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Summer Bucket List for Kids

by Mary Adalbert | Jun 14, 2017 | 3 min read

It’s been a long winter, and spring here in PA is colder than I’d like it to be. If you’re like me, you’ve already begun to long for lazy summer days, road trips, popsicles, and the general ease of the summer months. And, while it may feel like a year away, summer is just around the corner, which means it’s a great time to get planning your family summer bucket list! This summer, my kids are determined to accomplish little, while I’m determined to push them a little to fill in some holes left after this school year. The question is, “How we can get a few homeschooling tasks done without losing the ease and fun of summer, without compromising the ‘break’?” Compromise is hard, but not impossible! Here’s my family’s summer bucket list for kids that everyone can agree upon!

Our Summer Bucket List (and Your Ticket to a Scholarly, Social, and Satisfying Summer)

  1. Start a reader’s theater group. I know there are books and topics you simply didn’t get to this year. Why not dive into some of those titles by creating your own reader’s theater group? You’ll read together, and apart, and then put on a theatrical production once you’ve completed the text. If it’s not a play, choose your favorite scenes to act out together. Consider building an outdoor stage so you can invite as many friends and family members as possible!
  2. Hike, kayak, and swim every week. One thing I love about summer is exploring creation. And, if you’re like me, PE hours often get forgotten during the school year when days are filled with must-do subjects and lesson plans. Make summer months your time to get those required PE credits by hiking, kayaking, swimming, and exploring the local parks and areas near you. Just be sure to log your hours and pick up a few hiking and lake maps to show your evaluator.
  3. Explore hands-on science with an experiment each day. Check out these fun outdoor science experiments and activities from lemonlimeadventures.com. You’ll be busy learning and laughing together as you discover more about physical science, chemistry, and more. If you don’t tell them they’re learning and illustrating the concepts they dug into this year, I won’t!
  4. Invite history and local artists, farmers, and musicians into our life to learn more about local culture and economics on Field Trip Fridays. We take field trips year-round, but don’t make it official in the summer. This summer, I want to intentionally expose my children to our local arts and culture. So far, we will be volunteering at a local honey farm, working with a farm stand operator, and visiting a local potter for a lesson in local clay on the pottery wheel. These are important cultural experiences in our local economy. Teach your children the value of understanding your local culture and support local artisans this summer by instituting your own Field Trip Fridays.
  5. Start a Bible study for our neighborhood. This last summer bucket list item is mainly for my heart and soul, and is something I have been considering but haven’t had the time or courage to undertake. The year gets so full with homeschooling, music lessons, sports, and holidays, that I simply haven’t made the time I want to grow in my understanding of the Word or spend time with my neighbors. This summer, I want to change that by starting a neighborhood Bible study. It may be over coffee or poolside. Regardless of where, I want to get to know the parents and kids in my neighborhood better while diving into who God is and soaking in the richness of His Word. Starting a neighborhood Bible study may be the best and most fruitful item you can check off of your summer bucket list. If you don’t feel equipped to lead, follow a book study or simply read through the Psalms and pray with one another. Nothing you engage in this summer will be more important or impactful!

Summer is a great season to accomplish a few goals you didn’t get done during the school year and to grow in togetherness as a family and community. There’s no better way to do that than to make your own summer bucket list for kids, one that fits your family and personality perfectly. No matter what you end up accomplishing this summer, I hope it’s a season of rest and renewal for your family. This will leave you prepared to tackle the new school year when the summer months come to their end.

What’s in your summer bucket list? Tell us in a comment below!

Mary Adalbert
Hello! I’m Mary Adalbert, Marketing Project Manager for Bridgeway Academy. As a result of being homeschooled during my middle school and high school years, I am passionate about families finding a perfect fit for each of their children. After high school, I went on to study music and business at college where I found a love for helping kids use their creativity in music. I still enjoy teaching music to students and integrate their learning style as we work through lessons at their own pace. In my free time I love playing sports with my husband, spending time with our family, and playing music. And most of all, I love seeing how God works through each and every situation.
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