Does your family do a summer bucket list? Some may say it’s cheesy, but it really is a great way to make the most of your summer! Often, the months fly by without us taking real advantage of the time off from school, unless you do some serious planning ahead! A bucket list takes the brainstorming out of planning, helping you to make the most of your summer. We always ask the kids what they want to do during the summer, and they always have some great ideas! Of course, as the parents we like to give a few suggestions as well ;). If you’re looking for a few fun treats and activities to add to your summer bucket list, look no further!

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Make homemade ice cream. Obvious, but seriously! The homemade stuff is delicious, and so much fun to make together as a family! And one of the best parts of homemade ice cream is the literally endless possibilities. Once you have a base, you can get as creative as you want with your add-ins and toppings!

Here is another homemade ice cream recipe that just sounds delicious!

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Make your own slurpees! I wrote about this a couple years ago, but you can totally make your own slurpee- and all you need is a bottle of your favorite soda! Shake it like crazy for 5-10 seconds (to increase the pressure) and put it in the freezer for 3-4 hours. You want the soda to get as cold as possible without it actually freezing. Once your soda has hit that sweet spot of icy cold without actually freezing, take it out of the freezer, carefully open it just a bit (to let out the extra pressure), and quickly turn it upside down and then back upright again. You’ll immediately notice your soda turning into a slushy substance; pour it into a chilled/frosted glass and enjoy your fresh homemade slurpee! This is not only a tasty treat, but a cool science experiment you can do with the kids!

Roast hot dogs on the campfire. For me, it doesn’t feel like summer until we’ve had a campfire and done a good ol’ fashioned hot dog and marshmallow roast. In high school, my friends and I had a tradition to go up the canyon the first week after school got out, and we’d burn all our homework (that had already been turned in and graded, of course ;) ), and we’d roast hot dogs, marshmallows, and Starbursts. Summer evenings up the canyon are perfect for campfires!

Make waffle cone s’mores. If hot dogs aren’t really your thing, or you’d like to try something a little more unique, make waffle cone s’mores! Such a fun twist on a classic! And again, these are so great because you can really get creative with the mix-ins! Mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, banana slices, diced strawberries, graham crackers, coconut, peanuts, Rolos- so much fun! Just throw your favorite options into a waffle cone, wrap in foil and let it cook in the fire’s coals for 5-7 minutes (you can also just do this in the oven at 400 degrees if campfires aren’t your thing!) This would be such a fun activity for kids, as well!

Make homemade popsicles. Almost as cool as homemade ice cream- and definitely a little more diet-friendly ;). You can make them simply from frozen pureed fruit if you’re really trying to cut down the calories. Or you can try a few different fun varieties- like these Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Pudding Pops!

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Make lemonade from scratch. I did this just a few weeks ago with my younger sister- and I’ll warn you, it’s a lot of work. I’m not a huge fan of lemonade to begin with, so for me it wouldn't be worth the extra effort in the future- but oh my goodness my sister and my kids thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. They had a BLAST zesting and juicing the lemons and waiting for it to boil and mixing in the sugar- this is definitely summer bucket list worthy!

Have a picnic. Cliche- but for good reason! There is something so relaxing and bonding about enjoying food together in the great outdoors. It also provides a great opportunity to get some sunshine and active play!

What do you have on your summer bucket list? Share with us below!