A Bucket List for Kids?

Updated on October 31, 2011
C.O. asks from Reston, VA
16 answers

This is kind of piggy-backing off another question about kids and snow....

Are there things you want your kids to experience?

For example - we would like our kids to experience a cruise - something we haven't experienced ourselves. We were going to do that this summer for Bob's 50th, but things happened that took precedence over going...

We want to take our boys to Fenway Park, Disneyland and DisneyWorld....both of our boys are "historians" on World War II and we would like to take them to Europe and give them a tour of the Ardennes and show them where we met.

So I ask again - What things you want your kids to experience while their still "kids"? Or just in life in general?

thanks!!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

@Riley: when you come to VA for Williamsburg, let Rachel and I know - we aren't that far from there!!!

I hope more people answer this - I love the ideas coming from people!!!

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.M.

answers from Dallas on

Growing up finances were tight in my family. We didn't get to take many family vacations, so I never really got to experience traveling or seeing new places. As an adult, I've traveled a lot more, but there are still several places/experiences I haven't had.

I've never been to Disneyworld or Disneyland, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, New York City, etc. I'm looking forward to taking my daughter and experiencing all those places with her. I want her to have the opportunity to see the United States, as well as other parts of the world. I'm looking forward to sharing that with her!!

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.F.

answers from Dallas on

To enjoy each day as it is their last! Follow their dreams! Never live w/regret! Be all you can be and never settle! Take the world in their hands and make something good of what they have been given! Like someone stated "The list can go on & on" I just want my children to be kids and don't rush adulthood it comes way to fast as it is and their is no going back :)

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

They've done a lot, (roller coasters, rafting/kayaking, fishing, surfing, hiking in the mountains, seen waterfalls, son has been to D.C. and seen/done much there (smithsonian, the mall, etc), been to Chincoteague (sp?), toured navy vessels, battlefields, etc)... and had a lot of the "childhood milestones" (riding a bike, having a pet, staying at away from home camps, picking out Christmas trees, etc)... There is potentially an Alaskan cruise in the works...
We'd still like to take them to the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore though.
Hubby and I would love to go back to New Zealand some day, and it would be nice to be able to take the kids with us.

2 moms found this helpful

J.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

i want her to really think about things that shes interested in and I want to explore every area of that with her, or help her. I want her to do a summer camp and a summer over seas somewhere when in college. I want her to experience love and happiness and contentment, I want her to experience friendship that is real and bonding for life. I want her to experience the feeling of being so intrigal (sp) to so many peoples lives (her familes and friends) and to know she can conquer anything. I would love to backpack with her for a summer between hs and college

2 moms found this helpful

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

I want my kids to learn how to ride bikes with no training wheels (Emmy almost has it, Madison's not even close)... I want them to go to Disneyland, camp at Assateague Island in Ocean City, MD... visit everywhere in New York, New Jersey, and DC that I loved as a child... I want them to learn to surf and ride horseback... I want them to make mistakes and learn from them, do well in school, and never lose their love of books... I want them to experience that first serious case of puppy love...

OMG the list could go on forEVER!! :)

2 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I only want to know what they want out of life and hopefully I can help them achieve that. :)

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

I want them to experience some of the same things i do(alot of it has to do with snow because i live in houston). Ice skating on a naturally frozen lake, sleeping by a fire, snowball fight, sledding, building a REAL snowman, skiing.

These are things ive never actually done....ive traveled america, but only in summer and spring and never saw real snow.

