A Socially Distant Summer Bucket List

This is definitely a different kind of summer.  Whether you believe in wearing masks or not, or social distancing, you probably have friends that do.  You may have people in your family or friend group that are medically fragile.  Whatever the reason, your summer may need to look a little different this year.  In case you are leery of going to pools and amusement parks, or if your local zoo is still closed, here are some activities that can be approved for a socially distant summer bucket list.

A Socially Distant Summer Bucket List

Game Day

Spend the day playing your family’s favorite games.  You may want to check out new gaming options to add a little excitement.  Our family has most recently enjoyed The Rank Game by Storyastic.  It was created  by two former Disney employees–Walt Disney Imagineer, Dana Brown, and former Disney Studios producer and Christian publisher Chip Brown.  It is a great game for groups of all sizes. 

One player is the Ranker and ranks the things or experiences in their lives.  For example, in what order would you rank these foods…A. pizza B. cheeseburgers C. fried chicken D. steak? Then others guess the order of the Ranker’s preferences.

It is a great game for getting to know the other players better and celebrating their individualism.  Playing The Rank Game is a great way to see how well you really know your family and friends, and appreciate them for who they are.  There are different themed decks available such as Everyday Life, Leisure Time, and even a Faith Pack.  If this sounds fun to you, you might want to enter to win The Rank Game.  

Movie Day

This is a great activity for a rainy day.  Pick a movie series or several movies you have been wanting to see. You could sneak in a little learning by picking something educational like Liberty Kids.   This would also be a great time to get a free trial of Pure Flix or get a subscription to Disney Plus (which also gives you a one month trial).  Plan the whole day around being a couch potato and eating movie themed foods or popcorn and your favorite candy. This is not a healthy option to do often, but one day probably won’t hurt too much.

Bike Trek

Biking has become very popular this season since it’s a great way to get outdoors and still be socially distant, yet together.  If you are lucky enough to have bikes, this is a fun family activity.  I say “lucky enough to have bikes” because they have become a little hard to find since everyone wants one. My husband found one, but the pedal fell off after just a couple of weeks!  If you have wheels, check out some local greenways that you might not have tried before, or load the bikes up and go somewhere totally new.  It is great exercise, too!

Water Balloons

Who doesn’t love a good water balloon fight!?  I have to admit that my husband and I enjoy the element of surprise.  We have been known to call our kids outside and let the fight begin with no warning.  These fights are even more fun because you can take all the work out of tying water balloons by purchasing ZURU Self Sealing Water Balloons 100 pcs Assorted Colors. You can attach them to a spigot and drop them into a plastic tub. This is a guaranteed memory maker!

Tie Dye T-Shirts

Do tie dye shirts ever really go out of fashion?  Like a good Hawaiian shirt, everyone should have one in their closet.  We have enjoyed a few different kinds of tie dye kits over the years, like All-Purpose Liquid Dye, Tangerine.  I suggest buying a little more than you think you will need if you choose the ones that squirt, such as Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit Super Big 12 Colors, just to make sure you don’t run out.  (I speak from experience. It took two kits for our family of five.)

Hike to a Waterfall and Swim

This has been on my bucket list for years.  It doesn’t seem like it should be that hard to do, but for some reason we have not done it yet.  We have been in a tiny local one, but it was not really big enough to swim in, so I am not counting that.  Watch my Instagram for upcoming waterfall pictures!  

Family TV-Style Cooking Competition

Our family had a lot of fun with this one.  My littlest was the judge.  There were two teams–father and son, and mother and daughter.  We had two rounds–drinks and the main course.  Our theme was Mexican food.  It was a very close game, but my daughter and I pulled it out by the skin of our teeth!

Drive In Movies

There is a resurgence of this popular pastime lately.  It is a great way to get out and remain socially distant.  Check for a local drive in near you, but plan it for a good night–the kids might be up late since the movies don’t start until it begins to get dark!

Make Homemade Ice Cream

We finally got a new ice cream freezer after losing ours in our fire a couple years ago.  To be honest, ice cream is our vice.  At least we can make it with real ingredients.  There are some wonderful, healthy sorbets. If you really want to indulge, try a recipe from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home.  It’s the best I’ve ever eaten…and I’ve tried a lot of ice cream!

Make Ice Cream Sandwiches

See?  I told you we loved ice cream!  But we haven’t ever made ice cream sandwiches.  An ice cream sandwich maker like Cuisipro Mini Ice Cream Sandwich Maker, Clear would be fun to try.  Or you can just make yummy cookies, wrap them up,  and put them in the freezer.  Just make sure your ice cream is firm when you make them so it doesn’t get too messy!  

Camp

Camping is all the craze right now.  We were planning to go full time RVing when COVID hit and our plans had to change, as did my husband’s job.  Now we are currently in the market for a pop-up camper.  For now, tent camping is always an option, but check the weather and make sure it won’t be too hot or rainy!

Spa Day

Spa Day can be as short or long as you want. My girls had a blast doing my nails and using Color Street, a fun dry nail polish that is super easy to use and much more durable than regular nail polish.  We love it!  We also had facials and foot massages.  Everyone deserves a little pampering.  

What is On Your Summer Bucket List??

Summer is going to be over before you know it.  If you have jumped on the homeschool bandwagon, or if you were already on it, you can start soon.  Legally, in Tennessee, we can begin as early as today!  (Don’t worry.  We aren’t starting yet!)  Get out there and get going before summer is gone. 

What is on your summer bucket list?