The Chaos and the Clutter

Crafts and Activities

Summer Bucket List for Families

By

Ever since my kids were little, we’ve done a summer bucket list. I find that it’s a great way to keep me accountable to being in the moment and it gives the kids something to look forward to. 

In the past, some of the lists we’ve completed include the Summer Bucket List for Moms Who Want to Engage and the Bucket List for a Simpler Summer.

For this summer, I’ve decided to focus on things for the family. This is meant to improve family connection and time together, not add to the stress, so do this in whatever order you want and feel free to change or omit activities that don’t fit in with your family’s needs. icons and descriptions

I chose activities that were low cost or free and don’t take a lot to set up. I want this to help you enjoy time with your family, not become another must-do list. This is meant only as a tool for family connection. 

Summer Bucket List Ideas:

  1. Go berry picking.
  2. Eat watermelon.
  3. Practise cotton ball throw painting.
  4. Paint with freezies.
  5. Tent in the backyard (or living room).
  6. Build tin can stilts.
  7. Make lemonade oobleck.
  8. Fly paper airplanes.
  9. Make an ocean sensory bag.
  10. Make homemade popsicles.
  11. Run through long grass.
  12. Play in rainbow soap foam.
  13. Press seashells in playdough.
  14. Pull some butterfly slime.
  15. Have a three-legged race.
  16. Explore in a summer sensory bin.
  17. Participate in a library reading program.
  18. Squish a mermaid sensory ball.
  19. Build sandcastles.
  20. Dig up worms.
  21. Get messy with melting ice cream playdough.
  22. Draw with sidewalk chalk.
  23. Pretend play with lemonade sensory soup.
  24. Have a sack race.
  25. Hula hoop.
  26. Skip rocks.
  27. Have a water fight with sponges.
  28. Have a picnic.
  29. Play with bubbles.
  30. Run through the sprinkler.

icons of cartoon summer activities

Download your free Summer Bucket List and print it off today. Simply enter your email below.

Fluffy Fish Slime

blue slime with a yellow toy fish and a green and red toy fish in it

By

Pretend you’re playing underwater with this fluffy fish slime. The consistency of this fluffy slime lends itself well to imaginary play and the fish add another adorable element.blue blob with three bright coloured toy fish in it. Text reads "Fish Fluffy Slime"Slime is pretty popular in our house and fluffy slime is the favourite. Everyone loves the texture that the shaving cream gives to it. Plus, it’s got that really nice stretch to it.

Fluffy Fish Slime Recipe:

Supplies needed:

blue slime with a yellow toy fish and a green and red toy fish in itDirections:

  1. Pour the glue into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add in the water and mix well with a spoon (we find that a wooden spoon works well).
  3. Drop in the baking soda. Mix.
  4. Spoon in the shaving cream. Fold into the mixture and mix.
  5. Add the blue food colouring drops. Stir well until the slime is blue all over.
  6. Slowly add in the contact solution and stir.
  7. Continue to stir to get a fluffy slime consistency.
  8. Finish by kneading the slime with your hands. The slime is going to feel sticky at first. But don’t give up. Keep kneading! If you like, you can use a small amount of baby oil on your hands to keep the slime from sticking to you.
  9. After kneading for several minutes, the slime should be nice and fluffy!
  10. Add the fish toys and fold them into the slime.

collage of four photos of fluffy blue slime with toy fish in itAdult supervision should be used with this and all other sensory play activities. 

This engages the visual, proprioceptive, and tactile sensory systems, making it a great sensory play idea. You can find more easy ideas in our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

blue slime stretching up a bit with two toy fish in itBe sure to check out some of our other fluffy slime recipes. These ones are our favourites:

Unicorn Fluffy Slime

Edible Shark Fluffy Slime

Heart Fluffy Slime

Simple Bugs Fun Hand Soap for Kids

soap dispenser with clear soap and blue and green plastic bugs in it

By

By now, we all know how important hand washing is for our health. But getting your kids to wash their hands often is sometimes easier said than done. Instead of constantly reminding your kids to wash their hands, why not make handwashing fun? This fun bugs hand soap for kids will keep your kids engaged as they wash, ensuring they never forget to wash their hands again.clear dispenser with plastic toy bugs in it and clear hand soapIf your kids are struggling with some of the pandemic protocols such as wearing masks and frequent hand washing, this fun soap can make it a bit easier for them (and for you).

