family have a fun meal together

How to Make Your Ultimate Family 'Bucket List'

Sep 24,2022read

​​​​​​​There’s no time like the present to bond with your family. Using this guide on how to make your ultimate family 'bucket list' will help you pick activities that everyone will enjoy.

Busy schedules don't just apply to parents, but to kids too! Imagine all the hours of after-school activities and homework that each of your kids does every day. It can be easy to get into separate schedules and not make enough time to bond with your kids.

Intentionally setting up a family bucket list helps create a plan for spending time together that everyone is excited about. Get ready to spend time bonding by reading about how to make your ultimate family bucket list below.

What Is a Family Bucket List?

A family bucket list is a group of activities that the entire family wants to do together. These activities could be anything from setting up a lemonade stand to taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park or researching your family tree.

Steps to Make Your Ultimate Family Bucket List

If you’re not sure where to start, you can use the below steps to help you build the ultimate family bucket list!

Step 1: Set the budget and radius for the bucket list activities.

hands balance money

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Creating a baseline around how much each activity can cost and how far the whole family will travel for each activity helps rule out too far and too expensive options. This step will save you time in the long run and help you set proper expectations for the fun activities you'll be adding to the bucket list.

Step 2: Decide on the category of activities ahead of time.

You can have multiple bucket lists for different intents, such as a bucket list for educational activities or a list with relaxing things to do. Of course, you can also create a bucket list that has a little bit of everything from educational museums to waterparks.

Having a specific category of activities in mind for your bucket list can help with organization, making the planning process smoother.

Step 3: Have your family members do separate research for fun ideas.

It's important that each family member, including younger children, have their say in the activities that you add to the bucket list. By researching separately, everyone can pick out a few activities that they enjoy or want to try. Letting everyone choose a few options to present to the family later allows children to feel heard.

Step 4: Organize a family meeting to discuss the options.

Now that everyone has ideas to contribute to the family bucket list, it's time to sit down and decide on the final activities as a family. Discussing the options allows you to see which activities interest your kids and significant other.

If you have too many options to consider on the bucket list and need to narrow it down, try asking the below questions to help decide on the final activities.

·       What is the top activity or destination you want to do or see?

·       Is there something you want to learn from this activity?

·       Which activity makes you most excited?

family have a fun meal together

Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes on Unspla

Family Bucket List Ideas:

Still stumped on what to add to the family bucket list? Here are a few ideas to inspire you. Use them as a starting point, or add as many to your family bucket list as you'd like!

Take a Family Vacation

A family vacation can fit your budgetary needs and be anything from a road trip to a family trip the next state over. If you have a larger budget, you may want to consider Disney World, as it's on many families' bucket lists.

Tip: Traveling to Disney World is done best with an itinerary and a clear plan.

Whether you drive a few hours away or plan an extravagant getaway, spending time with your family in this way will help you build a better connection.

Spend Time Outdoors at National Parks

Looking for a way to get your kids off their devices? Take them to national parks throughout the year. You can spend time hiking, camping, and exploring these parks. Depending on how close you are to national parks, visiting some of these parks may need to be a family vacation or at least a long weekend getaway.

If you can’t take too much time away from work, state parks are another great way to get the family outside and into nature.

Take the Kids Indoor Rock Climbing

a woman is rock climbing indoors

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Indoor rock climbing is always a winner with kids. This activity is an excellent option for when it’s too rainy or hot to be outside. If your kids are typically climbing on the furniture, they’ll love rock climbing.

If you're new to rock climbing, you can always ask for tips from the onsite staff. There's always a safety course that the staff members will take you through that should answer most of your questions.

Many indoor rock climbing businesses also have a section for younger children with smaller walls to climb. This activity is a fun option for the whole family!

Host a Family Game Night Marathon

a family plays a board game

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There's nothing wrong with planning a night in as part of the bucket list! Family game nights are a favorite activity for many people. Your family can gather various games like Monopoly, Pictionary, Candy Land, and anything you have on hand to play at family game night.

Turn up the game night by making it a marathon of your family's favorite games. Here's your chance to introduce your kids to games you played growing up. You never know; it might be their favorite game too.

Visit Kid-Friendly Museums

a boy is in a museum deep in tought

Photo by Aaina Sharma on Unsplash

You can sneak in a few educational activities onto the family bucket list, like kid-friendly museums. Check out interactive museums nearby, such as science museums. These hands-on museums blend fun and learning together to create an environment that your kids won’t want to leave.

Planning out an ultimate family bucket list and seeing your itinerary come to life is part of the fun! You will help grow a stronger bond between yourself and your children as you work through the bucket list, but you'll also allow them to be creative and try new activities.

Start putting together your bucket list and enjoy spending time with your family!

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