THE ULTIMATE SUMMER BUCKET LIST - SOCIAL DISTANCING FRIENDLY!
So it’s december 31st 2019 and the countdown is at 10 and you have all of these great things planned for the big 2020 year! so the year begins and you start to dig in and things seem to be going pretty ok and then life happens…. This year started out with so much enthusiasm and excitement only for many of us to come out feeling (pretty much like we’ve been hit with a tsunami of worry & fear) indifferent & confused about what’s next. Believe me i am there with you. we have endured things that seem completely foreign to us all over the world. But it stands true that there are no certainties in life and no matter what comes your way you have to dig your heels in and persevere through it because hey its life.
Nevertheless we must persist in taking this year for all it has to offer and turn our uncertain times into a story for the books. We look forward to having one of the best summers full of unique experiences and things that make us value the truly important things in life. I personally want to restore some of that enthusiasm & excitement for myself and family as well and share some fun unique ideas with you as well. I am here to give you some inspiration for activities to keep your spirits up during these unprecedented times! It’s time to get creative with our resources we have and make new memories for 2020.
I have put together a list of ideas & inspirations (social distancing friendly) to keep myself along with you guys & gals entertained and hopefully inspired to get creative with some ideas of your own. So for this post my motivation was all things “GET OUT OF THE HOUSE” and get some fresh air with only a “SPRINKLE” of a few ideas of a relaxing evening at home because those are necessary as well. and hopefully you start to create a bucket list of ideas that you can share with your loved ones to get them excited to start this summer with a bang!
Dinner’s dont have to spent in front of the tv, spend it under the stars and get caught up with your loved one’s. We like to call it a picnic dinner.
Dining Under The Stars!
so picture this! you have a outdoor space of some sort (backyard, deck, garage with the doors open… (make sure the garage doesn’t smell of motor oil) with tables that you have inside, be bold and bring them out if you don’t have any on the outside of your home, its time to get creative. you can create an ambiance that would allow for a beautiful experience under the stars that is perfect to create a summer memory. If you don’t have all the bells & whistles we have some alternatives for you to try out. again this is a “get creative as possible challenge” so use some alternative ides such as instead of a table, use a blanket on the lawn to create a picnic dinner experience.
Also think of adding some sort of lighting which would help to create a mood such as tiki torches, led string lights, or even candles for the table. pull out the good china, get dressed up like you would if you were going to a fancy restaurant. Parents the fun part is when the children are finally down for the night you get to come back out and use the same set up for a romantic night cap. the important thing is that you have a unique experience outside of the house the whole family can enjoy. I took the liberty of creating a quick list of items you can purchase to create the experience for yourself if you don’t already have everything on hand! Now have some fun and get dressed up, turn on some music (not too loud, no need to have the neighbors calling the cops) and make some memories.
DINING CHECKLIST
starlit dinner!
Love pizza night? Us to, make it fun by creating your own favorite slice and everyone can share their masterpiece when it’s all done… A little can go a long way!
family pizza night
cookoff!
I think family pizza night is a classic way to have some fun, we used to have pizza night once a week in our house where we had a chance to get creative and have some fun with food! This night can be fun for the adults and the children. Grab your local grocer’s fresh made dough with all of the store bought fixings that your family would love. Parent’s can get fancy with their pizza, try some fresh basil & tomatoes for your own pizza margarita. The Kiddies can get creative as well! But don’t forget to set the scene, prep all of the fixings for everyone to make their pizza’s with ease, pull out the aprons, cutting boards, fun themed table cloths anything you can think of pull it out! Remember this should be fun for everyone so don’t be afraid to break out the Red Wine for the Adults!
But it doesn’t stop with just setting the Scene, have a pizza cook off! No matter how big or small your tribe is you can make this fun. Challenge the children to compete on who can make the best pizza, or who can get the most toppings on one pizza! This is some good healthy family competition that will give you some amusement as the night progresses. You choose how you want the night to proceed!
We took the liberty of putting together a list of some pizza night inspo. Check the links to shop the style!
Pizza essentials!
Family pizza night
Who wouldn’t want to make a few bets to win gloating rights for the next week or so… This is one of my favorites due to a highly competitive spirit! Lol, we’ve gathered a few ideas to make your game night interesting and fun for every age!
FAMILY GAME NIGHT
!
Now it’s time to break out the competitive edge! Let the games begin with game night. With This idea i think it’s always important to have some family competition that is healthy and fun! and the best part is that you win prizes! Play for money, play for chores, compete on who gets to pick the next desert menu! The winnings are endless but keep in mind to be a good sport!
