How to Build a Summer Bucket List That Rocks

Creating a summer bucket list is a smart way to help you live intentionally in the season! Here are the five categories every bucket list needs, plus ideas for what to put on your own summer bucket list.Creating a summer bucket list is a great way to help you live intentionally in the season! Here are 5 must-have categories for your summer bucket list. #IntentionalSummer #SummerBucketList

It’s June, and once again I’ve traveled around the sun and back into the long days of light that fill my favourite season–summer! I want to live intentionally all the year round, but in summer especially I put my mouth to the garden hose and gulp it down.

Being a lifelong list lover, I grab pen and paper and write down everything I can think of to live summer to the max. Bucket lists jog my memory for things I want to do in the season, and writing out the list gets me excited for the days ahead. And I know it will happen again–by the time summer kicks the bucket in late August, my cup will be overflowing with the abundance of sweet memories and days spent reveling in the season.

Personally, I think there’s a bit of an art to creating an awesome summer bucket list. 

A few moments of reflection over my past lists, and I’ve realized that the items on my bucket lists all have to do with 5 main categories:

  1. Food
  2. Projects
  3. Places
  4. Learning
  5. Activities

Whether you create a bucket list as a family or your own personal list, using these categories will help you map out a well-rounded, summer-soaked season.

Homemade Ice Cream

What to Put on Your Summer Bucket List

Summer Food

What foods evoke summer for you? Make a note to eat them this summer! You might add to your list:

Etc. If you’re on Pinterest, you might want to create a board to collect summer recipes that are on your bucket list. Then, try to make one or two recipes per week.

Summer Projects

What have you been wanting to get done around the house or yard? Pick a few of the things you most want to accomplish, and put them on your bucket list. They could be small projects, like:

Or big projects, like:

  • Paint the dinning room
  • Clean out the shed
  • Plan for the school year

If they’re big projects, only write down three and do one per month. If they’re small, do one every week or every other week.

The open road

Places for Summer

Where do you want to go this summer? Think of farther-from-home adventures as well as places you can visit close by. Your far adventures might include a long road trip you’ve been planning for months, while nearby adventures might be to:

  • Visit a new park or walking trail
  • Have a beach day (or days!)
  • Go to _______ museum or art gallery

Summer Learning

How do you want to expand your horizons? Summer is an excellent time to explore a new field of study, dip into a new–or postponed–hobby, or read more books (here are some good picks for summer). This part of your bucket list might have things like:

  • Learn more about space/astronomy
  • Read X number of books
  • Learn how to make killer souffles

Summer Activities

What day-to-day activities fill in the gaps to make summer feel like summer? It doesn’t matter how small these things are…if they mean summer to you, write them down! Even if they’re the sorts of things you would do whether or not they were written down, putting them on paper gets you in the mood and sparks your imagination.

If you have kids (actually, even if you don’t…) some of your activities might include:

  • Backyard water play (running through the sprinkler, playing with squirt guns, etc.)
  • Sidewalk chalk on the driveway
  • Catching fireflies

Whether or not you have kids, you might also include things like:

  • Meals outside on the porch
  • Walks after supper
  • Listening to The Beach Boys at every opportunity

No item is too big– and no item too small–for your summer bucket list. Write it all down, stick the list to your fridge, and get excited about the weeks ahead!

Here are most posts to give you summer bucket list inspiration and get you in the mood for summer:

40 Things You Should Experience Every Summer

The Busy Girl’s Guide to an Intentional Summer

15 Ideas for a Summer Staycation

Summer Seasonal Produce Guide

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