Disney world is definitely on the list, Europe is on ours too.....but my oldest is too old for mickey, lool

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Norfolk on

There are a whole bunch of things we hope to introduce our kids to. As they study a region/culture/language etc.. we hope to be able to bring them to those places so they can experience those things with their own senses. We feel like it not only solidifies their education but really gives them a true experience to hold on to. We want to take our kids to Disney, see the US (especially the big cities, national parks, ballparks, as many states as possible etc.) see many different countries, learn a foreign language. We want them to feel pride in doing something selfless, know what it's like to work hard for something, be able to have a friendly debate with someone whose ideas are vastly different from their own, put themselves in someone else's shoes, and all those things that come with being a genuinely good person.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.Q.

answers from Los Angeles on

Having read the other responses I feel thar my own children's list is a little too modest. As it stands at the moment, considering our very tight finances:

Fishing
Jumping off the jetty
Learning to surf
Riding a train
Going to a zoo
Camping
Going on a family vacation
Going on a boat

In the longer term:
Experiencing snow
Going on a plane
Going overseas

1 mom found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I can't say we have a bucket list. We try and do things that the kids want to do. I can't really think of any specific things I want my daughter to do other than to enjoy being a kid. It goes by so fast.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.

answers from Augusta on

Camping and all summer with grandparents. My best memories as a child involved camping and my grandparents.
Things haven't worked out yet so we can go camping, and only one set of grandparents are retired, adn the max time they've spend with them is a week at a time.

1 mom found this helpful

D.K.

answers from Sioux City on

I want my kids to experience what it is to stand up for what is right and even go through some hardship because of it while they are young. I want to be able to guide them through it so that if it happens when I'm not around they know how to handle themselves. I want my kids to experience the joy of sacrificing for someone. I want my kids to experience hard work and a goods nights rest from a job well done. I want my kids to experience working for something they desire and not having it handed to them. I want them to experience a bit of suffering so they know what it is to have peace even when things are hard. I desire that they have the experience of prayer and a deep relationship with God. I want to give my kids the experiences that will mold them into fine strong adults.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Richmond on

Gosh I guess I am boring. I grew up with nothing and very little attention so I just want my kids to have my love and attention and to never have to worry about the lights cutting off or not having enough food. Kids shouldn't have to stress over such things. Beyond that, I want them to do anything and everything that interests them (positive things, that is!). If I think about, I would love to take them overseas as my father lives there, to Disney and to NYC. I would also like to tour DC and all of the other historical sites that are right in our backyard! Personally, I really want to go see Mt. Rushmore but it seems to be just me that wants to do that! LOL

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I'll probably think of plenty more later but for now, right off the top of my head, I would say:

Washington D.C.
Yellowstone
Skiing out west (Colorado, Utah,etc.)
The Grand Canyon
New York City
Alaska
Boston and Baseball game at Fenway
Coastal North Carolina/Outer Banks
Camping anywhere outdoors
Deep-sea fishing

DD has already been to Disney World once, have done 1 Disney Cruise, and travel to Cape Cod MA and Block Island RI every summer. We have a trip to Disneyland and Hawaii already planned as well as another Disney cruise in 2013. We plan to do Disney World again in at least a few years. We've also been to Myrtle Beach when she was a baby and would love to go back again sometime!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Oy vey... as a homeschooler / travelschooler... this list gets pretty long!!! ((Colonial Willamsburg for US History, Italy/Greece/Egypt for Ancient History, Lascaux for paleo, Galapagos for darwin... I'd REALLY like to get in 6 continents before HS graduation, but we'll see. Then there's things like sailing for astronomy and meteorology, dogsledding, cathedrals/temples, Fuji...etc.))

What I'd really, really LOVE though... I don't think I'll be able to do. A small town with safe streets to ride bikes on and good weather for playing outside (it rains here 10mo a year) and a swimming pool. I can take us to Argentina for 3mo on $1500 or The Med for $4k, but by the time I'd be able to move us somewhere little... he'll be old enough not to need it.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My son is going to be a traveler, for sure.

Last night he said he wanted to go to Florida to Disney World (yuk!).
And he has also told us he NEEDS to go to the Air & Space Museum in DC (we never made it this past summer), and France and Italy.....Gettysburg, Alcatraz, Grand Canyon and The Football Hall of Fame, Baseball Hall of Fame, Hershey, PA......whew!
Hope we can keep up with him!

Overall, I would love for him to keep that sense of adventure, the thirst for knowledge and lots of self-confidence to DO all the things he wants to do!

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions