I’m sure you’ve heard all about the bucket list — things to see or do before you, well…kick the bucket. Sounds morbid, but I’ve found a lot of joy in creating several bucket lists myself (personal, professional, travel). They are a great way to stay motivated and, for families, they can be a great way to spend quality time together.
My favorite is our family summer bucket list that we make together every year. I have the kids create some fun artwork to display on the board and we brainstorm all the awesome trips we plan to take, or activities we hope to do before they head back to school. The emphasis for us is on travel — seeing and exploring new places.
Summer 2019 Family Bucket List
This year was no exception and we went all out, knowing full well we will never get to everything on our list; but it’s always nice to have options. We even hung an actual bucket in the middle so we have a place to put our “finished” activities and trips. At the end of the summer we’ll be able to go through the bucket and remember all the amazing things we did together.
This gets my kids thinking and dreaming about all the fun things they can do while they are on school break. Not to mention it helps keep them away from tv and tablets (no judgment folks, we love our electronics too!). But most important, it helps me to maintain my own sanity by minimizing the number of times my little ones utter those inevitable words, “I’m bored!”
Go Ahead, Give it a Try
Creating a family bucket list will encourage your kids (and you) to get out and explore together more often. And there are always follow-up activities you can do to keep up that enthusiasm post-adventure. For example, have the kids draw a picture of their favorite activity from each trip, or ask them to help you choose photos from your family outing and put together a homemade photo book. The list goes on and on…
The most important thing is to have fun together, taking the time to learn and explore as a family.
