by Michelle Since my son started kindergarten last fall, this coming season marks our first “official” summer vacation which seems slightly intimidating, despite the fact that my kids have zero expectations for what we’ll be doing.
We don’t have any big vacation plans but I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to do with the kids over the summer and when Melody was looking for someone to create a summer activity list, I jumped at the chance to brainstorm some ideas and create a summer bucket list.
The list below is available here to download so you can print it and cut out the items, throw them in a container and pick one out when you are looking for something to do (some items take more planning/time so you might want to separate them into two groups – one for weekends or day trips and one for any time or day of the week).
55 Things to Do with Your Kids This Summer
- Feed ducks. Just not at John Collins Park.
- Catch a Whitecaps game
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Meet up with friends at Frog Hollow Park
- Beach day at Tunnel Park near Holland
- Play with bubbles in the backyard
- Go on a Progressive Playground Scavenger Hunt
- Go on a trail walk at Fallasburg Park
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Feed the goats at Schwallier’s Country Basket
- Ride the Grand Haven Trolley.
- Take the kids to the drive thru at Sonic for happy hour (1/2 off slushies and sodas, 2-4 p.m. daily)
- Go on a bike ride around Reed’s Lake and end up at Jersey Junction for ice cream.
- Surprise a friend by decorating their driveway with chalk while they aren’t home
- Make (and eat) homemade popsicles
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Visit the splash pad at Millennium Park
- Fly a kite
- Take a road trip to MSU and visit the Children’s Garden and get ice cream at the MSU Dairy Store
- Walk out on the pier at Grand Haven, wave at the boats going by
- Feed the giraffes at Binder Park Zoo.
- Set up and run through the sprinkler
- Take a family bike ride at a new location
- Climb the dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
- Have a water balloon fight with another family
- Visit Ada Farmer’s Market to join in the kids activities and make dinner with fresh market produce
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Run through the fountain at Tassell Park in Cascade
- Make your own pinwheels
- Visit to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo
- Have a nighttime photo shoot with sparklers
- Go fishing at the Kroc Center’s catch and release pond (no membership or entry fee required)
- Have a shadow dance party in your driveway (wait until after dark, shine your headlights on the garage door, turn up your family’s favorite tunes and make your shadows dance on the garage door)
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Go berry picking at a local farm
- Visit Koetsier’s on Saturday (late May/early June) and do a free Kidz Club class
- Cut watermelons in half and let the kids go at them with spoons
- Find a local food truck and have lunch there (What the Truck is a fave and regular at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market)
- Play at the Imagination Station Playground in Grand Haven.
- Go geocaching
- Pick your favorite park and perform a mini-service project by cleaning up any trash you see on the ground
- Go to John Ball Zoo
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Find a park you haven’t been to and visit it
- Spend the afternoon at Frederik Meijer Gardens exploring the children’s garden
- Do a kids road race or bike race from our Fun Runs and Races Guide
- Dinner at Yesterdog in Easttown
- Take a picnic to the Gerald R. Ford Airport viewing area
- Visit a West Michigan Fair or Festival
- Surprise friends by bringing them ice cream snacks – a do-it-yourself ice cream truck
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Get ice cream at a new-to-you location
- Plant flowers in outdoor containers and deliver them to friends
- Rent a paddle boat or canoe at Millennium Park
- Catch fireflies in a jar.
- Go out for donuts for breakfast
- Go horseback riding
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Make build-your-own grilled pizzas
- Paint the house/driveway with water
- Wash the family vehicles and don’t worry if everyone ends up soaked (adults included)
- Make your own ice cream in a baggie
- Camp out in the backyard (or in your living room)
What do you have on your summer bucket list? Share with us in the comments or on Facebook!
We’d also love to see pictures of your summer – you can share pictures with us on any or all of the following:
- Pinterest [pinterest.com/grkids]
- Twitter [@grkids, twitter.com/grkids]
- Facebook [facebook.com/grkids]
Hooray for summer!
May 17, 2012
Beverly Six via Facebook
Love it! Thanks!