A Kid Tested Summer Bucket List That Will Make Your Life Easy

A few years ago 1500 children were asked to rank their favorite summer activities. You won’t believe what they said.

Now you can give your kids a magical summer WITHOUT stress. Click through to see what is on the kid’s summer bucket list. It’s going to be a great summer!

What do you remember about your summers as a child?

I remember bright blue sunlit skies, lazy days, no school; summer hikes, munching on wild berries, weaving daisy crowns and the buzz of honeybees.

We had picnics by the river, climbed trees, and tried in vain to stand on our hands. I have such happy memories of those long relaxed summer days. This beautiful song by Sara Groves sums it up beautifully.

What kind of summer you want for your children?

THE TROUBLE WITH MOST SUMMER BUCKET LISTS

Most bucket lists are meant to be helpful. After all they are filled with fun ideas for you to enjoy with your kids.

So what’s the problem? Most of them include  hundreds of ideas, each with a handy checkbox. It stresses me out just looking at them.

Look at all those checkboxes! We need to get started now! Hurry up we need to get them checked off.

Surely there is a better way? How can we give our kids a summer to remember without all the stress?

WHAT KID’S REALLY WANT  ON A SUMMER BUCKET LIST?

In 2012 a major grocery chain in England surveyed 2,000 parents and 1,500 children about their summer activities. The results were really interesting.

WHAT THE PARENTS THOUGHT 

• 29% worried their children wouldn’t have an enjoyable summer if they didn’t have any outings to theme parks.
• 36% planned costly day trips/excursions (spending on average £183.00/$260 per child).
• 41% worried their kids would be bored if left to enjoy simple activities and free play.

Do you have similar worries? Do you find yourself booking expensive trips or clicking through endless summer activities on Pinterest? This is the stuff of those stressful summer bucket lists

Take a breath and read on. You are going to LOVE what the children said.

WHAT THE CHILDREN SAID

The children were asked to rank their favorite summer activities. They had to rate each activity on much fun it was, how happy it made them feel and how special and memorable it was.

Are you ready for the results?

THE KID’S SUMMER BUCKET LIST

The UK’s top 12 summer activities, as voted for by kids across the country were:

1. Play date in the park or garden
2. Water fight
3. Building a den in the garden with family or friends
4. Bike ride
5. Outdoor games such as tag or hide & seek
6. Climb a tree
7. Mud pie making
8. Berry picking
9. Eating ice cream in the sun
10. Feeding the ducks
11. Planting flowers
12. Trip to the movie theater

In fact the top 11 are all low cost or free. They are the simple pleasures that I remember from my childhood. The children also include the following activities on their summer bucket list.

• Picnics
• Playing in a paddling pool or sprinkler in the garden
• Flying a kite
• Trip to the local beach/outdoor swimming pool or national park
• Backyard camping with family or friends

THERE’S MORE GOOD NEWS FOR HARRIED PARENTS

When quizzed more generally about their summer holidays at home

• 47% children rated playing in the park or back garden HIGHER than going to places they haven’t been to before. In fact as long as they have friends to play with most kids said they are VERY HAPPY to occupy themselves in the garden.
• 59% confirmed that they like playing outside with their friends the most.
• 26% say no activity is boring when you have your friends by your side.

When asked to choose their ULTIMATE summer wish,

• 39% picked summer sunshine for the entire duration of the holidays
• 32% chose hanging out with friends
• 25% wanted to see more of their mum and dad
• 29% said they wanted to camp out in the garden

Good news parents! You don’t need a long summer bucket list full of expensive outings and dozens of activities.

All your kids really want to do is play with their friends and hang out with you more.

Is that EASY or what?

THE UNEXPECTED BONUS OF THIS LIST

Studies are increasingly showing that lots of free play is the BEST WAY to give your kids an academic advantage. Say goodbye to Pinterest activities and hello to lazy summer days!

IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO THE KIDS

When I think about it simple pleasures like playing with friends and bike rides are some of my fondest summer childhood memories. Let’s give our children the gift of long, lazy summer days filled with play and laughter.

Summer memories last a lifetime, so we need to PAY ATTENTION to what the kids have said in this study.

Instead of spending money on expensive outings let’s make sure they have the freedom to go outside, build dens, have water fights, climb trees and play in mud.

We can’t do anything about summer sunshine, but we CAN change out with our kids. You could make some popsicles, try  land art, make a fairy house, blow some bubbles, or enjoy some easy play activities. If you are feeling a bit more ambitious, you could camp out in the garden.

Instead of worrying about enriching educational activities or Pinterest worthy summer activities, let’s just invite their friends over.

While they make their own fun we can sit back and sip on a cold beverage.

How does that sound?

This post is part of my Seasonal Activities collection. You can find all my Holiday & Seasonal Activities here, or head to the Kids Activities resource hub where you’ll find hundreds of fun ideas all in one place.