Summer vacation is officially up and running in our house. While my toddler is not yet school age, she did go to a Mother’s Morning Out program two mornings a week. To say Nora loves “school” is an understatement. She absolutely adores it and the past two weeks without Ms. Sharon and Ms. Jamie have been, well, not the best.
I am trying to fill our days with fun play dates, trips to the zoo and park, and upcoming trips to visit family, but my little girl needs a little more stimulation. I thought long and hard about the things we could do this summer to keep busy, and created a Summer 2014 Bucket List. Columbia has some great things to do with kids this summer {many that are FREE!} but there are also a lot of creative activities you can do close to home {things that I enjoyed growing up many years ago}.
Use this list as a starting point to make your own Summer 2014 Bucket List. Get the kids involved by asking them what they want to do this summer! I know I am looking forward to marking things off our Summer Bucket List and falling in love with summer vacation!
Water Water Everywhere ::
- Visit a splash pad, spray pool, mist pad or water park {here is a list in the Columbia area}
- Play in the sprinkler
- Set up the water and sand table
- Go out to Dreher Island
- Play at the beach at Lake Murray
- Get an old school slip n slide, or better yet make our own
- Hit up some friends’ pools
- Run through the sprinklers
- Take swim lessons
- Have a water balloon fight-attack Dad when he gets home from work 😉
- Build sand castles
- Write Summer 2014 in the sand and take a family picture
- Throw glow sticks in the tub and go “night swimming”
- Dance in the rain (and do a rain dance if it hasn’t rained in a while!)
- Go tubing on the river (like on the Riverwalk)
Day Trip It ::
- Two hours to the mountains, two hours to the beach … check out our list of kid-friendly day trips
- Head up 77 to Charlotte and visit Discovery Place and then nosh on the Swedish meatballs at Ikea
- Take a ride on Thomas the Train at Tweetsie Railroad
- Spend the day at the family friendly beaches of Charleston, Folly and Isle of Palms
- Visit the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry in Charleston
- Road-trip it to Atlanta and visit the Georgia Aquarium. It is the biggest in the world!
- Take a drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains
- Visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville
- Get wet and wild at Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Park in North Charleston
Get Cultured ::
- Take a tour of the Columbia Museum of Art {or check out Gladys’ Gang which includes story time and a creative studio activity related to the art exploration theme}
- See Puss and Boots at the Columbia Marionette Theatre
- Attend the Girl’s Rock Snow Ball at Harbison Theatre
- See Dinosaurs at EdVenture
- The Commedia Snow White at Columbia Children’s Theatre
- Check out the South Carolina State Museum {$1 Admission is the first Sunday of each month}
- Columbia Children’s Theatre
Out and About in Cola Town ::
- Take me out to a Blowfish baseball game
- Plan a trip to the Columbia Fire Department Museum
- Visit Riverbanks Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens
- 4th of July parade and fireworks: 25th Anniversary Fireworks Celebration on Lake Murray-June 28 at Dreher Island and Lake Murray Dam
- Go to the 56th Lexington County Peach Festival on July 4
- Who needs to travel? Plan a staycation!
- Have lunch in Five Points -El Burrito is supporting local musician and Super Dad, Aaron Graves who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Every Wednesday you can get Aaron’s Lunchbox for $5.
- Try a cronut at Soda City Market
- Paint your own pottery: The Pitter Patter in Lexington, Art Smart Academy in Irmo, and Mad Platter downtown are all great options
- Take a walk along the riverfront
- Have a one-on-one date with either mom or dad {take one kid and spend some quality time}
- Go through a car wash
- $1 Movies
- Vacation Bible School
- Go to a drive-in movie at the Big Mo
- Check out story times and summer reading program at your local library: Richland, Lexington, Irmo
- Watch a movie along the river every Friday night at 8:30pm
- Play laser tag at Frankies Fun Park
- Feed the Giraffes at Riverbanks Zoo
- Go fishing at Sesquicentennial State Park
- Visit a Farmer’s Market – many have activities for kids
- Volunteer at Pawmetto Lifeline-older children 11-15 can enroll in Paw Pals where they will receive instruction in humane education
- Find a new playground
Yummy in my Tummy ::
- Have a donut date at Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts
- Make homemade ice cream
- Eat breakfast for dinner
- Make homemade pizza
- Bake cookies for the neighbors
- Pick blueberries at Berry Hill Farm
- Visit a roadside watermelon stand
- Taste local honey
- Have dessert at Sonic {half price milkshakes after 8pm}
- Get custard at Rita’s
- Tuesday night BOGO at Cupcake downtown
- Bring Dad or Mom lunch at work
- Let the kids plan and make dinner
- Eat dinner outside on the patio
- Make banana splits
Move that Body ::
- Go on a hike
- Take a bike ride through Harbison State Forest
- Tumble at Little Gym Lexington or Columbia or Gymboree (first class is free)
- Fly high at HiWire Trampoline Park – Monday – Saturday, 9-10 a.. is dedicated to kids 6 and under
- Hoola hoop
- Have a jump rope contest
- Play Red Rover
- Challenge your neighbors to a game of Flashlight Tag
- Grab your friends and have a bicycle parade through your neighborhood
- Go bowling {check out Kids Bowl Free}
- Play miniature golf
- Have a family dance party {Pandora has some nice stations for this!}
- Make an obstacle course
Enjoy your Home ::
- Build a fort in the living room
- Have a lazy PJ day
- Camp in your backyard
- Decorate your driveway with sidewalk chalk {make your own for an extra project}
- Blow bubbles
- Catch fireflies
- Finger paint
- Play hopscotch
- Make s’mores and sing campfire songs in your backyard
- Make sun tea on the deck
- Get postcards from the places you visit and send them to friends and family just for the heck of it
- Round up old clothes and toys and donate them
- Eat breakfast for dinner
- Make a board game or create an interactive game
- Host a tea party for your dolls and stuffed animals
- Make recycled crayons
- Play hide-n-seek in your neighbor hood
- Make puppets {from paper bags} and masks {from paper plates}
- Host a block party
- Plan a at home spa day-manis, pedis, fancy hair styles
- Get ready for back to school clothes shopping by trying on last year’s clothes and having a fashion show
- Write and illustrate a summer adventure book
- Learn how to fold origami cranes
- Start a scrapbook
- Make homemade silly putty
- Host a book swap with your friends
- Fly a kite
- Act out your favorite book … dress up like the characters, make up songs based on the story line or create a related craft
Final Tips on putting your family’s Bucket List together ::
- Ask your kids what they want to do this summer and add it to the list … make it unique to your family
- The goal is to HAVE FUN with your family! It’s alright if you don’t finish everything on the list. {kudos to you if you do!}
- Add to it as the summer goes on! You’ll think of great ideas as you go.
- Display your list on a chalkboard, on the fridge, on a poster board … whatever works for your family. {Search Pinterest for creative ideas.}
What would you add to your Summer 2014 Bucket List?
Great list, Ashleigh, thanks!