I don’t think there’s ever been a year where I’ve looked forward to summer more. If you’ve followed here long, you know that bucket lists are a big part of how we embrace new seasons. The promise of a fun summer easily dazzles us and summons visions of picnics and pool days, but often—as all seasons go—we get busy and forget to take time for the simple joys that summer’s all about.
When we started making bucket lists, not only was our intent to brainstorm ideas of things to do, but to hold ourselves accountable. We hang our bucket list in a main area of our home for a visual reminder to do those things we said we’d do. Make the s’mores. Run through a sprinkler. Get out in that hammock to read a book. Most of the things on our lists are simple joys that don’t take a lot of money or planning to accomplish—just a little thought and effort. That’s what summer magic’s really made of.
Last year, at the end summer when we were all recalling our favorite moments and memories, it wasn’t the big ticket items my kids wanted to remember. It was the night our family all walked out to the dock near midnight and sat huddled in blankets, watching the meteor shower. (Also, a little fun pre-pandemic throwback to when I shared Summer Bucket List joy on the Today Show.)
Let’s move to this year’s Summer Bucket List, shall we? It includes some repeated favorites as well as some fun new ones. As always, we love sharing it with you. You can download and print yours here. Or if you’d like to go bigger and better, you can do what we do and print yours as a 16 x 20 (we send ours to Walgreens) and hang it in your home for everyone to check off together. We even roll ours up and take it with us on our summer travels.
We have two weeks left of school but are so excited for the long weekend this week to officially kick off our summer fun. I’ll be sharing lots of road trip ideas, summer journals, and travel fun in the upcoming weeks.
Erin says
So fun! I always love your bucket lists! Can you describe how you make your drawings for them? Do you draw and then water color? What materials do you use? Do you make them big and then scan them and shrink them or are you able to paint them so tiny? Any tips? I’d love to make cute pictures like that!
Kelle says
I used to hand draw them with watercolor paints and scan them each into the scanner and then move them around. Things got so much easier when I bought an iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil. Now I draw them with digital watercolor brushes in the Procreate app. I still draw each one individually, but I can select all of them when I’m done and send them to my computer where I manipulate them and add text in an editing software program. Hope that helps! If you’re into art and drawing and watercolor, the iPad Pro and pencil is SO worth it!
Erin says
Thank you! That does sound easier! I will look into that- it sounds super fun to do on an iPad pro!
Linda Hallemann says
Your drawings are amazing. Such great talent. Love it!
Thanks for sharing.
Kelle says
Aw, thank you! I love making them.
Erica F says
What do you use to hang the bucket list? Thanks!
Erica F says
What do you use to hang yours up with? Thanks!
Kelle says
Sometimes I’ll put it in a 16×20 frame with no glass so we can check it off. But lately. I’ve been hanging it with magnetic frame holders. You can buy them on Amazon. It’s basically two magnetic strips of wood on both the top and the bottom. The top one has a hanger on it.
Vanessa Washburn says
Is there a list somewhere of all the artists in your dinner music jar? Thank you!