Bugs Hand Soap for Kids

Supplies needed:

blue beads, hand soap dispensers, and plastic bugs

Instructions:

  1. Fill the clear container with hand soap, leaving around one inch of space at the top of the bottle to make room for the bugs and beads.
  2. Push the bugs into the bottle, then add the beads to the top.
  3. Place the lid on the bottle and tighten it to keep the soap from leaking out. Turn the bottle upside down to mix up the beads and bugs inside.

collage of photos showing putting plastic bugs in hand soap dispenser

Handwashing Tips

Placing this fun soap for kids near the bathroom sink is a great way to remind your kids to wash their hands more frequently. They’ll have a blast squirting bug soap on their hands!soap dispenser with clear soap and blue and green plastic bugs in it

And since we know how important having clean hands is to our health, it’s always a good idea to remind your kids about proper hand washing techniques. After you make your bugs soap, give your kids a quick lesson in hand washing so they wash their hands the right way every time:

Follow five simple steps. Start by teaching your kids the five steps, then demonstrate the best method for getting their hands clean. There are five basic steps for handwashing:

  1. Wet
  2. Lather
  3. Scrub
  4. Rinse
  5. Dry

Wash for 20 seconds. They key to killing germs is to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. One fun way to count down the time while scrubbing is to sing a song. Singing Happy Birthday twice is a simple tune your kids are sure to know. Or you can make up your own hand washing song.

Scrub everywhere. Another important lesson to teach your kids is to scrub all over as they wash, including between each finger, along the top and bottom of the hand, and under the fingernails.

When should kids wash their hands? After learning how to wash their hands, your kids may be wondering when they should take the time to use their bug soap. The best answer is simply whenever their hands feel dirty. But if they’re still unsure, remind your kids that it’s always important to wash their hands:

  • after using the bathroom
  • before and after eating
  • after touching a pet
  • after coughing, sneezing, or wiping their nose

You might also like these fun bug sensory activities:

Easy Easter Slime Recipe

slime that has coloured mini beads and small bunny toys in it

By

Slime is fun to play with regardless of the occasion. Pull, stretch, knead, push, and play using this easy Easter slime recipe. This provides great sensory feedback while having fun.

hand stretches out white slime with bunnies. Text reads "Easter stretchy slime"Homemade slime is great for any occasion. In the video below, you’ll see just how easy it is to make this slime at home.

Easy Easter Slime Recipe:

Supplies Needed:

  • 1 cup Elmer’s Clear School glue
  • 2-3 Tbsp. contact lens saline solution
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • purple/pink, blue, and green metallic mini beads
  • Easter bunny erasers

supplies such as baking soda, clear glue, and saline solution for making slimeInstructions:

  1. Pour the glue into a large mixing bowl and stir the baking soda into it.
  2. Begin to add the contact lens solution a few drops at a time as you stir.
  3. When the mixture begins to pull away from the bowl, begin kneading.
  4. Add the beads. Continue kneading.
  5. Fold in some of the bunny erasers or offer them to your child to add to their sensory play.
  6. If the slime is still too sticky, add one or two drops more of contact solution and continue to knead.
  7. When you’re not playing with it, store it in an airtight container.

collage of photos of whitish slime with toy bunnies in itBe sure to use adult supervision with this or any other sensory play activity.

The slime created with this recipe is nice and stretchy. This activity offers tactile, proprioceptive, and visual sensory feedback. slime that has coloured mini beads and small bunny toys in it

Easter Slime Gift:

If you want, you can make this slime recipe as a gift. It’s great for adding to an Easter egg hunt or Easter basket. All you need to do is put the slime inside a medium or large size plastic egg and close it.

