Amy Trowbridge-Yates is a gifted Hallmark Senior Writer whose witty, tell-it-like-it-is attitude knows no bounds. Today, she’s talking about one of her favorite summer traditions to share with her two daughters…and we’re helping you get in on the fun!
The “I’m booorrrreddd!” starts early in the summer at our house, with my 7-year-old out of school and my 4-year-old getting into everything her big sister has forbidden her to touch. Even with a trampoline, swing set and beloved Netflix subscription, we quickly run out of things to do.
Two years ago, I started seeing “summer lists” pop up in blog posts and thought it was a great boredom-busting idea. We were able to cross everything off our list the first year. Last year, my daughter had just finished kindergarten and was able to write our list out herself. See below for some ideas for making your own summer fun list.
Summer Fun List tips:
- Have your child write the list and be sure to include the year. Then you can tuck it away as a cute keepsake of not only your summertime memories, but also your child’s handwriting.
- Include activities that are big (a road trip or vacation) and small (sidewalk chalk or backyard BBQs). This way, you can easily choose something to do that isn’t time-consuming or expensive to spice up a random Tuesday.
- Take turns adding to the list, or let each member of the family pick two or three items that interest them. This is especially important if your family includes older and younger children.
- Find a calendar of family-friendly events, such as carnivals, outdoor concerts, etc. to add to your list. Many local libraries sponsor guests or activities weekly.
Idea starters:
- water-balloon fight
- lemonade stand
- backyard campout
- homemade snow-cones
- Drive-in movie
- stop the ice-cream man
- make homemade play-clay
- go for a midnight swim
- try two new crafts
- bake treats for neighbors
- pedicures
- “dates” with mom and dad
- Find more ideas at Hallmark.com’s Ideas Section
Thanks to Maddox Walker for sharing his Summer Fun List with us above! Download your own lists designed by Hallmark artist Colin Walsh HERE. We would love if you’d share a photo of your family’s list on our Instagram page or in the comments here! Happy Summer!