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Last week, it hit me that my baby is going to kindergarten at the end of the summer. Suddenly, I’m feeling pressure to celebrate the innocence of childhood and all the fun that summer can be for a kid.

I’ve got big plans for this summer, and it’s going to be sunrise, sunscreen, sunset, repeat. In my household, the boys bounce out of bed before the sun is up, so we might as well hit the ground running before it gets too hot out anyway.

Play #NeverDoneWithFun Summer Bucket List Bingo along with me, and cross off your own adventures as you complete them. Add in a bonus event each time you get BINGO! If you complete the whole card before summer’s end … buy yourself a bottle of champagne because you’ve earned it, Mama!

If you’re local to DuPage County, I’m revisiting some family favorite spots and exploring some new locales this summer with the #NeverDoneWithFun Summer Bucket List Bingo (DuPage County Edition).

If you’re not local, download the generic #NeverDoneWithFun Summer Bucket List card and customize accordingly. Either way, you’re sure to make some memories.

Downloads: DuPage County Edition  |  Generic Edition

Get ready for this epically long overview post, with enough details to get you started, and look for more posts with the nitty-gritty details and recap of our adventures coming all summer long.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy for all the boring details.

“Countdown to Kindergarten” Summer Bucket List

1. Backyard campfire. Grab the ingredients for s’mores and wait until the sun sets for some after-dark family fun. My kids are more interested in building the fire than eating s’mores; apparently they don’t like to get their hands sticky. This mama will take one for the team and eat their s’mores too.

2. Zoo trip. We’re Brookfield Zoo members because we always have the intention of “just popping over to the zoo for an hour or two before naptime.” Six hours later, we’ve seen every animal and exhibit at least once, and traipsed back and forth across the grounds in the most inefficient way possible. There’s a new Amazing Arachnids exhibit opening at the end of May, so I’m going to have to put on my big-girl pants and conquer my fear of spiders this summer. Or maybe I’ll send #DoneWithFun Daddy and the boys to that one while I nurse a hard-earned hard cider in the shade.

3. Lemonade stand. Nothing says “summer” like a good, old-fashioned lemonade stand, and it’s a great chance to teach my almost-kindergartener some easy math lessons and let him earn a couple of dollars to add to his piggy bank. Want a cute sign to attract your customers? Free printable here (with price options – what IS the going rate for a Dixie cup of lemonade nowadays anyway?)

4. Museum visit. When the heat index is over 100, it’s the perfect day for an indoor adventure. This summer, we’re going to check out the Museum of Science and Industry. I have a feeling I’m going to have to drag my two boys away from the coal mine, submarine, and diesel engine train at the end of the day.

5. Family Nights at the Morton Arboretum Children’s Garden. Every time we pass the Arboretum on our evening drive home from daycare, E asks if we can “stop in for a couple of minutes.” Starting June 14, Thursdays are Family Night in the Children’s Garden from 5 to 8 P.M. I can’t wait to surprise him one night when he asks to go and actually say “Yes!” Dinner from the concession stand, kids’ entertainment and programming, plus $5 admission for non-members after 4:30 PM. Sure, it’s a work night, but you gotta bend a little in the summer.

6. Make garden stepping stones. Crafts are more interesting if they include cement. Just ask my boys, who remain obsessed with construction. I’ve got these kits to mold our own cement stepping stones and decorate them mosaic-style. My only goal is to capture both boys’ handprints on one stone for a keepsake. We did this back in 2014, and I cherish the stone with E’s toddler handprint and our first pup’s pawprint. Time for an update.The Midwest Products kits are great because they give you everything you need in one box: cement mixture, plastic mold (that you can throw away when you’re done with the project rather than clean it out!), and stained glass mosaic pieces. I can’t decide which shape is my favorite:
   Circle |  Star  |  Leaf

7. Butterfly garden at Peck Farm. The butterfly garden is kind of magical for kids and adults alike. Just be careful where you step once you’re inside: a myriad of colorful fluttering butterflies are everywhere, including the ground, benches, seriously EVERYWHERE. I could sit inside and look around for an hour or more, but my boys’ attention span is more like 10 minutes before they are ready to move outside to Hawk’s Hollow Nature Playground and other parts of Peck Farm. Bring swimsuits and water shoes to splash in the rocky creek if it’s warm enough. Bring snacks or a picnic too, because you can easily spend all day here.

