The Best Summer Bucket List for Toddlers

Do you struggle to find things to do with your toddlers and preschoolers over the summer? Preschool is out and now you have an entire day to entertain them for 3 whole months. Now they don’t need anything incredibly extravagant, but you do want to do fun things with them! You will be giving them good memories of their childhood as well as incredible memories for you as a mom. In this blog post, I’m going to share the ultimate summer bucket list for toddlers.

Not only will this blog post give you toddler summer activities, but it is a summer bucket list for families as well. As summer comes to a close this year your whole family will be able to look back fondly on the memories you created. One extra thing I recommend doing as you begin doing your summer bucket list ideas is taking lots of pictures! And make sure that YOU are in the pictures as well. As moms, it’s easy to always be the one behind the camera. But your children will want to look back and see you included in their photographs as well. 

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If you’re looking for a list of physical activities to do with your toddler(s) throughout the seasons check out The Ultimate Guide to Physical Activity for Toddlers.

How to Create a Summer Bucket List for Toddlers

Making a summer bucket list does not have to be difficult or take a lot of work. You can create your bucket list on a poster board with markers and hang it up in your house. Then as you complete tasks on your bucket list you can have your toddler put a sticker next to the item. That will include them in the actual bucket list, and we all know toddlers love to be included and help! If you aren’t creative (like me, I have no artistic bone in my body) then you can create your summer bucket list on your phone or Canva. 

Creating your summer bucket list is a great way to make sure you get to complete all of the fun summer activities you’ve waited all year to do. When coming up with ideas for your ultimate summer bucket list for toddlers, think about the activities you and your toddler have been wanting to do all year. Maybe you’ve been wanting to take your toddler to the zoo, but it’s too cold and snowy in February. Add that to your list so you can remember to go when it’s warm!

Personally, our summer bucket list always includes a lot of outdoor activities. We love being outside and I find it so important for kids to get outside time! We love to incorporate all kinds of water activities into our bucket list so we stay cool during the summer. 

What activities are a must for you and your family? Add those activities as well! Or maybe there are new summer traditions you want to start with your toddlers this year that you want to add.

Summer is the perfect time to do new activities with toddlers since they are out of school. If a vacation is more your style be sure to add that to your summer bucket list as well!

If you aren’t sure what you want to do, but you know you want to create a summer of fun activities for toddlers that’s okay! I’ve compiled a list of 50 ideas to add to your ultimate summer bucket list for toddlers. If you’re finding this post a little later in the summer, don’t worry! You can add some of these ideas to your end-of-summer bucket list and make the most of what’s left of summer!

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List for Toddlers

Here is a curated list of 50 different things to add to your summer bucket list. This list contains ideas for a summer bucket list on a budget as well as ideas that cost a little more money. Use this list as a summer bucket list inspiration or use it as your complete summer bucket list!

Budget Friendly Ideas for Your Summer Bucket List for Young Kids

• Go to the park
• Go to the splash pad
• Play in the rain
• Play sidewalk chalk
• Blow bubbles
• Go for a bike ride
• Go for a scooter ride
• Go for a family walk
• Run through sprinklers
• Play on slip-and-slide
• Try a new to you park
• Go fishing
• Catch lightning bugs
• Watch fireworks
• Have a play date
• Have a family game night
• Have a dance party
• Make lemonade
• Wash the car
• Build a fairy garden in your front yard
• Play car wash with a little cozy coupe car
• Fly a kite
• Go to the pool

Toddler Activities to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

• Paint with shaving cream and food coloring in the bathtub
• Make tie-dye shirts
• Finger paint
• Create an obstacle course
• Build a fort
• Paint outside (this can be on cardboard! My toddlers love to paint on our Amazon packages.)

Food Activities to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

• Make S’Mores
• Get snocones
• Go get ice cream
• Have a tea party
• Eat a watermelon
• Host a Backyard BBQ
• Bake a dessert/cookies
• Take a popsicle bath-eat a popsicle in the bathtub
• Go on a picnic

Adventures to Add to Your Summer Bucket List for Families

• Go to the beach
• Go to the children’s museum
• Go to the zoo
• Go to the aquarium
• Visit a water park
• Go to the library
• Go strawberry picking
• Go blueberry picking
• Visit family
• Visit the farmer’s market
• Go on a nature walk and collect items

End the Summer With a Ton of Memories

To finish off the summer, take all the pictures you took as a family while completing the summer bucket list for toddlers and print them out. Now go to Hobby Lobby (watch their sales, they always have sales on their scrapbooking supplies!) and get scrapbooking supplies. Now make a scrapbook of your summer together as a family! You’ll be able to look back on your summer of fun as a family for years to come.

A Few Favorite Items for a Summer of Fun With Toddlers

Inflatable Pool-if my husband is working I don’t take my children to the community pool by myself. So we purchased this blow-up pool for the backyard! Not too deep and has seats so I can get in with the children.

Cheap Muffin Pan– This is perfect for using shaving cream and food coloring to paint in the shower/bathtub. This is a great rainy-day activity to keep your kids entertained. And the shaving cream just washes off when they’re all done! I don’t use the same muffin pan that I cook with as I do for the kids to do crafts/activities with.

Bug Bungalow– A great item to place lightning bugs when your kids catch them. Growing up we always used old mason jars, so I love having this option!

Radioflyer Stroller Wagon– I love this for going to the zoo with toddlers. And it folds up compactly to fit in your car! You can also use it to push your children or beach items/toys when going to the beach.

Splash Pad– This is a great item you can add to your lineup of backyard water toys to get some outside time! Especially if you don’t have any public splash pads in your area. Ours was gifted to us when we first moved into our house, but this one is very similar with good reviews.

Stroller Fan– A stroller fan is a must have for babies, toddlers, and parents! Over the summer if you are outdoors bring a stroller fan or two! That way you can cool off yourself and your children can stay cool as well.

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List for Toddlers: 50 Ideas to Make Your Summer Unforgettable

This list of summer bucket list ideas is not all-inclusive, but is a great place to start when planning a summer of fun for your family! Summer should be a time of fun and making memories as a family! Don’t let summer pass you by without trying some of these fun summer bucket list for toddlers ideas! 

Are there any other summer bucket list ideas you would add? Or maybe that you would take away? Let me know in the comments! I love to add new ideas to my summer bucket list!

Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends, and family, and on social media! I can’t wait to see what kinds of summer bucket list ideas you guys come up with!