I meant to post this on June 1st, but sheesh, time flies! Soon it will be holiday madness. It happens every year. One minute we’re splashing around in the pool, the next I’m writing Christmas lists and wishing for snow (which is just NOT gonna happen here).
Good times last summer
And as much as I’m a cold weather, rainy day, cuddle up at home gal I do think it’s wonderful to embrace each season (be it hot or cold) and make the most of it all. Yes, I do. Even if I whine that I’d like more rain, that it’s too hot, that I like winter clothes better than summer clothes, etcetera, etcetera. But since the days continue to fly by at lightning speed and my little one is growing far too quickly for my taste, embrace I shall! Life is trotting right along and I’m ready to embrace each day this summer. Embrace is my magical, motivational word for the season. Are you annoyed yet with the embrace in bold? Embrace. Ok, I’m done.
Tubing in the lake with daddy last summer
A few days ago, I plopped myself on the floor in my Munchie’s room as she played tea party with her toys. We talked about all the things we want to do this summer and guessed what Daddy and Duke would like to do. I wrote it all down and in a matter of minutes, voilà! We had our list of 102 Things To Do This Summer.
We’re hanging our list up so we can choose from it daily (also helps this mommy out who sometimes stares into space when Munchie asks what we’re doing. I have brain issues). We plan to do all 102 of the items which is not difficult or intimidating when you see that most items are simple, can be done at home or near home, are free or low-cost, and stress quality time together over expensive activities & trips. We seem to have the best time when we spend time building, creating, & experimenting together. In fact, the first thing Munchie said she wanted to add to the list is “do lots of puzzles!” 
I can accommodate that!
Helping in the kitchen last summer
I loved making this list with her because it wasn’t about impressing other people with a crazy summer bucket list. I listened to a group of moms playing a game of “our summer will be better than your summer & I’ll spend more than you on it” the other day. Not appealing to me. Sure, we love to travel to faraway places, want to take Munchie on her 1st big amusement park trip when she’s a little older and the like, but this list is about making the most of our summer. Specifically making the summer relaxing, memorable, & fun for Munchie. Make pet rocks? Sure. Run outside when we’re blessed with a summer rainstorm? Fantastic. Make puppets and perform a play for daddy? Good times.
I thought it’d be fun to share our list here. I’m sure you do many of these things throughout the year, but maybe you’ll find a couple of things you’d like to try or haven’t thought to do in a while. I’m making this a little series: I’ll post every few days about things we’ve done on the list while sharing recipes & instructions, too.
I hope you’ll stick around and join me on our summer adventures!
Our 102 Things To Do This Summer
(Items noted with an ”M” were suggested by my little Munchie)
- Do puzzles: Free (M)
- Walk to the library: Free (M)
- Cook from Munchie’s kid cookbooks (M)
- Family slumber party in the loft: Free (M)
Attend the local Doggie Street Festival:Free (M)- Go to the duck pond: Free
Mommy-daughter end of 3-yr old preschool celebration lunchVisit the bookstore and read books together:Free (M)Join the library Summer Reading Program:Free- Walk to frozen yogurt
- Fingerpaint: Free (M)
Shaving cream paint:Free- Write letters and snail mail them to friends and family: Nearly free
- Go to dog beach: Free (M)
- Picnic in the park: Free
Take Munchie to her first movieMake Father’s Day giftsAttend the Scottish Highlands Festival- Redecorate preschool bucket: Free
- Visit different parks in our neighborhood in the morning before the heat sets in: Free
- Hike a local mountain: Free
- Run through the sprinklers: Free
- Build a fairy garden & home: Free or nearly free
- Have breakfast on the front porch: Free (M)
- Make homemade ice cream
- Have a tea party: Free
Ride our bikes:Free- Go bowling (M)
- Cook together & build family cookbook: Free
- Make puppets & have a puppet show: Free
- Go on a road trip
- Play board games: Free
- Bring lunch to daddy at work
- Cruise the bay on the boat (M)
- Make play-dough: Free!
