One fun way to celebrate the start of summer is with a family fun activity and this summer kick off idea is just that! We wanted to to start summer off with a bang and came up with this summer bucket full of summer toys and activities. We do love using Summer occupational therapy activities with warm and festive themes for this time of year, and a bucket of activities would be a great addition! Check it out…

Summer Kick Off Idea
This summer kick off idea came about years ago at the start of a summer break, but the idea is still a fun one!
Passing on kindness with a simple and surprising gift is an easy way to make a person smile. Sometimes, all it takes is an unexpected token that says another is thinking of you to make your day.
Kindness is contagious and it can easily start with a fun gift like a Summer Kick-Off bucket.
Certain items make you think of summer: sparklers, Popsicles, buckets and shovels, and hanging out with neighbors on hot summer evenings.
We decided to make a Summer Kick-Off bucket as a surprise for our favorite neighbors. You know the ones: that family down the street that you hang out with on hot summer evenings while the kids run around the yard; the family that is always up for firefly catching, sitting around a fire pit while commiserating about teething babies who are up all night.
You could also use the summer bucket idea for other fun events:
- To celebrate the end of the school year
- Summer kick off party
- Summer birthday parties
- Neighborhoods block parties
- Any Summer kick off event!
Neighborhood friends are there every day, and are always up for playing, chalking on sidewalks, and walks through the neighborhood. Our Summer Kick-Off bucket will bring a smile to friends and start the summer off right!
You’ll also be interested in our new Summer Occupational Therapy Activities Packet. It’s a collection of 14 items that guide summer programming at home, at school, and in therapy sessions. The summer activities bundle covers handwriting, visual perceptual skills and visual motor skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, regulation, and more.
You’ll find ideas to use in virtual therapy sessions and to send home as home activities that build skills and power development with a fun, summer theme. Kids will love the Summer Spot It! game, the puzzles, handouts, and movement activities. Therapists will love the teletherapy slide deck and the easy, ready-to-go activities to slot into OT sessions. The packet is only $10.00 and can be used over and over again for every student/client!
Grab the Summer Occupational Therapy Activities Packet HERE.

Summer Kick-off Idea: a bucket of activities
- Plastic bucket
- Fun snacks and drinks
- Sidewalk chalk
- Print off a list of 100 things to do this Summer and add it to the bucket
- Sparklers
- Popsicle molds
- Glowsticks
- Toys like jump ropes, etc.

Want to take summer play to the next level? Be sure to grab your copy of the Summer OT Activities Bundle!