Summer Bucketlist Ideas

This week’s theme over on Instagram was Planning for a joyful Summer!

This first step in planning is often overlooked but, essential: consult your calendar!

We often think the summer is wide open when in fact, there is a lot already in place: work commitments, weekends away, a birthday party or a BBQ with friends… it all adds up.

Take out your calendars and do the following:

💚 Note what’s already there and how you can work with it (eg. A Lakeside weekend might pair well with a bucketlist item of getting Ice Cream at the shops)

Once you have this baseline choose a handful of Summer Bucketlist activities you’d like to do over the Summer and schedule them in – spreading them out as much as you can

💚 Take into consideration “crunch” weeks like the week before school where you’re likely sticking close to home and running many errands.

💚 Think about weekly errands like grocery shopping & appointments- is it possible to schedule these on a regular weekly basis so there is some consistency there? Can you find ways to calmly break these days into manageable chunks for you and the children (eg. Create a picnic in the backyard tradition where you do the grocery shop in the morning, buy a premade lunch and bring it home for everyone to enjoy in the backyard while you’re unloading the groceries)

💚 Establish a baseline daily rhythm. Wake up times meal times and sleep times will ideally remain the same. For families with multiple children this may mean sticking close to home in the morning and accepting that younger siblings have their second nap in a stroller, carrier or car in the afternoon

💚 Remember with children less is more! You only need 1-2 family traditions to make your summer together memorable and special – the rest of the magic happens at home, playing and enjoying the simple luxury of warmer weather together

💚 With the above in mind, trips & holidays with children are the most enjoyable for everyone when young children get what they need: healthy rest & sleep, nourishing food, lots of time outdoors, time for independent play and time with loved ones.

If you like this post you might be interested in the Summer Picture Book List