8. Train ride to Geneva. My boys love trains: watching them down by the Glen Ellyn Library, reading about them, watching shows about them. But we’ve only been on the Metra once, and that was the Polar Express when E was 4 (and he spent the entire ride in mortal fear of Santa coming near him). We’re going to take a Metra field trip this summer to try again, sans Santa. The plan is to ride a couple of stops down, get off and walk to get ice cream or dinner, and then ride back home. From Glen Ellyn, the Geneva stop is only 20 minutes away, and Geneva is such a cute town, with dozens of ice cream, cupcake, and restaurant options within walking distance, even for little legs. On weekends, kids ride free on Metra with paying adults, and the Weekend Pass ticket is $10 for unlimited use.

9. Family game night. Another of E’s suggestions, a Friday night game night is a chill way to end the week. Or as chill as playing board games with a 5-year-old and 2-year-old can be. Make it more fun with a living-room picnic and theme snacks (my go-to for everything is theme snacks). What games are we playing at our house lately? Preschooler game round-up post coming shortly!

10. Picnic at Lake Ellyn. The Lake Ellyn playground is one of our favorite summer spots because it’s shady and cool even during the afternoon hours, so I can worry a little less about slathering every inch of my ghost-like children in sunscreen. Bring stale bread with you to feed the fish at Lake Ellyn. There are so many fish in the lake that they practically jump out of the water to get the crusts my kids throw to them. It’s an easy way to spend 20 minutes.

11. Brickworld LEGO Exposition. The LEGO obsession in our household starts with #DoneWithFun Daddy and runs deep. On Father’s Day weekend, the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg is hosting Brickworld Chicago, with 100,000 square feet of spectacular creations all built from LEGO bricks by LEGO enthusiasts from around the world. The expo includes interactive activities, such as the LEGO and DUPLO play brick areas, seek and finds, fighting robots, and more, plus vendors with mini-figs, sets, and more. Tickets are $12 per person; kids 3 and under are free. A Father’s Day that includes LEGOs rather than a rushed, stressful restaurant meal is 100% the way to go for our family.

12. Beach day at Gillson Beach. Easton and Sawyer’s Aunt Megan and Uncle Andrew introduced us to Gillson Beach in Wilmette, and it’s a summer tradition we all look forward to each year (even me, and I HATE sand). Gillson Beach is beautiful and comparatively quieter than the downtown lakefront beaches. We usually go mid- to late summer, when the water has had a chance to warm up, but this year, my sister-in-law is due with her first baby in July, so we may be moving up our annual visit. Honestly, even cold water doesn’t stop my boys. Their lips will be turning blue as they splash in the waves, but they will still be begging to build one more sandcastle.

13. Legoland Schaumburg. Again with the LEGOs. We’ve been promising Legoland Discovery Center Chicago to E since before his birthday in December and keep coming up with excuses not to go. This is another one that’s good for a rainy summer day, or a day when it’s too hot to be outside. Tickets can be a little pricy but it’s worth buying in advance online to save a few bucks, and there are frequently Groupons or other deals and coupons available.

14. Berry picking and farm visit. Here’s one on my own bucket list: Picking farm-fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I love the romanticized vision of stuffing yourself full of berries straight from the bushes, complete with juice-stained fingers and lips. My boys exist on a diet that is at least 50 percent fruit, so berry picking is logical and the (literal) fruits of our labor won’t go to waste. Many of the local berry farms also grow other fruits and vegetables and offer a peek at farm life for kids of all ages. I haven’t chosen my farm destination yet but I’ll keep you updated when I decide.

15. Plant fairy garden. A few years ago, we started a small container fairy garden for our patio – the closest thing this boy mom can realistically get to a dollhouse. Each year, we go back to The Growing Place in Naperville to pick our fairy garden plans and add an accessory or two to our magical setup. The cobblestone bridge and fish pond anchors our little garden and is my favorite piece, but E is partial to the firepit that lights up thanks to a flameless candle. Browse my friend Kim’s Etsy shop, The Little Hedgerow, for the best selection of whimsical handmade accessories and carefully curated miniatures.

16. Hiking at state park. The boys are finally getting to the age where we could take them for a (short) hike and they won’t immediately whine to be pushed in the stroller. Starved Rock State Park, with its waterfalls and canyons, is less than 90 minutes’ drive from Glen Ellyn. Bring a Ziploc baggie for each of your kids, and let them fill the Ziploc with “treasures” (rocks, acorns, leaves) to make the day trip more fun. Like me, Easton is a collector and loves to hunt for just the right “special rock” to bring home with him. If I know my child, he’ll want to wear his explorer vest and carry his compass while he explores.