Check out some of our other Easter sensory activities:

Easter Egg Hunt Sensory Bin

yellow and purple with toy sparkly eggs and the letters to spell Easter Egg Hunt

By

Sensory bins are perfect for interactive play. And when you add in seasonal elements, they’re a fun way to celebrate a holiday with your little ones too. This adorable Easter egg hunt sensory bin is filled with unique ways for your kids to explore using an Easter theme, whether they’re learning at home or in the classroom.

yellow on one side, purple on the other with sparkly eggs and a fluffy chick. Text reads "Easter Egg Hunt Sensory Bin"Using common Easter themed items in your sensory bin is the perfect way to get your kids playing and learning by using their senses. Each item on the bin is designed to help your child learn as they play by engaging at least one of their senses – sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

Easter Egg Hunt Sensory Bin:

Supplies needed:

yellow and purple with toy sparkly eggs and the letters to spell Easter Egg HuntInstructions:

  1. Spread the yellow and purple Pluffle in the bottom of the bin, placing one colour on each side.
  2. Place the letters in the bin. You can use the letters to spell out words (like Easter Egg Hunt) or simply let your kids play with the letters and spell words on their own. Kids love to spell out their own names and familiar words. 
  3. Spread the sequin eggs and baby chick toys around inside the bin.
  4. Place the magnifying glass on top of the items for the kids to use.

collage of photos of a yellow and purple Easter sensory bin

Easter Sensory Bin Activities

Once you have your sensory bin set up, your kids can explore each item inside the bin as they play. These sensory bin activities are fun ways to encourage your kids to explore:

  • Use the magnifying glass. Move the magnifying glass over each element in the sensory bin and explore the different colours and textures up close. Compare the fluffy chick’s feathers to the smooth letters to see how they are different.child's hand holding a magnifying glass over a sequined egg
  • Touch the different items in the bin. Use your fingers to touch each item in the bin and describe what each one feels like. Which items in the bin are soft? Which are hard?
  • Squish the Pluffle. Use your hands, a spoon, or a scoop to move the Pluffle around. Squish the Pluffle in your hands or combine the colours to see what happens.
  • Sort or spell with the letters. Put the letters in alphabetical order, sort them by colour, or spell Easter words with them inside the sensory bin.
  • Play hide and seek. Hide the eggs or chicks under the Pluffle and dig around in the bin to find them. Or play a game with a friend or sibling by hiding items inside the bin and asking someone else to find the hidden treasures.hand squishes purple and yellow Pluffle

Check out our other Easter sensory ideas:

Easter Sensory Bottle

blue plush mini chick and pastel sequins in a bottle with clear liquid and glitter

By

One of the simplest forms of sensory play for young children is a sensory bottle. And when you add holiday elements to your bottles, you have the perfect way to celebrate an occasion. This simple Easter sensory bottle features classic holiday elements, allowing your child to celebrate Easter and have a little bit of educational fun at the same time. clear bottle with sequins and glitter and eggs and chicks. Text reads "Easter sensory bottle"

Easter Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

Instructions:

  1. Pour the clear soap into the sensory bottle until it’s around 2/3 of the way full.
  2. Add the glitter, baby chicks, foam eggs, and pastel sequins to the bottle.
  3. Fill the rest of the container with water.
  4. If you plan on gluing the lid to keep the bottle from reopening, add hot or Superglue glue to the inside of the lid, then replace the lid on the bottle. Otherwise, you can simply put the lid back on.

Easter Sensory Bottle Play and Learning Activities

This sensory bottle is perfect for encouraging interactive play with young children. But keep in mind that your child should always be supervised by an adult as they play. Even if the lid is glued to the top of the bottle, it could come off. And since the pieces inside could be a choking hazard, it’s important to keep an eye on your child as they’re playing with their bottle.

Try these play activities to give your kids a chance to use their visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems as they learn:

  • Seek and find. Shake up the Easter sensory bottle and let your child search through the items as they float to find different elements inside. Ask your child what they see and let them point out the different pieces inside the bottle.
  • Count the eggs and chicks. As the eggs and chicks float around the bottle, let your child count each item to see how many eggs and chicks are inside.
  • Calm a busy mind. The Easter holiday can often cause sensory overload for young kids. Creating this Easter sensory bottle is the perfect way to calm your child when they’re feeling overwhelmed. Simply shake the bottle to mix up the elements inside, then let your child watch the pieces as they float around inside.

Some other Easter sensory activities:

Easter Oobleckdrips of pastel colours of goo coming down into a sensory bin of oobleckEaster Fluffy Slime

Nature Inspired Easter Sensory Binplush bunny sits by a sensory bin filled with moss, grass, and toy butterflies

Eggs and Carrots Sensory Bin