🍉 Ahhh summer...I don’t know what it is, but no matter what phase in life I have been in, I find myself breathing a little deeper when summer break hits. Perhaps it’s because it typically means no more school...Maybe it’s the warm weather...Or the fact that in my adulthood it means that my garden will begin teeming with life! And if I’m being honest with myself, it’s a bit of ALL those things PLUS the special time I get to have with my kiddos.

Before I share one of our favorite summer traditions, we have a little gift for you! At the end of this post, you'll find a FREE Summer Fun List printable that you can use to plan out your own summer adventures with your children. Whether your plans are big or small, having a simple place to write down your family's ideas can make the whole season feel a little more intentional and a lot more exciting.

So the homeschooling life is still relatively new to us and I often wondered if summers would still feel special with my kids (ages 6 and 8) since I am already with them all. the. time 😂 and that’s not changing just because we take a pause on school! So the summer I left teaching was when I decided I wanted to start something with them that would make the summers feel EXTRA special. That same week, a friend sent me this concept of a “Summer Fun List” and I thought it was perfect! If you haven’t heard of it, basically you just sit down with your kids and ask them what they want to do with their summer and let their imaginations go wild. WILD.

One of the things I love most about this tradition is that it gives children ownership over their summer. So often, adults are the ones planning activities, signing up for camps, and organizing the calendar. While all of those things can be wonderful, there is something really special about hearing directly from your children what sounds fun to them. Sometimes their ideas are practical. Sometimes they're hilarious. Sometimes they're things you never would have thought of on your own.

When we sit down to make our list, I try not to immediately evaluate every suggestion. The goal at first is simply to brainstorm. We write everything down and enjoy the process. Some ideas are easy to accomplish, some require a little planning, and some might stay on the list simply because they were fun to imagine. That's okay! The magic is often found in the dreaming together.

We just made our list for this year and we have things on it as simple (and realistic) as going to the zoo - we have a membership to our local zoo and already go weekly, so this idea is definitely achievable. Or a little more crazy, like wanting to have a fight with shaving cream, so that’ll be a messy, fun day! Other activities like: camping, lemonade stand, popsicle making, going to a beach, painting with chalk - the sky’s the limit! My kids know that we might not cross off everything on the list, BUT we are sure going to try and we’ll have fun along the way 😁

One thing I've learned over the years is that the best summer memories are not always the most elaborate ones. It's easy to feel pressure to fill every week with expensive outings or picture-perfect experiences, especially when social media is filled with vacation photos and elaborate family adventures. But some of our favorite moments have come from the simplest activities.

A picnic in the backyard.
Making homemade popsicles.
Running through the sprinkler.
Reading books under a shady tree.
Taking a nature walk and collecting interesting leaves or rocks.
Eating ice cream on the deck after dinner.

These moments may not seem extraordinary while they're happening, but they often become the memories our children talk about years later. The Summer Fun List reminds me that childhood joy doesn't have to be complicated 🌳

Another reason I love this tradition is that it gives us something to look forward to throughout the season. Summer can sometimes feel like it flies by in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, school supplies are back in stores and schedules begin filling up again. Having a list hanging on the refrigerator or displayed somewhere visible helps us slow down and savor the season. It becomes a gentle reminder to enjoy the opportunities right in front of us.

Just as a side note, my daughter said she wanted to put on the list, “Go to a National Park” simply because we live near Indiana Dunes National Park...little does she know that my husband and I have arranged a secret trip to New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia this summer! We love that this list has given us a way to surprise our kids and get them pumped up for a fun change of pace!

I also love that a Summer Fun List can be adapted to fit any family's season of life. Maybe you have babies and toddlers and your adventures need to stay close to home. Maybe you have teenagers who want bigger experiences and greater independence. Maybe you're homeschooling year-round and simply looking for ways to celebrate a slower rhythm. Maybe your family is balancing work schedules, sports, and other commitments. Whatever your circumstances, a Summer Fun List can work for you.

The key is not creating the "perfect" list. The key is creating a list that fits your family.

You might include:

Some families even divide their lists into categories so they can intentionally include a variety of experiences throughout the summer.

In addition to the Summer Fun List, we commit to extra prayer time each week in various churches around our area that we might not normally go to, as well as adoration with the nuns at our local convent (which we are SO blessed to have nearby).

For our family, incorporating faith into the summer months has become just as important as planning fun activities. During the school year, it can feel like we're constantly moving from one responsibility to the next. Summer gives us an opportunity to slow down and make room for spiritual growth as well 🙏🏼

That doesn't have to mean anything complicated. Sometimes it looks like visiting a new church while traveling. Sometimes it means spending a little extra time in prayer as a family. Sometimes it's reading the lives of the saints together or finding opportunities to serve others in our community. These simple practices help remind us that summer isn't only about entertainment—it's also a beautiful season to grow closer to Christ.

So whether you’re home with your kids all the time like me, or you have them home from school for the summer - I highly encourage you to make your own list! My kids look forward to the last day of school MOSTLY because it’s their chance to make a new list, and that alone brings me such joy!

The anticipation has become part of the tradition. Every year they start talking about what might make the list before we've even sat down to write it. There is something so sweet about watching their excitement build as they dream about the months ahead. As parents, we often focus on checking things off our to-do lists. This little tradition gives us a chance to focus on creating memories instead.

The last few years that we’ve done our list, I write it on looseleaf paper and then the kids fill in a small doodle next to the words. They LOVE getting to cross something off the list once we’ve done it - such a sense of accomplishment ✅ In order to help you with your own summer fun lists, the All Saints Play team designed a template to make it easy for you to fill in at home with your kiddos!

Click here for our FREE Summer Fun List Printable and gather your kiddos around the table. Let them dream big, write down every idea, and start creating a season filled with fun, faith, laughter, and meaningful memories together. Whether you cross off two items or twenty, you'll have a wonderful reminder that some of the very best moments happen when families intentionally take time to enjoy one another. We hope you have the best summer making memories that last! 🍦🛝☀️