Make a Bucket List for the Holidays
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Create a holiday bucket list by choosing fun activities, setting goals, decorating the list, and planning when to complete each idea with family.

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Step-by-step guide to make a bucket list for the holidays

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Bucket List 2024: How to Make a Bucket List (with 553 Ideas to Add to Your Bucket List)

What you need
Calendar or planner, colouring materials (crayons markers or colored pencils), glue, paper, pencil, scissors, stickers or craft decorations

Step 1

Gather your materials.

Step 2

Write "My Holiday Bucket List" as the title at the top of your paper.

Step 3

Think of and write down eight holiday activity ideas anywhere on the page.

Step 4

Choose your five favorite ideas and draw a star next to each one.

Step 5

Next to each starred idea write the specific date or week when you want to do it.

Step 6

Next to each starred idea write who you will do it with (for example family or a friend).

Step 7

For each starred idea write one small preparation step you will need (for example buy supplies or practice).

Step 8

Open your calendar or planner and look at possible days for your activities.

Step 9

Pick a day for each starred idea and write the activity on that calendar day.

Step 10

Draw a checkbox next to each activity on your list so you can tick it off when it’s done.

Step 11

Decorate your bucket list with colours stickers and drawings to make it cheerful.

Step 12

Show your decorated bucket list to a family member and ask which days they can join.

Step 13

Put your bucket list somewhere visible like the fridge or your bedroom wall.

Step 14

Share your finished holiday bucket list on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
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Help!?

What can we use instead of stickers, colored pencils, or a paper calendar if we don't have them?

Use magazine cutouts or printed clip art glued to the page for decorations, crayons or markers instead of colored pencils, and use the calendar app on a phone or computer to 'open your calendar or planner' and 'pick a day for each starred idea'.

What should we do if we can't choose five favorites or family members aren't available for the dates we wrote?

If you can't choose five favorites, temporarily star more ideas and mark dates as 'tentative' on your calendar, then 'show your decorated bucket list to a family member' to confirm which days they can join before finalizing who you'll do each starred idea with.

How can we adapt this activity for different ages?

For younger kids, have them draw eight picture ideas while an adult writes the title, dates, and who they'll do them with, and for older kids, require a specific prep step for each starred idea and use the planner and DIY.org to schedule and share completed activities.

How can we extend or personalize our holiday bucket list after finishing the steps?

Turn each starred idea into a mini-project by adding a short prep checklist next to it, creating a fridge progress chart with the checkboxes you drew and reward stickers, and uploading photos of completed activities to DIY.org to share.

Watch videos on how to make a bucket list for the holidays

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Christmas Games for Kids | Minute to Win It

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Facts about holiday planning for kids

✂️ Decorating a list is like scrapbooking: combining photos, stickers, and doodles helps preserve holiday memories.

📆 Advent calendars started in 19th-century Germany as a way to count down the days to Christmas.

👪 Making a family bucket list turns ideas into traditions and creates shared memories that last for years.

🎉 New Year's resolutions go back to the ancient Babylonians, who made promises at the start of each year.

🎯 People often put travel and special experiences at the top of their bucket lists — adventures are a classic holiday dream!

How do I make a holiday bucket list with my child?

Start by gathering family and setting a friendly time to brainstorm holiday ideas. Give each person a few minutes to suggest activities, then group similar ideas (crafts, outings, traditions). Have the child pick top favorites, decorate the list with drawings or stickers, and write tentative dates beside each item. Assign simple responsibilities, add items to a family calendar, and revisit weekly to adjust or celebrate completed activities.

What materials do I need to make a holiday bucket list?

You’ll need paper or a poster board, pens and markers, stickers or decorative supplies, scissors and glue for collages, sticky notes or index cards, a family calendar or planner, and optional magazines or printables for pictures. For a digital option, use a phone, tablet, or simple app. Keep a box of craft scraps and a timer to keep decisions quick and fun.

What ages is a holiday bucket list activity suitable for?

This activity suits a wide range: toddlers (2–4) can draw pictures and choose simple, parent-guided items; preschoolers and early elementary (4–7) can pick favorites and help decorate; ages 8–12 can write goals, help schedule events, and manage small tasks; teens can lead planning, budgeting, and coordinating. Adapt complexity, use visuals for young children, and increase independence as kids show responsibility.

What are the benefits of making a holiday bucket list with family?

Making a holiday bucket list builds family bonding, encourages goal-setting, and helps manage time and expectations during busy seasons. It boosts creativity, decision-making, and gives kids ownership of holiday plans. Writing goals down raises excitement, reduces stress, and creates memories to revisit. It can also teach budgeting and planning skills when choosing activities, and offers simple ways to include acts of kindness.
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Make a Bucket List for the Holidays. Activities for Kids.