With the school year winding down and the unofficial start of Summer rapidly approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about making my summer bucket list for this year. I typically have these grand plans of all the things I want to do during summer. Then we get to the end of August and I’m disappointed that I’ve done virtually none of them. That’s why I started writing my ideas down.  You’ve probably heard of a summer bucket list.  You may have even created one for your family. Family summer bucket lists are great, but this year I want to encourage you to create a list just for you as well.  Now, I don’t mean adding a few items for yourself onto a list for your kids. I’m talking about creating your very own list. Why? Because chances are you’re not going to get to everything on the list. And guess which items are going to be the first to get cut? Most likely it’s going to be the ones for you. If that doesn’t sound like you- congratulations! But if you’re anything like me, you may sometimes struggle to make yourself a priority as a mom. That’s my number one reason for having a list that is all your own. 

Before you begin

Before we get into some ideas to get you started making your list, here are a few suggestions and guidelines to consider. 

Make it fun

Set aside some time to create your list. Maybe you want to get together with some friends to create your lists together over takeout and wine. Maybe you want to create your list alone in bed with a cup of tea. Whatever your preference, set the scene and make it enjoyable. 

Only include items you enjoy

This should not be another to-do list or a list of chores.  This should purely be a list of ideas for things you can do to make your summer feel more fun and magical. If organizing your closet brings you joy- awesome! Otherwise, don’t add that to your list. Don’t add something to the list because you think it’s something you SHOULD do. Also, don’t add items to the list that you think SHOULD be fun for you. What is fun for one person may sound like a nightmare to another. For example, my sister loves to go out dancing. I’ve always felt like this was something I should enjoy because she has so much fun doing it. As an introvert, going out dancing actually really stresses me out. It took me a long time to realize that it’s ok that this is not something I would add to my list. 

Set realistic expectations

As I already mentioned, you’re probably not going to cross everything off your list. That’s ok! No pressure. Remember: this is all about fun! 

Creating your list

If you’re anything like me, it may not be easy to come up with a whole list of activities you enjoy. We tend to spend so much time thinking about caring for others that we often don’t take the time to think about what really makes us happy.  If that’s the case for you, here are some questions you can ask yourself to help get your ideas flowing. 

• What do you wish you had more time to do? 
• What did you do for fun as a child?
• If you had a whole week off to yourself what types of things would you do?
• What do you see other people doing that makes you a bit jealous?
• Think about a time that you had a lot of fun. What were you doing? 

Don’t censor yourself

When you are brainstorming ideas don’t restrict yourself. Write down anything that comes to mind. You can whittle down your list later. Now is the time to let your creativity flow.

Sort into categories

Once I have a good list generated, I like to sort my ideas into categories. This helps to determine when I will fit things into my schedule. Once determine my categories it usually sparks more ideas on things I want to do.  Here are some categories you could use.

• Outdoor activities
• Indoor activities or Rainy day activities
• Solo activities 
• Activities with friends
• Free activities
• Books to read
• Movies/Shows to watch
• Things to eat/drink
• Places to travel

Complete your List

Once you are done generating ideas, create a finalized list. Since I’m addicted to my paper planner I usually dedicate a page in my planner and use colorful pens and stickers. You’ll want to make sure you put your list someplace you will see it. Out of sight, out of mind. I also like to leave a little space in each section of my list in case I think of more ideas as time goes on. 

Start scheduling in your fun

Start to add some of the bigger activities to your calendar where you can. The dates don’t need to be set in stone, but you have to start somewhere. Otherwise, you won’t end up doing any of the activities, and may just end up feeling bad about yourself.  Don’t just use the weekends, sprinkle some joy into the workweek as well. Hopefully, you will have a good mix of little things and bigger activities to choose from. Here is a list of ideas to help you get started.

• Make ice cream sundaes 
• Do a jigsaw puzzle 
• Watch fireworks
• Go on a hike
• Make s’mores
• Read 10 books
• Unplug for 24 hours 
• Go to a baseball game
• Spend a day by the water 
• Have a movie day in bed
• Enjoy some live music
• Go to a farmer’s market 
• Have drinks on a patio 
• Learn a new skill
• Clean out your closet
• Do a DIY facial
• Read a book by the pool 
• Visit an amusement park 
• Go camping (or glamping)
• Get a pedicure 
• Visit a friend you haven’t seen in a while 
• Redecorate a room in your house
• Go strawberry picking
• Have a water balloon fight
• Go to a water park
• Make tie-dye shirts 
• Go to a drive-in movie
• Go horseback riding
• Take a nap 
• Play mini-golf

Again, these are just ideas. Fill your list with things you love. I hope this helps add some extra fun to your summer.  Leave me a comment and let me know what activities you’re adding to your list!