Inside: Learn how to use Trello to create a seasonal bucket list to enjoy the magic of each season with your family. This post will teach you all about bucket lists, how to setup your own Trello Board and provide recommendations for coming up with your own amazing list of bucket list ideas for each season.
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I have so many memories from my childhood about celebrating the seasons as a family. We went to parades, the pumpkin patch, and the lake nearby just to name a few. Growing up I just thought these were things you did as a family.
Boy was I was so wrong!
Now that I am a mom I realize that if I am not intentional with how we spend our time as a family, time will quickly get away from me! If I don’t look ahead to local events or think about the upcoming season, we will likely miss out on some of the fun things our area and the season have to offer.
I am definitely not saying we should pack our schedules to the brim with activities…no way! I love a lazy weekend and so much white space on my calendar. But I also want to share meaningful experiences with my family, and that starts with me and my husband.
As our children get older and will remember our adventures together, I have started to keep a running list of things we can do during the various seasons, I check out local family websites and events, and take note of the things we loved to do in the past. What I was doing, without even realizing it at first, was creating a seasonal bucket list for our family!
This post will walk you through what a bucket list even means, why you should consider creating one for your family, plus how to use Trello to capture your ideas!
But first, I have created a simple printable pack you can use for each seasonal bucket list. I have included blank forms as well as forms that are completed for each season to give you some ideas to get started. Download your pack for free by clicking here, or the image below.
After you have downloaded your free printables, let’s talk about what a bucket list even means.
What is a bucket list
According to dictionary.com, a “bucket list” is a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. In other words, it’s the things someone hopes to do before they “kick the bucket.” This is a little morbid for explaining to kids, so we usually say it’s the things we want to do together to make the season special and meaningful.
A seasonal bucket list is simply a list of things you would love to do during a specific season. Some families prefer to have one big bucket list for all the time, but I like to break it into each season because it seems less overwhelming to me. Plus, it’s a great way to learn about the seasons and see first hand how your local area changes throughout the year.
Bucket lists are so much fun to make with your family because they offer a chance to spend intentional time together and truly enjoy each other’s company.
Keep reading for a few more reasons you should consider a seasonal bucket list for your family this year.
Why you need a seasonal bucket list for your family
Here are a few of the many reasons that our family loves to put together a seasonal bucket list:
- A bucket list fosters family connections and lasting memories.
- Your family can explore your local area together.
- Your family may start a tradition that you bring back year after year.
- It offers a chance to learn about what your family members like and don’t like.
- Putting together a list helps to hold us accountable for actually doing the things!
- A seasonal bucket list helps you anticipate joy for savoring the coming season.
- It instills a sense of adventure and trying new things!
- Finally, it helps you to be more intentional with the limited time you have together as a family.
Now that you know what a seasonal bucket list is and why you should start one this year, let’s take a look at how you can create your own list in my favorite digital tool, Trello!
How to create a seasonal bucket list using Trello
Step 1: Click here to create a new Trello account.
>> Note: Read the Beginner’s Guide to Trello if you are brand new to Trello.
Step 2. Create a new Board for your Seasonal Bucket Lists.
Step 3. Create a List for each of the seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Step 4. Create a card under each List for the different types of events and activities to include. These will act as headings or separators for the activities:
- Celebrate: This is where you would put the different holidays you want to celebrate as a family during the particular season. For example, during fall, I would create a card for “Thanksgiving” and in that card I can include anything specific I want to do (i.e. where we will be eating, any traditions we want to do that specific day).
- Play: This is where you would include any fun activity you want to do that celebrates the season. This could include things like going on a nature hike, jumping in leaves, or reading fall-themed books. You can also include any events happening in your town like parades or family events.
- Create: This is where you can include recipes you want to try or crafts you want to make as a family.
- Harvest: This is a fun section where you can include things like apple picking or growing your own garden.
Your Board will look something like this:
I got the idea for these categories from THIS POST and I just love how it incorporates all the different aspects of the season. You can of course just make a long list of bucket list items without the categories, but I like to use them to keep myself a bit more organized.
