Summer is the perfect opportunity for children to build up to longer durations of independent play and so for the most part, our Summer rhythm is rather relaxed. The children spend a large amount of their time outdoors, creating their own games and activities as they go.
As summer approaches and I see more and more jam-packed summer schedules, I want to put this out there: It’s (more than) okay for your children to be bored. Because we live in a world of instant entertainment, where we can just place a screen in front of a bored child, we tend to forget that boredom is when creativity happens.
The problem with non-stop entertainment of children during the long summer months – or at any time – is that they come to rely on you for ideas rather than coming up with anything themselves. This leads to a lack of creativity and independence for your child and is a quick-fire route to being burned out for you.
A much better approach is to design a simple summer rhythm.
With that being said, having a Summer Bucket List, where the whole family pitches in with ideas on what they want to do, is a great way of having some focal points in what can be an incredibly long season!
The Summer Bucket List
These ideas are designed to help you get started with ideas to try over the summer. The list contains a mix of both free and paid for activities that are popular with young children from the ages of 2-3 onwards.
Some of the ideas featured might not be possible, depending on where you live so think outside of the box and make the list work for you . For example, if a beach visit is out of the question, try visiting a local creek or lake instead.
Host a family meeting to get ideas from the whole family so that everyone gets to look forward to something on the summer bucket list. Again some outside the box thinking is needed here, especially when faced with suggestions like ‘ a trip to the moon’; (try a planetarium or science centre) or an expensive trip to Disney (try a budget friendly amusement park or even a Disney movie day) is added to the list.
Build sandcastles
climb a tree
learn to ride a bike
paddle in the sea
collect seashells
explore rockpools
outdoor art
make ice domes
go stargazing
go camping – even if it’s the backyard
run through the grass barefoot
watch the sunrise
watch the sunset
go for a picnic
make chalk spray paint
go swimming
explore National Trust / National Park locations
make sponge water bombs
attend free kids festivals in your local area
make popsicles
wash the family car
play frisbee
make fresh lemonade
have a BBQ and invite friends
put on a puppet show
watch fireworks
watch a live music festival
create rock art, then hide them for someone to find
eat watermelon
create an obstacle course in the garden
explore a new playground
go on a nature treasure scavenger hunt
make floral playdough
create a bug hotel
make a backyard den / forte
read stories outside
make a smoothie with seasonal fruit/ veggies
host a family game night
go berry picking
make bubble foam
visit a splash pool
go to a kids movie screening
plant bee and butterfly friendly plants
visit a country fair
go on a road trip
collect recycling and create an outdoor art collage
make temporary art with nature / beach treasures
go cloud watching
visit a science centre on a rainy day
visit a butterfly centre
Get the Simple Summer Rhythms Guide
