Fun Summer Learning Activities For Kids

No one wants their child to end up with the “summer slide.” With these Summer Learning Activities For Kids, you can help make summer learning cool again!

Every summer, I love to think of new ways to keep my kids learning while having fun.  No kid likes a mom who is obsessed with workbook pages when they could be at the beach.  So this year, I came up with a few fun summer learning activities for kids that would trick them into learning under the guise of having fun.

The first step was to have a family meeting where we discussed some of the amazingly fun summer projects that I was planning.  This got the excitement level up and both of my kids were eager to help. They couldn’t wait to get started.

I chose projects based on my children’s interest levels.  My daughter loves anything creative. She loves art, music, and writing.  My son is more into math and science so I tried to balance out the projects to give them both something to enjoy.  And finally, I included a project to give back to the community because I feel that is important.

Below are some of my project ideas fun summer learning activities for kids.

Summer Learning Activities For Kids

1.) Write your own Puppet Show.

We happen to have a small puppet theater and a basket full of puppets, so I thought, “Why not write our own show?” They could use any puppets they had or they could also make their own puppets using old socks or characters drawn and attached to popsicle sticks.  The main rule was that the show had to be original.  I went over story elements with them.  There had to be a clear beginning, middle, and end with a problem that the characters were facing.  After spending a few days writing a script, making puppets and props and practicing, we invited some neighborhood friends over to watch our production and enjoy popcorn and drinks. (This project gives kids practice writing creatively, understanding story elements and speaking in front of a group.)

2.) Have a “Kids Do It All” Lemonade Stand.

It is easy to incorporate math into preparing food.  First, show your kids how much money it will take to buy the poster paper, cups, and ingredients to make the lemonade. Keep track of how much money was spent on supplies so that they can understand how much profit they actually make.  Let the kids use measuring cups to add lemonade mix and water.  Finally, bring on the customers being sure to have your kids make change and work the cash register.

3.) Conduct Backyard Science Experiments.

Kids have a natural interest in science, so why not incorporate some basic scientific principles into your backyard fun?

• Gather objects around the house and make a buoyancy prediction chart.  Have the kids guess whether objects like rocks, feathers, small toys or balls will sink or float and then test them in a baby pool or small bucket. (Closely supervise all children when playing with water).

• Make a bug playground using a cardboard box.  Stack rocks to make a climbing wall.  Use a piece of bark to make a slide.  Let your kids be creative to come up with the rest.  Find some insects (non-stinging or biting insects of course) and drop them in to watch them explore.  Observation is an important skill for kids to master so let them watch and tell you about their discoveries.

• Love flowers? Give your kids a camera and have them take as many pictures of plant life as they can.  Print them out and glue the pictures in a notebook.  Help your kids look up species and record them under the pictures.  They can even draw and label parts of flowers.

4.) Give Something Back.

Teaching compassion is one of the most valuable lessons our kids can learn.  It also can be the hardest to teach.  Take some time to plan a “give back” day.

• Ronald McDonald House: Your local house has volunteer opportunities for children.  My kids and I took a tour of the house last summer and baked desserts for the families staying there.  You bring the ingredients and they supply the kitchen and utensils.  Kids can also raise money or donate NEW toys and food.  My kids still talk about that experience as being the best day of the whole summer!
• Raise money for a cause:  We used our lemonade stand money to donate to a charity last year.  Research some local charities and have your kids choose one.  Then plan a lemonade stand or car wash to raise money.  Be sure to note what the money goes to on your signs because people tend to be very generous when they see kids doing a good deed .  Then have your kids bring the money to the charity or write a personal letter with their donations.
• Have a Random Acts of Kindness Day:  See how many acts of kindness your family can do in one day.  Talk about the day in advance so your kids can come up with some ideas.  Keep track of how many doors they hold for people, courteous remarks or helpful things they do for others.  Celebrate kindness by going for ice cream at the end of your day.

Thanks for Reading,

Anne

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