  • Play with my sister and her friends at a special playdate
  • Learn to swim underwater
  • Learn to tie my shoes
  • Learn how to tell time
  • Learn about 5 new things
  • Lead to read chapter books
  • Learn about the 7 continents
  • Learn new sight words
  • Learn about the Earth
  • Learn to sew
  • Learn to ride my bike
  • Learn to play the piano
  • Learn about other places
  • Make science experiments
  • Make a story about the beach
  • Make art projects
  • Make a mermaid
  • Make cloud dough
  • Make ice cream
  • Make art with sidewalk chalk
  • Make a fairy garden
  • Make food together
  • Make one special summer project
  • Make a summer reading list
  • Go to the library and get my own card
  • Go to the $1 summer movies
  • Go to the butterfly museum
  • Go to the art museum
  • Go to the Discovery room at the Museum
  • Go to Downtown Disney
  • Go to Sea World or Aquarium
  • Go get a hot fudge Sundae
  • Go to the Smoky Mountains
  • Go to Vacation Bible School
  • Go to the Bat House
  • Go to the Duck Pond
  • Go to the Zoo
  • Go to the Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Go on an airplane
  • Go on a picnic
  • Go shark teeth hunting
  • Go on a nature trail hike
  • Go to the beach
Play, Learn, Make Go a Summer Bucket List Planner Packed full of ideas for fun with your child.

Summer Schedule for Kids

You can break up this Play, Learn, Make Go Summer Bucket List Planner into the whole summer, monthly or even weekly to keep things fun and interesting all summer long.

Get started on your summer break by printing out our First Day of Summer Vacation Interview!

Crab on beach asking what's on your summer bucket list. Explore the concepts of Play, Learn, Make Go a Summer Bucket List Planner Packed full of ideas for fun with your child.

What’s on your Summer Bucket list ?

Share with us in the comments below. It can be a resource for parents who are making summer plans with your child.

DOWNLOAD our Free June Calendar!

We hope you have a GREAT SUMMER!

Looking for more ideas for summer fun? Try these…

First Day of Summer Vacation Interview for Kids with download
Quote about Summertime with Kids
Summer Virtual Field Trips for kids. Explore Oceans, Beaches, Amusement Parks, Springs and more!

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

  • Twitter
  • Facebook9

Filed Under: Kids Activities, Kids Games Tagged With: Afterschool Express, Blog Hops, grade school, Kim, learn, Monthly Planner, PLAY, Preschool, Summer

About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

« Reignite Children’s Interest in Science with FUN Summer Sensory Bottles for Kids
Summer Reading Challenge »

Comments

  1. Raising a Happy Child says

    June 11, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Nice list! I like how you divided this list into parts. It would be great to do a little of each every week!

  2. heather at wordplayhouse® says

    June 8, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    Wonderful ideas—lots! $1 summer movies? Lucky you!

  3. Katie @ the terpblog says

    June 8, 2012 at 8:27 am

    I love how you have this divided up! Great ideas! Thanks for stopping by to link up!

  4. Stacy of KSW says

    June 6, 2012 at 1:48 am

    fantastic list! thanks for sharing these

For ages…

Grade School
Preschool
Toddler
Baby

Search for an Activity

POPULAR POSTS

Virtual Field Trips for Kids
Summer Activity Bundle 2025
Classroom placement request
Ice+Cream+End+of+Year+Craft.png
Caterpillar to Butterfly Balloon Science Experiment
Virtual Book Club for Kids Summer Camp Downloads
June Activity Calendar 2025

GRAB OUR BOOK!

100 fun and Easy Learning Games for Kids Book Cover Standing

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You Might Also Like

Virtual Book Club for Kids Summer Camps for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Easy At-Home Summer Camp Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers: Bring the Magic Home!

The Best collection of June books for Kids

Best June Books for Kids: Summer, Swimming, Father’s Day, Ocean & Juneteenth Reads

Summer Virtual Field Trips for kids. Explore Oceans, Beaches, Amusement Parks, Springs and more!

Summer Virtual Field Trips for Kids

June Activities for Kids! Explore a month long activity guide for your child to kick off summer!

June Activities for Kids {Free Summer Activity Calendar}

Summer Activity Bundle 2025

Summer Activity Calendar Bundle

Let’s Connect!

Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim Vij shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing all kinds of easy kid crafts, activities, recipes and even travel ideas for families!
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025