There’s no better time than summer to enjoy a lot of fun activities both indoors & outdoors. With the summer season upon us, it is high time for you to plan some exciting activities for your toddlers. This will keep them entertained through the long summer days, and you will be able to enjoy some lifetime adventures with this summer 2023 bucket list for toddlers.

After all, you will only —most likely— get 18 summers with your kids, so you must make the most out of it! That’s why today, we will look at the summer 2023 bucket list for toddlers. All of the activities on this bucket list are easy but pack a perfect punch of fun & enjoyment for little ones.

Summer 2023 Bucket List for Toddlers

To make the most out of this summer season, make sure to try these fun activities as a whole family:

1. Have a Car Wash

Toddlers love to play with water & there’s no better time than summer to enjoy a water-based activity! That’s why the first activity on our list is a car wash.

To get started, you will only need toy cars, soap, water, buckets, brushes, and sponges! If the little ones have seen you go to the car wash, they would already have an idea about this activity. But even if they don’t, you can show them how to wash their toy cars using buckets, sponges, and brushes.

During the car wash process, also encourage the toddlers to say appropriate words for different steps, such as wash, scrub, rinse, dry, among others. This activity is very useful in the development of fine motor skills, cognitive development, & even language development.

2. Paint Seashells

The next item on the summer 2023 bucket list is “painting seashells.” Now there are two ways to do it: You can either take a trip to the beachside with toddlers to collect the seashells, or you can buy them from the craft store.

In our opinion, the first option (taking a trip to the beach) is the best as you will also get to spend quality time with your little ones.

Set up a painting area in the home with a drop cloth or newspaper to ensure things remain tidy. For painting the seashells, you will need washable or child-safe acrylic paints, glitter, and paintbrushes.

The best thing about this activity is that there’s no wrong way to get it done. It’s best to let your toddler truly express their imagination and creativity with a lot of colors and patterns.

This activity can help your child develop fine motor skills and express creativity. In addition, it also helps them with nature appreciation and sensory stimulation.

3. Make S’mores

Make your toddler’s summer more special with this mouthwatering adventure that combines the joy of cooking, family togetherness, and sensory explorations.

One of the best things about making s’mores is that it can be done around a campfire or even in your own backyard (whatever suits you).

Although s’mores are very delicious, the real fun is hidden in the experience of making these with your toddler as a family. After all, it is only the memories like this that will last with your little one for the rest of their lives.

To make s’mores, you will need the following ingredients:

• Chocolate bars
• Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers

To get started, you can either use an s’mores-making device or a controlled fire pit. As for the process of making s’mores, it is as easy as sandwiching a marshmallow and chocolate piece between the two halves of a graham cracker.

Since this activity is for toddlers, it is best to use an s’mores-making device. Similarly, allow the toddlers to hand you the ingredients and even allow them to put them in the s’mores-making device. Once everything is set, only then turn on the device and wait for the s’mores to get ready.

4. Play with Spray Bottles & Water

When the temperature rises, and the sun starts to show its colors, then it’s time to have some refreshing water play! One of the best things about this activity is that it helps the toddlers to cool down while having tons of fun at the same time.

In addition, playing with spray bottles and water also helps toddlers with sensory stimulation and fine motor skills development.

You can take it a step further by encouraging the toddlers to say words that match their experience, such as wet, spray, and mist. This way, your toddlers can also benefit from language & vocabulary development as well.

5. Set up a Tent in the Backyard

The next activity in the summer 2023 bucket list is to set up a tent in the backyard. This activity makes it easy for toddlers to experience camping while enjoying the safety & convenience of home. And when you consider how imaginative toddlers tend to be, they can turn this activity into a full-fledged adventure.

To get started, you can set up a tent in the backyard and arrange pillows, blankets, and other items inside the tent. It is important to involve the toddler in this setup process as it fosters problem-solving, family bonding, and sensory exploration.

And if you don’t have a tent, then you can also create a makeshift tent using sheets/blankets supported by a sturdy object (such as a chair).

6. Blow Bubbles

What would be a better way to have fun in the summer than blowing bubbles? It is one of the delightful and timeless activities that always remain children’s favorite.

Besides having fun, blowing bubbles also comes with a lot of benefits for toddlers as well. It helps them to develop fine motor skills and even makes them wonder about the science behind the entire activity.

To get started, you only need a bubble solution and different bubble wands. The best thing about this activity is that you can even create your own bubble wands using household items such as cookie cutters, pipe cleaners, etc.

To make it easy for the toddlers, you should dip the bubble wand in the bubble solution and then let the toddlers blow it. And before you know it, they would be chasing and popping the bubbles in no time.

Enjoy Some Memorable Summer Adventures

Summer can be a great time to have fun & to foster family bonding with your toddlers. But it would be even better if you could take advantage of this time to allow your toddlers with their developmental milestones. That’s exactly what you can achieve with our summer 2023 bucket list!

If you have some suggestions about any fun & engaging activity for the toddlers to try this summer, feel free to leave a comment.