The Summer List

This is the last week of school in our house and we are ready. We are ready to trade in the structure of the school year schedules and to-do lists for something a little more flexible and a little more fun. Next week, the kids and I will kick off the end of the school by making The Summer List.

Think of the summer list as a kind of “bucket list”. It’s a list of things we want to do and places we want to go before summer ends. That way, summer won’t get away from us and leave us saying “Summer is gone and we didn’t even …” or “I’m bored!”

How To Make The Summer List

We start the process of making the summer list by asking the kids what they want to do this summer. They blurt out answers and I write them on a white board. We make two collumns: things to do at home and places to go. All of our outings must be within 1.5 hours drive of our house or a grandparent’s house. All of the things to do have to be mama approved.

After we have made a good list, we add the “places to go” that have a date to the calendar. If I know a better time of summer to go certain places, I add those to our calendar, too.

Next, we look at our “to do at home” list and make a list of supplies we might need. A trip to the store and we are set!

Ideas For Your Summer List

To help you get started on your own summer list, here are a few places to go you might want to add:

zoo
observatory
planetarium
local parks
baseball game
swimming pool
local festivals
ice skating (refreshing break from the summer heat)
museums
historical homes
local garden centers

And, for your “things to do at home”:

water gun/balloon fight

turn on the sprinklers in the backyard
make cookies/treats (we like to try new recipes in the summer)
make ice cream in a bag
collect bugs (here is a cute bug observing jug project)
ride bikes
have a picnic in the backyard
make a treasure hunt in the house or yard
read a book
write a book
make bracelets
make paper airplanes

What about you? What are your plans for the summer? Do you need to make a summer list?

About Marci

Marci has a passion for helping people get the busyness and clutter out of their lives so that they can slow down and enjoy what is really important. She is proud mama to an 11 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. Head over to Marci's blog Overcoming Busy to read more about how she cuts the clutter and gets organized! You can, also, find Marci blogging about homeschool science at The Homeschool Scientist.