Backyard Summer Bucket List

By Jen Plym from Charlotte Smarty Pants

Every summer, my family creates a bucket list of must-do’s before school starts back up in the fall. As a mom of four really active kids ranging in age from 11-16, we have a variety of things to check off our list.  This year we came up with super fun and creative things like go to the quarry (our favorite local swim spot), host a lemonade homemade slime stand for charity (how much more slime can a mama take?!) go sea turtling, learn to surf and more. A few backyard activities made the cut this year too, which made me really excited since they all are designed around our all-time favorite yard item, the Springfree Trampoline (best gift EVER!)!

First up, host a backyard movie night.  This is a hit for all ages and if you host a movie night, you can bet most of the kids in the neighborhood will join the festivities.  All you need is a sheet, projector, computer and a movie – it’s easy peasy!  You can find step-by-step instructions here.

Our movie nights happen all summer long, so we keep it pretty simple.  Our necessities include Trader Joe’s popcorn (we highly recommend the Movie Theater and Chicago caramel/cheddar – salty sweet perfection!), Crazy Creek lawn chairs and good weather!  Make sure you don’t start the movie too early, you need it good and dark for the movie to show up best on screen.

Our kids also love to watch Netflix on the trampoline as well, day or night.  I don’t mind this screen time because they never sit through the entire show without doing a little exercise.  Our dog even loves it too.  All you need is your tgoma holder for the iPad and voila!

Next up that is just as popular on the Plym summer bucket list is to camp out on the trampoline.  Our kids love, love, love this and ask for it nearly every weekend.  Now their friends ask for the trampoline campout every time they sleep over.  It never gets old.  Kids like it because it keeps the bugs out and allows breezes to flow a little better due to the elevation on the trampoline. Trampoline camping is glamping at it’s finest!

Our kids are fitness gurus and love to exercise and be active all day long.  They love the tgoma app for good workouts and games.  But they also love to hold their own workout contests, like bounce around the trampoline in circles 15 times.  Or see who can do the most consecutive toe touches.  Or host basketball games with friends.  They come up with new ideas every day and we are thrilled because they are active and healthy day in and day out.  We also love that they are contained OUTSIDE of our home.  As soon as my kids come inside they either a) argue, b) trash my house, c) play on electronic devices or d) tell me they are bored. 

Our family #summergoals are to be active all summer long and play outside as much as possible.  The Springfree Trampoline is the perfect outdoor accessory to help kids do just that.  Getting a trampoline is even better than having a pool in the summer time, and at a fraction of the cost! Kids never get sick of a trampoline, they might not appreciate a pool after the first month of having one!

Happy summer!

Jen Plym, Founder, CharlotteSmartyPants.com

Jen Plym is the mom of four active kids from elementary school to high school. She and her best friend started Charlotte Smarty Pants as a daily blog in 2007 before social media even existed. With Jen’s leadership and vision, CSP now engages thousands of Charlotte parents each month and has become the ultimate parenting resource for the Greater Charlotte, NC community.