We played tons of games around the house as children and sometimes those impromtu competitions that incorporated household items. You could incorporate this night with pizza night to keep things interesting and bellies full! Maybe even create a desert pizza as well to top it all off! Find ways to break away from the electronic devices and create family memories!
healthy family competition
making memories
It’s ok, you can’t go to the water park right now due to our current 2020 circumstances, don’t worry we have come up with a solution to hold you over until our new normal becomes safe!
OUTDOOR WATERPARK
COOL & FUN!
Ok so this is when the fun kicks in! This has to probably be my favorite of the entire list! Maybe because I grew up doing old fashioned water fights in our home! Yes my mother, my father, my sister & brother all had water fights on a regular basis which possibly led to someone having to mop up afterwards. The fun thing about this however is that you can take the water play outside… No need for the big fancy pool, create your own back yard oasis of fun in the sun with one my favorite natural resources! You could get creative and turn your Water park into a obstacle coarse or maybe even a full on water wonderland.
Having a break away from the house during quarantined is just what the doctor ordered. Much needed vitamin d, exercise, and last but not least family memories! Start early in the morning with planning out the day, set up every thing from start to finish. Prep just like you would if you were going to a resort pool or a grand water park, so your not running around trying to gather everything throughout the day and taking away from all the fun. Don’t forget to break out the cooler and stock it full of freeze pops, water, and gatorade. YOu need to keep cool during the day If your going to grill, prep the food the night before, Blow up and fill up the pool, gather towels, and floats, get the slip & slide ready and tell the kids it’s pool day! They will be thrilled. And it would definitely make for the perfect “nap time” “break time remedy” so you can keep the party going later.
OUTDOOR FUN
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Spend the night with the stars, on the big screen in your backyard. I am a movie fanatic and a nature lover so this is the best of both worlds. Fresh air can give you a new perspective on your favorite movie!
movie night
backyard
Bring the cinema to your home, now with our new circumstances, the big box office is offering new releases digitally, so that means you can tune into new releases from the comfort of your own home. Plan the night, Invite over your quarantined extended family and have a movie night in your backyard. An excuse to get out of the house and see a movie. A true break from the norm. We are all about trying new things during this pandemic and this idea will definitely be planned a few times this summer for myself!
Have fun with the idea, get creative with a themed movie night, for example for a classic like Sex & the City - make up some cosmos to sip, have everyone wear something nice but comfortable, and make gourmet popcorn instead of your traditional butter (although I can definitely understand if you don’t want to pass up the extra butter!) The idea is to be creative. If its the kids turn to pick the movie make it a themed night based on the characters in the movie they choose. Go as far as to get some movie tickets and have everyone hand them over when they come out for the movie… Make it feel like a real movie theater experience. Here are a few Ideas to get you started on the basics of movie night!
spend the evening
with the stars
If you have to get out and away from the house then we have a the perfect idea and it’s a new trend which has become all the rage, and that is glamping. This new way of camping has surely caught my attention and I am planning a trip myself very soon. If you must get away glamping would be a perfect for the entire family.
GLAMPING GETAWAY
RELAX!
What is Glamping, we have learned that you get all the perks of camping but without having to set up your own living quarters and they sometimes have a few essentials you need to basically survive in the woods! While they can be nicely equipped they can also lack a few amenities that your luxury hotel would have. Never the less it can be fun to escape the digital world and unplug.
i think my favorite idea about Glamping is that you can have the best of both worlds the seclusion of camping but the nice set up of a hotel room when you arrive which social distancing approved! I found a site that offers great ideas on where to look for your next glamping experience which is quite simple https://www.glamping.com the offer a great guide to see whats offered and what to expect for each location. But don’t forget some of your items you would need to make the experience truly enjoying and not lacking in any area. below is a list to get you started on planning your trip!
GLAMPING GETAWAY
TAKE A BREAK!
I hope you enjoyed some of our ideas and they help you to endure this trying time where kids are home with potentially no summer camp and everyone wants out! We can relate!
A FEW MORE IDEAS
TO KEEP YOUR SUMMER FULL OF FUN!
Camping
Barbecues
Scavenger hunt
Picnics
Road Trip
Scenic Drives
Renting an RV
Visit some popular monuments
Ice cream party
Fishing
Puzzles
Start a garden
Camp in your living room “blanket fort”