Summer Bucket List File Folder Game Printable
A FREE hands-on summer activity for kids
Somewhere between the last day of school and the first “I’m bored,” summer starts asking a very important question:
What are we actually going to do with all this beautiful, messy, wide-open time?
I love a good summer bucket list, but I also know that a plain checklist can get lost on the counter, buried under snack wrappers, pool towels, sunscreen, library books, and whatever craft project is currently shedding glitter on the kitchen table.
So I made something a little more fun.
This free Summer Bucket List File Folder Game turns a simple summer activity list into a hands-on printable game kids can use again and again. It is part bucket list, part boredom buster, part homeschool printable, and part “please give me a cute screen-free idea before everyone starts melting into the couch.”
Kids can roll the dice, choose an activity category, pick an adventure card, and build their own summer fun board inside a file folder.
It is simple. It is reusable. It is nostalgic in the best old-school homeschool way.
And yes, you can download it for free.
What Is a File Folder Game?
A file folder game is a printable activity that is glued or tucked inside a regular file folder. Kids use matching pieces, cards, pockets, Velcro dots, or movable parts to play and learn.
They were a classic homeschool and preschool activity for a reason: they are easy to store, easy to reuse, and surprisingly magical for kids.
You can keep one in the car, tuck it into a homeschool basket, bring it to a restaurant, use it during quiet time, or pull it out on a rainy afternoon when everyone needs a little reset.
This Summer Bucket List version is designed to help kids choose simple, screen-free summer activities in a playful way.
What’s Included in the Free Summer Bucket List File Folder Game
The printable includes:
a cover page
a “Build Your Best Summer” folder board
a dice-based “Pick Your Adventure” game board
36 cut-out summer activity cards
simple assembly directions
a summer adventure planning page
blank cards for your own family ideas
The activity cards include ideas like:
backyard water park
build a pillow fort
make a smoothie
run through the sprinkler
family Olympics
backyard movie night
make sidewalk chalk art
stargaze
pack a pool lunch
have a picnic
go on a nature walk
read in the fort
It is basically a tiny summer adventure system in a folder.
How to Use the Summer Bucket List File Folder Game
You can use this printable in a few different ways depending on how fancy you want to get.
The simple version:
Print the pages, cut out the activity cards, and let your child choose summer activities to add to the board.
The reusable version:
Print the pages on cardstock, laminate the activity cards, and add Velcro dots so the cards can move on and off the folder all summer long.
The family game version:
Roll a die and choose an activity from the category you land on.
The categories are:
Water Fun
Creative Project
Backyard Adventure
Food or Treat
Nature Adventure
Cozy Family Night
Each roll gives your child a little prompt, and then they get to choose an activity card from that category.
It makes choosing what to do feel like a game instead of another decision mom has to make while standing in front of the fridge.
Supplies You May Want
You can absolutely make this with just a printer, scissors, and a folder.
But if you want it to last all summer, these supplies are helpful:
manila file folders
cardstock
laminator
laminating sheets
Velcro dots
kid-safe scissors
glue sticks
crayons or colored pencils
dice
a small pouch or envelope for storing the cards
(Shop my favorite file folder supplies HERE)
(This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you shop through my links, at no extra cost to you.)
How to Assemble the File Folder Game
Print the file folder game pages.
Glue the “Build Your Best Summer” board to the inside left of a file folder.
Glue the “Pick Your Adventure” dice board to the inside right of the file folder.
Cut out the summer activity cards.
Store the cards in a small envelope, zipper pouch, or pocket inside the folder.
Optional: laminate the folder boards and cards.
Optional: add Velcro dots to the cards and board spaces.
That’s it.
You now have a reusable summer activity game your kids can pull out whenever they need an idea.
Why I Love This for Summer
Summer with kids can be such a funny mix.
There are these glowing, golden moments where everyone is barefoot and sun-kissed and laughing in the sprinkler.
And then there are the moments where someone is crying because the popsicle melted, someone else is mad about sunscreen, and the living room looks like a pillow fort exploded during a small domestic uprising.
Both count as summer.
That is part of why I love having simple little systems like this. Not because summer has to be perfectly planned, but because a few easy ideas can help us say yes more often.
Yes, we can make lemonade.
Yes, we can build a fort.
Yes, we can throw water balloons in the backyard.
Yes, we can pack a pool lunch and call it an adventure.
Yes, we can make a tiny memory out of an ordinary Tuesday.
This printable is not about creating a perfect summer. It is about helping kids notice all the simple ways summer can feel special.
Pair This With the Epic Summer Bucket List
This file folder game was created to go along with my Epic Summer Bucket List series on MommyAdventurer.
If you are looking for more ideas, start here:
How to Build an Epic Pillow Fort
How to Create a Backyard Water Park Day Without a Pool
Let’s Make this summer EPIC!
By: Amanda Fleming Taylor