A Summer Bucket List for Educators (That Has Nothing to Do with School)

Because you’re more than your lesson plans—and your summer should be too.

Let’s be honest: you’ve just wrapped up a emotionally, physically, and mentally demanding year with your students. Whether you're a first-year teacher or a seasoned pro, when summer hits, the instinct to keep planning and prepping is real.

But here’s the truth:
You don’t need to “use” your summer. You need to live it.

So we’ve put together a different kind of summer bucket list—one that has nothing to do with bulletin boards, binders, or behavior charts. Just joy, rest, hobbies, and a little permission to be human again.

Ready? Let’s make this the summer you actually enjoy.

1. Have a Completely Plan-Free Day

No alarms. No lists. No errands. Just see where the day takes you. Let yourself slow down. Rest is productive.

2. Read a Book That Has Nothing to Do with Teaching

Mystery, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction—you name it. Just something that takes you far from the staffroom. (Bonus: swap book recs with a friend.)

3. Try Something You’ve Always Said You’d Do

Take that pottery class. Sign up for salsa dancing. Go hiking. Your joy deserves space, too.

4. Visit a Coffee Shop Alone and Just Sit

No laptop. No papers. Just your drink of choice, a good book or journal, and the luxury of time.

5. Get Outside (Even for Just 20 Minutes a Day)

Whether it’s a hike, a picnic, or just a walk around the block—sunlight and movement do wonders for the post-school-year fog.

6. Take a Mini Adventure

It doesn’t have to be a big vacation. A day trip to a nearby town, museum, or beach can be just the reset you need.

7. Try a New Hobby (Without Needing to Be Good at It)

Paint something badly. Bake something messily. Play an instrument you haven’t touched in years. This isn’t for a grade—it’s for fun.

 8. Take a Social Media Break

Even for a weekend. Reconnect with the real world around you. Your brain (and heart) will thank you.

9. Do Nothing and Feel Zero Guilt About It

Lie in the grass. Take a nap. Watch the clouds. Doing nothing is doing something—especially for a teacher who's been “on” all year.

Your Summer Doesn’t Need to Be Earned—You Already Earned It

You don’t need to justify joy. You don’t need to earn rest. You’ve spent a year giving to others—it’s time to refill your own cup.

So if your summer bucket list includes not thinking about school for a while?
That’s not lazy. That’s liberation.

Here's to a summer of hammocks and hobbies.