This is the week (if it wasn’t already last week, anyway) when your bouncing balls of energy are being set free from the confines of a classroom ready to enjoy six weeks of seemingly limitless freedom and fun.

With having so much of their time planned for them during the school term, however, it could take a few days for your children to remember how to entertain themselves but it certainly won’t help your stress levels if you’re already hearing the “I’m bored” moan only a couple of days in to the holidays.

So why not make thinking up lots of fun things to do in the days ahead one of your first family activities?  Fortunately both you and they can take inspiration from a number of mummy bloggers who’ve compiled lists of summer suggestions as well as provided downloadable printables to help you record your own ideas…

“For a summer of creative family fun”, Rainy Day Mum has combined both list and printable in a “Free Summer Bucket List” for those searching for the perfect “Slow Down Summer”.  From running in a sprinkler to holding a picture book picnic and building a backyard fort to making tin can lanterns, the colourful poster could take pride of place on your fridge door or somewhere else easily pointed to if your little ones even dare to start saying they have nothing to do.

Over at The Mad House Jen talks about her family’s used of Bored Jars and not only provides a downloadable “Print this year’s summer activity list (with over 150 activities)” but also reposts her printable lists from previous years as well as linking to 17 other things to do posts from other bloggers.

There’s literally hundreds of ideas just there alone but of course the best ideas are usually the ones they come up with themselves as there’s already an implied interest in actually carrying out the activity and Jen also links to “Free summer printables from Pen and Paint Blog” which (along with another list, this time picture based) includes a sheet to colour and fill in for yourself.

Activity Village’s Planning Sheets not only include designs for children to fill in with their ideas in general but also one specifically for rainy day ideas as well as holiday packing lists for kids lucky enough to be heading away from home for a few days (just scroll down past the first two links to Christmas related lists unless the mention of the winter season provides you with some much needed cooling thoughts during this heatwave).

Back in the summer of 2013, Michelle of The Purple Pumpkin Blog hosted a guest post from A Typical English Home’s blogger Angela featuring a printable summer bucket list complete with tick boxes for the target-orientated family.

It was obviously an idea that got good feedback as, back on her own blog, Angela has included a new editable design earlier this month along with another list of suggestions – 100+ Summer Bucket List Ideas (With Printable).  Angela breaks down her list into five categories – Food, Crafts, Science, Days Out and Activities – ending with the lovely “Do a random act of kindness”.  When’s the last time you tossed a frisbee, created your own secret agent code or had a paper plane contest?

Silky Steps also breaks down its things to do list, this time into “six weeks of print and plan ideas” – week six’s “Drive cars through paint and check out the marks they
make” is definitely a favourite with my son.

Still haven’t found the design or list for you?  Then have a read of Crystal’s Tiny Treasures blog who’s also posted a printable Summer Bucket List ready for you to download.  It’s the first year her family are trying out making an “official” list which, as she points out, also has the added benefit of being a great addition to a scrapbook alongside all the photographs you’ll be taking during your exciting summer days!

Do you love finding printables on the internet?  Do you have any particular favourites?  Or have you featured some on your own blog?  Email karen.malpass @ inkfactory.com with your fun-filled links and we may be able to feature them in a future post!