Once you have your board setup, it’s time to start filling it in!
Where to find ideas for your seasonal bucket list
So now you have your Trello Board all set and want to start coming up with ideas. Like I mentioned earlier in this post, I created simple printables you can use to get started if Trello is not your thing. Download the printables here that includes a page for each season already filled out for you.
Here are a few other places to look:
- Pinterest. So this one is pretty obvious if you use the internet these days! Just do a quick search for “Fall bucket list” and you’ll have TONS of ideas.
- Blog posts:
- Look at a travel guide for your city or state. Here are some examples for our area:
- Follow local blogs or social media channels for ideas. These will often have a calendar of events for your area and really do all the searching for you!
- Ask your family! Ask questions like:
- Is there something you’ve always wanted to do?
- Is there somewhere you want to go?
- Are there things you want to learn about?
Once you have some ideas for your bucket list, add them all to a separate card in Trello to keep yourself organized. Here is an example of a card I made for going to a football game. (Although, we won’t be going to any football games in 2020, we can still watch some on TV!)
I love to use Trello to keep track of our ideas because I can keep all the necessary details about the activity right in Trello and I’ll have access to it on all my devices. I can also add links or attach files directly to the card so it’s all right there!
Another way to hold yourself accountable is to assign a due date to the card. For something like a football game that makes sense, but you can also do that for other activities so you can try to spread things out over the season rather than try to cram it all into one weekend.
Then, when you are done with the activity you can slide the card under the DONE heading so you can keep track of all the awesome memories you made this year! This is where you can also keep notes on what your family liked and FOR SURE wants to do next year, as well as the things you’d rather not do again.
Now you have some ideas for your bucket list, let’s help ensure you are successful!
5 Tips for creating a successful seasonal bucket list
- Include everyone in your family and make sure everyone has contributed at least one thing for the season.
- Let the kids know that this list is not a MUST DO LIST, but more of a “these would be awesome to do” this year. Especially with younger kiddos, we need to set the expectations.
- Don’t’ be afraid to scrap items you did last year if your family doesn’t really want to do it again this year. Feel free to add new ideas to the list as you and your kids change! Treat each year as a blank slate!
- Print out the board and post it on the fridge or command center for everyone to see. To do this in Trello, go to “…show meu” -> “More” -> “Print and Export” -> “Print.” If you want it to be bigger or prettier, feel free to use a big chalkboard or whiteboard to display!
- Finally, schedule time to do the things on your list and enjoy yourself! Don’t put stress on doing the things, just do them intentionally. And please, don’t feel bad if you don’t get to something you listed this year, there is always next year, or not!
- Bonus tip: At the end of the season, reflect on what you did as a family with gratitude. Think about the things you absolutely LOVED and put a star next to those items so you remember to do them again next year. The awesome thing about using the Trello board is that you can easily reuse the cards and ideas year over year.
FREE Trello Templates
Would you like to give Trello a try? Sign up for my weekly-ish “Simple in Five” newsletter and I’ll send you three of my most popular Trello Board templates you can start using today. Then, follow the steps above to create your very own Seasonal Bucket List for your family.
Or, if you’d like a Bucket List Template so you don’t have to start from scratch, get on the waitlist for my upcoming Trello For Moms Made Simple ebook. I will be sharing 10 or so templates and how to use each one to simplify your mom life. Get on the waitlist here!
Continue reading for more great advice on traditions and Trello…
- 101+ Fall Activities
- Develop meaningful holiday traditions
- List of mix and match traditions to try
- Beginner’s Guide to Trello for Moms
Question: Do you and your family create seasonal bucket lists? What kinds of things do you include on your list?
I would LOVE to see what you include on your seasonal family bucket list! Feel free to share a comment below for everyone to see. Or, tag me on social media (@idreamofsimple) or send me an email (tara@idreamofimple.com) with a screenshot of your family’s list. I always love to get fresh ideas each season!
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