Motherhood: Summer Bucket List for Kids

FEATURE | Motherhood Summer

Bucket

List for Kids

By Mary Jane Bogle Summer is quite possibly every kid’s favorite season — and for good reason. School’s out, the sun sets later, and long days stretch before us with seemingly endless possibilities. Unfortunately, summer does have one drawback. It doesn’t last forever. Without a plan in place, you just might miss some of the best memories of the year.

That’s where a Kids’ Bucket List comes in handy. With a little bit of planning, you can squeeze a ton of happy memories into the summer season, heading into fall with no regrets. Need some help brainstorming ideas? Here are a few summer “must do’s” to get you started:

1. Chase Fireflies.

Nothing captures the magic of summer quite like a Mason jar full of fireflies. Just be sure to release them before heading into bed!

2. Jump in a Lake.

Kids, lakes, and summer just naturally go together — providing, of course, that everyone’s swim skills are up to the task, or that you have enough lifejackets to go around. In either case, adult supervision is always a good idea.

3. Visit the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.

It’s one of the nation’s top 10 children’s zoos and worth every moment of your day’s excursion. Better yet, avoid the temptation to take it all in with one visit and buy a season pass. (A family pass makes a great gift from grandparents and lets you visit one section at a time, ending each visit on a high note.)

5. Plan a Picnic.

Fort Wayne offers a wide variety of parks — the perfect destination for an afternoon picnic. Just choose one with a playground so kids can work up an appetite before they dig in.

4. Go on a Family Bike Ride.

With trails that run from one end of the city to another, you can map out a route everyone can enjoy.

6. Visit a Splash Pad.

There’s a reason Fort Wayne is listed as a “Playful City USA.” And with over ten splash pads located throughout the city, you’re sure to find one the whole family will love.

8. Drive to the Dunes.

Think beaches stretch only along the ocean? Think again. With Warren Dunes (Mich.) or Indiana Dunes just a short drive from Fort Wayne, you can splash in the waves or make sandcastles to your heart’s content.

7. Take in a Ballgame.

No summer is complete without a trip to Parkview Field to cheer on the Tin Caps. Go ahead and buy the hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy while you’re there.

10. Plan a Backyard Bash.

Pack all the summer fun you can into one epic backyard adventure, complete with popsicles, slip ‘n slides, water balloons and more. Roast hot dogs and s’mores over a firepit and top off the evening with sparklers and star gazing.

9. Go Ape!

Older kids will love the treetop adventure that awaits at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, where they can pack dizzying ziplines and heart-stopping Tarzan swings into a day-filled quest they won’t soon forget!

For more adventure ideas, be sure to visit fortwayneparks.org, or check out the summer activities at your local library (https://acpl.lib.in.us). And whichever kid-friendly adventures you choose, keep the sunscreen and water bottles handy. Then get ready to experience all the summer fun your schedule can hold! a

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