17. Lunch at train restaurant. I know, I know: More with trains. But this one is an easy square to check off. Kid-friendly food delivered by a model train that runs by your table. We go about once a season. Locally, there are a couple of options: Two Toots in Glen Ellyn and All Aboard in Downers Grove. From an adult perspective, neither is anything to get excited about, but I’m not their target demographic. Meanwhile, watching Sawyer’s face light up every single time the train passes our table is everything.

18. Overnight tent camp-out. A backyard camp-out with Easton has been on my bucket list since last year, but I keep chickening out when I think about the lack of sleep, the uncomfortable ground, the sun coming up so early. Then I remember how cool I thought it was as a kid to pitch a tent in the yard, stay up late, eat junk food, and catch fireflies after dark. A backyard camp-out, where my own bathroom is 50 feet or less away, is the hard limit of roughing it for me though.

19. “Star Wars” movie night. #DoneWithFun Daddy tells me that Easton is old enough to watch selected parts of “Star Wars” and he’s spent substantial time selecting just the right scenes. Somehow, I have the feeling they’re going to include a lot of light saber battling. We’ll pop popcorn on the stovetop, grab a box of M&Ms, and throw in some Star Wars theme snacks to round it out. Fun fact: I’ve never seen any of the “Star Wars” movies! It will be my first time too.

20. Garfield Park Conservatory. I credit my parents with introducing the boys to this hidden gem. They brought my kids there this winter as a place to get out of the house and run around when going outside wasn’t an option. The boys loved it and have been begging us to take them back so they can show us all the flowers. Weekend afternoons have family programming and activities for kids; June’s theme focuses on insects. The best part is admission is FREE (though making a donation is encouraged to keep this beautiful spot open).

21. Summer carnival. There’s something quintessentially summer about a neighborhood carnival set up in a parking lot. Last year, we checked out Last Fling in Naperville and E discovered the magic of the pick-a-duck carnival game. We have the world’s crappiest (now broken) light saber to thank for that. This year, I’m setting my sights on the goldfish game because as a kid, there was nothing I loved more than winning a carnival goldfish (even if it died approximately 3 hours after getting its new bowl and accessories set up, every.single.time.)

22. Get muddy at Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground. My boys are 100% boy and love any activity that involves dirt, sand, water, or any combination thereof. Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground in Schaumburg is their paradise. They can wade through the creeks and play in the sand to their heart’s content. Parent pro tip: Put your kids in swimsuits or clothes that dry quickly, and bring towels and a change of clothes. You’re definitely going to need it.

23. Paint-your-own pottery date. I’m always coercing my kids (OK, really just Easton) into doing art projects with me. Crafts aren’t his favorite thing but they are definitely mine, so it takes a little persuasion to get him interested. A one-on-one “mommy-son date” should be enough incentive to get him to a local pottery spot where he can pick what he wants to paint. Realistically, he’ll be done painting after about 7 minutes, so if I want to make my own masterpiece at the same time, I’m going to have to work fast.

24. Downtown Chicago day trip. I’m suburban through and through, but there’s nothing like Chicago in the summer. The lakefront, the beaches, Grant Park … the possibility for summer exploration are endless. Easton, my future architect, has his heart set on the Willis Tower as our destination this summer. This is another thing I’ve never done, despite living in Chicagoland most of my life. While he loves the idea in theory, my kiddo has a fear of heights just like his mama, so Navy Pier is my back-up plan for when the Willis Tower Skydeck isn’t nearly as fun as he thinks it will be.

Don’t forget the all-important free space: mom’s choice movie day. When you’ve had it with summer fun, turn down the AC, pop some popcorn, and settle in with your kids for a day of (literal) Netflix and chill. You can’t go-go-go every minute of every day, so give yourself, and your kids, permission for some screen time and a recharge day.

Share your adventures on social media with #NeverDoneWithFun. I can’t wait to see your pictures.

P.S. Who says the kids should have all the fun? Later this month, I’m releasing the #NeverDoneWithFun “Mom-Me Time” Summer Bucket List to fill my own bucket before the school year starts and I navigate a new set of challenges. You won’t want to miss this one: The Mom-Me List includes lots of relaxation, outside activities, indulgences, and more  – combined with a fair amount of adult beverages. It is summer, after all.