Take swim lessons- Learn about money and saving: Free (or can saving money not be counted as free? confusing)
- Write adventure stories: Free (M)
- Make Christmas items
- Learn to read: Free (M)
- Fishing with daddy (M)
- Go to the beach & build sand castles
- Stroll the farmers’ market
- Go to the fair (M)
- Play at our neighborhood splash park: Free (M)
Go to the zoo- Play in the rain
- Watch fireworks
- Visit a “new” library when we visit out-of-town family
- Ride the train in “old” town area
- Swim everywhere: Free (M)
- Make popsicles: Free
- Practice hula-hooping and jump-roping: Free (M)
- Make a pet rock family: Free
- Go through toys and clothes for donation: Free (M: she loves sifting through her things to give to “kids who might need them.” No harassing me about adding work to the list )
- Read 2 chapter book read-alouds: Free
- Make doughnuts (hmm, wonder who came up with that one)
- Make a bird feeder
- Learn new prayers: Free
- Learn to write last name: Free (M)
- Take a nap together: Free
Play dress up:Free- Paint the outside fence & wall with water: Free
Build with Legos/blocks:Free- Learn about our world: Free
- Make microwave puffy paint: Free
- Play parking lot word game: Free
- Q-tip art: Free
- Make floating jellyfish: Free
- Veggie art: Free
- Outside scavenger hunt: Free
- Inside scavenger hunt: Free
- Have a pillow fight: Free
- Go camping
- Make spider webs: Free
- Have a dance party: Free
- Give each other manicures and pedicures: Free
- Make a time capsule: Free
- Walk our dog daily: Free
- Watch Summer Olympics: Free
- Munchie wall art: Free
- Play marching band: Free (M)
- Play school: Free (M)
- Make sidewalk chalk and go crazy outside: Free
- Hike our canyon: Free
- Pack a bag with books and read outside: Free
- Daddy date
- Learn about telling time: Free
- Plant & care for flowers and herbs
- Host bbq for friends
- Make mud pies: Free
- Put on a play: Free
- Decorate garden pots
- Make jewelry
Grape dancing:Free- Spraypaint art
- Play with paper dolls: Free
- Paint like a master: Free
- Learn new chores: Free (She loves to help around the house and shadow me so this is a great opportunity to teach her more)
- Hopscotch with music: Free (M)
- Go on a fossil hunt: Free
- Make garden stepping stones
What’s up with the numbers 100-102? odd.
What’s on your summer to do list & what simple activities are your family’s favorites?
What a great idea! This makes me wish I didn’t work…I am working on mastering the Three Things To Do This Summer, one of which is to make it through.
I suggest not working and coming over. We can add cake pops to list. “Make deformed cake pops and eat them.”
I hope that I’m on the end of #13! xoxoxox
You better believe it! I just went through pics from last summer when we saw you for just a mere few hours. Sniff. xx
I need to make a list of things I want to do with my little buddy but anything that involves reading, swimming and being outside will be at the top of our list.
Have a wonderful summer with your cutie!
Love the pics of cutie patootie!! And thats a long list of stuff to do!
Gotta keep her busy
She has daddy’s energy!
AWESOME!!! What a fantastic list! I am stealing it.
Seriously, though. I love it; it inspires me to do a lot of these things with Vi this summer. I especially love #s 3, 13 (ahem), 23, 57, and 61. And all the learning ones. And all the artsy/crafty ones. Oh, and all the cooking ones too.
I hope when you do these things, you will give us a hint of how to do it! Like making puffy paint or spiderwebs or fairy houses.
Your little girl is lucky to have such a wonderful, fun mom as you!
You sweet pixie. I will certainly share when we do those projects and love to hear all about the things you do, too! Hurrah for summer!
and I like the way you think: you like some of my favorites
And you girls have already been included in one…winky wink.
We too have a list of “must do’s” each summer. With four kiddos, one of which is almost a teenager, our list looks a bit different, but I was able to steal a few of yours. No matter how old, they will always want to make ice cream and paint with shaving cream. It’s just now EVERYTHING has to be with their friends. Nothing is as fun without the BFFs. We have entered the world of texting, walking up to the Westwood Club with friends, and getting dropped off at the movies. Pooh….I hate it. I need my babies back when puppet shows were a great summer activity for them. I can tell you are savoring every moment, as you should! You are a good mama and Annalise is a lucky little girl! (BTW, MY girl is wanting to see you, so let’s meet at one of those parks before the heat sets in!)
I am pretending I didn’t read “teenager.” And that a certain someone is still in kindergarten. Take it all back, Kim! Back! I’d LOVE to see you and sweet Alyssa. Wanna join us at our hood’s splashpark next week? Is that too baby for her/them???
Great list!
Thank you! We’re having fun with it.:)