40 Summer Bucket List Ideas + Free Summer Bucket List Printable!

Although summer doesn’t “officially” start until later this month, I mean come on, it’s SUMMER!!! The temperatures are soaring, the sun is shining, and I even saw my first firefly last weekend – aww! (Northwesterners, are we still sure fireflies don’t exist where you live?!)

This is the first summer Lincoln’s been truly excited and anxious to get out and about everyday (the first thing he asks after waking up is, “what are we doing today?“) That said, I want to make each day count because when we’re tucking him into bed at night he asks, “what was your favorite part of the day?” and when we turn the question back on him, there’s nothing more satisfying than hearing him say whatever fun thing we did that day was (vs, I don’t know, watching Mickey’s Three Musketeers, for instance. ?)

Thanks to some insanely amazing May weather, we’ve already had a chance to fill our days and weekends with summery activities like making popsicles, going to the pool, attending a baseball game, grilling any chance we get, taking long walks, attempting to fish, running through the sprinkler, and visiting the Farmer’s Market.

Oh, and teaching Lincoln the virtues of cleanliness (aka adding a couple squirts of soap into his water table as it filled it up then watching him play independently with the suds for an hour. YES!)

Although we’ve already got a running start there’s still so much to do, so I thought I’d write a Summer Bucket List so we don’t find ourselves turning to each other every morning or Friday night and asking, “what should we do today/this weekend?” Some of the activities are specific to the Central Iowa area, but I know you’ll get some good ideas for where you live, too.

Oh, and don’t miss the last bucket list item! ?

Additionally I created a FREE Summer Bucket List printable so you and your friends and family can write out your own bucket list to tackle this summer!

Click here to view/print the Summer Bucket List printable OR right click this link then choose “Save Link As…” to download the printable to your device.

2016 Summer Bucket List

1. Attend a summer concert
2. Play mini golf
3. Visit Reimen Gardens
4. Find a Sunday night tradition
5. Catch fireflies with Lincoln
6. Take a “babymoon” weekend with Ben
7. Visit a trail outside our neighborhood
8. Go to the pool 1x week
9. Ride the Union Park Carousel
10. Read 3 books (at least!)
11. Go to a baseball game
12. CATCH. A. FISH.
13. Visit the Omaha Zoo
14. Visit Living History Farms
15. Have a picnic
16. See a movie at the theater
17. Shop the Valley Junction Farmers Market
18. Go camping
19. Walk around the Iowa State University campus
20. Go boating/kayaking/paddle boating
21. Go to Deuling Pianos
22. Get a slushie at the Dairy Stripe
23. Go berry picking
24. Attend the Art Festival
25. Go on at least 3 date nights with Ben
26. Make a 4th of July Craft
27. Walk the High Trestle Bridge Trail in the evening
28. Visit Effigy Mounds
29. Teach Lincoln to ride a trike (Lord, help me!)
30. Attend the Indianola National Balloon Classic
31. Go to Sunday Tunes at Summerset Winery
32. Visit the Jester Park Natural Playscape
33. Go bowling
34. Take a family vacation
35. Visit the zoo
36. Attend the (one and only) Iowa State Fair
37. Creek walk at The Ledges
38. Go to a 4th of July Parade
39. Roast hot dogs over a bonfire
40. Choose a name for our little…BOY! Yes, yes, yes – baby #2 is another boy and we are so excited that Lincoln is going to have a little brother!! With so many gents in both Ben’s and my family, we figured it was more likely than a girl, and we’re just so excited. Growing up with two brothers, and raising Lincoln so far, I just feel like I know boys. Although three against one? I’ve definitely got my work cut out for me! ;)

Tell me, what summer bucket list items and events did I miss? How do YOU celebrate summer?