What’s On Your Summer Pail List?

Each year, we try to make our summer activities as intentional as possible. To do this, we make a summer pail list. It’s sort of like a bucket list, but it’s a shorter list to be completed over the months of June, July, and August. 😉

Here are some ideas to add to your summer pail list:

 

1. Register your children in the Kids Bowl Free summer program and they will receive 2 free games of bowling a day throughout the summer!  And, for the adults and those older than 15, you can add up to 4 adults to your summer bowling for $24.95 for unlimited bowling with your free children. (You pay for shoe rental).

2. Free movies!  Check out the summer offerings at: Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express ($1), Cinnemark Summer Movie Clubhouse ($1 or less w/ pass purchase), and Marquee Cinemas (FREE)

3. Read books and earn freebies! Check out what these stores/sites are offering:

Your local library most likely has some sort of summer reading program. Start there!

Books A Million  offers a program where children can receive a free backpack after reading 6 books.

Chuck E Cheese offers up to 10 free tokens to children who read for two weeks in a row.

TD Bank will reward children with $10 in a Young Saver’s account after they read 10 books and download and turn in their Summer Reading form.

Barnes and Noble offers children a free book after they complete their summer reading journal.

H.E.Buddy  offers children a prize after they read 10 books and mail in their form.

Half Price Books offers a $5 gift card to children who read for 300 minutes during the months of June and July.

Scholastic has a summer challenge- children can log their minutes reading and earn digital rewards.

Showcase Cinemas has Bookworm Wednesdays where children can receive free admission when they bring in a completed book report.

Sylvan has a Book Adventure Program where children can hunt for books, read them online, and then take quizzes about them to earn points which can be redeemed for prizes.

iVillage offers a Summer Reading Community Challenge. For four weeks, parents will receive emails with literacy building activities and games to encourage their children to read.

4. Go Camping. Even if it’s just on the trampoline in the yard!

5. Pick a country per week to “study”. Make foods from that country, find some crafts to complete, and learn a few new words.

6. Go to the park.

7. Tie-dye shirts.

8. Draw with sidewalk chalk. Even you, Mama!

9. Make homemade ice cream, then make cookies, then make ice cream sandwiches!

10. Watch the fireworks on Independence Day!

11. Have game days. Pick a new board or card game each week and play it!

12. Put together a summer-themed puzzle. Make it a large one that takes all summer long to complete.

13. Play in the sprinklers.

14. Have a water gun battle.

15. Go to the water (where ever that may be for you. For us, it means the creek or the pool)

16. Have a craft day– assemble all sorts of crafts and invite friends over to craft the day away.

17. Make a rag quilt. These are easy to make and don’t take a lot of talent to turn out well.

18. Have a bonfire. Here’s a neat way to make fire starters!

19. Pick a letter of the alphabet for the day. Find items that begin with that letter and see who can find the most.

20. Have ice pops.

21. Visit the farmer’s market or produce auction.

22. Teach your children how to can and preserve the goodies you buy at the market by making jam, canning green beans, etc

23. Have root beer floats.

24. Make S’Mores.

25. Play flashlight tag.

26. Go skating! See if your local rink is participating at Kids Skate Free.

 

Most of all, slow down, have fun, and enjoy the break from “regular” life before the sun goes down on your summer.

So, what’s on your summer pail list??