To know me is to know that I am obsessed with making lists. And not just your typical to-do lists, either. When it comes to this blog alone, I make lists of posts I want to write and places I want to explore with the family.
I’m proud to say that these lists have proven helpful, especially when it comes to getting outside with the kids. Thanks to my post earlier this spring on setting goals to get outdoors, we planted our first vegetable garden, raised caterpillars and released butterflies, visited the Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve and picked our own strawberries to celebrate Mother’s Day.
With summer officially beginning today, it’s time for me to share my bucket list for outdoor fun with kids these next few months. Here goes:
- Start an outdoor play group
- Build a backyard fort
- Go camping, either in the backyard or beyond
- Visit a tide pool
- Go bike riding (a lot)
- Go bird watching
- Walk barefoot through wet grass
- View the stars through a telescope
- Fish in the stream outside our cabin in Yosemite
- See a new critter in nature (especially a frog or an owl)
- Create a backyard field guide
- Take a neighborhood walk with a compass as our guide
- Take a road trip to explore nature in San Diego or beyond
I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you the big explorer’s own bucket list:
- Learn to ride a bike without training wheels
- Go to LEGOLAND Water Park
- Buy a hula hoop
- Eat a “summer feast” (a.k.a. BBQ) with corn on the cob, hot dogs and watermelon
- Attend a campfire in Yosemite
- Become a junior ranger
- Go fishing
He even dreamed up a few ideas for the little explorer:
- Chase bubbles
- Play in water
- See some fish at an aquarium
- Ride the stagecoach in Wawona (in Yosemite)
Whew! We’re gonna be busy! How about you – have you starting thinking what you’d like to do outside with your kids this summer? I’d love to hear what fun you’ve got planned.
Thanks for all the wonderful comments, you guys!<br /><br />@EatStayPlay: We have tried geocaching & although we didn't actually find any treasures, we enjoyed the hunt! Thanks for sharing your link.<br /><br />@Mel: Love your bucket list, too!<br /><br />@Crystal: I've never used a telescope, so I'm quite excited to give it a try during our visit to Yosemite in a few days. Hope
I love your bucket list! I forgot about looking at the night sky through a telescope — a friend's dad would let us use his when I was growing up, and seeing the moon in so much detail was just incredible to me! And I love that your Big Explorer created a bucket list for himself — he's going to take so much pride in those accomplishments as the summer progresses!
Looks like a fun summer! You have inspired me to write my own summer bucket list. It will be posted soon!
I recommend taking a look at geocaching. You'll get exercise (hiking), technical skills (reading a GPS), and problem solving skills (finding the cache.)<br /><br />GPS units start at well under $100 and they last and last. This website gives a brief run-down of what geocaching is.<br /><br />http://www.eatstayplay.com/geocaching/index.html
Awesome lists…<br />The big one here is to learn to SWIM in the ocean! She is ready it is just getting Mama in that cold Atlantic! :)<br />Camping… maybe just in the backyard is on the list too this summer! <br />Fun stuff!
I love it, so glad you shared too – there were several items on all the lists I hadn't thought of
Lovin the bucket list. I don't have a formal list created yet, but I really should put one together. I've crossed off backyard camping, but have yet to really get going. Of course today is the summer solstice so I have plenty of time!
Great ideas! I love the tide pool idea– I'm sure Big Roo would get a kick out of that! So cute that Big Explorer made a list for himself AND his bro.
Sounds like you are going to have a really busy holidays with lots of outdoors time. Camping is probably top of our family list of 'must get to's'.