Need fun summer learning activities, but don’t want a summer fun list that doesn’t feel like summer school?
There are so many ways for kids to learn in the summer without it involving any traditional schooling methods.
Here are my tips for year ’round homeschooling and summer activities so fun kids won’t even know they’re learning!
11 Creative Ideas for Summer Learning Activities
These are a homeschool equivalent to summer school activities!
This summer fun list for fun school at home are summer ideas and tips to keep the learning flowing.
So, before you’re searching for best online summer school to combat “summer slide,” think about these…
SUMMER LEARNING TIP: Whenever we do something over the summer that my daughter loves, I always ask her if she wants to learn more. Then, we head to the library to check out books on it. Lean into your child’s interests!
Check out more summer learning tips:
Ultimate Summer School Guide for Parents: Pros & Cons of Schooling During Summer
Best Summer School Online Options for Kids That Aren’t Boring (Includes Free Online Classes)
DIY Barefoot Sensory Path Ideas for Outdoor Play and Nature Learning
47 Summer Coloring Pages For Kids and Free Summer Printables Pack
Guide To Summer Activities With Family: Things To Do During The Summer
Summer Learning Idea #1: Ditch the Workbooks for Summer!
Look, workbooks are pretty boring for most kids during the school year, so don’t make them do worksheets and workbooks during the summer!
(BLECH.)
Instead, think about other fun ways to get them reading and writing like:
- Fun summer journals like this
- This awesome book about freaks of nature
- And fun word search puzzles will have them practicing spelling without even knowing it!
Summer Learning Idea #2: Try Subscription Boxes for Kids
OK. This is our secret weapon of learning, especially during the summer: subscription boxes (or, actually, any time of year, not just for summer homeschooling!).
You know, those fun boxes you see advertised that are for STEM or coding or geography and other things?
You can create an entire summer school homeschool curriculum out of them!
There are SO MANY different kinds now that cover a huge variety of topics from kids’ cooking to geography to other STEM & MORE.
CHECK OUT SUBSCRIPTION BOXES HERE
Summer Learning Idea #3: Have Fun With Creative Stories
Creative storytelling, reading, and listening to stories is a great (FUN) way to learn during the summer.
My daughter’s writing, spelling, and grammar really started clicking in when we used NightZookeeper during the summer.
NightZookeeper is also a fun way to brush up / keep up on grammar, spelling, and writing in a unique and creative way when regular school is out or if you’re looking for summer school curriculum ideas.
You can also use these fun storytelling resources:
Summer Learning Idea #4: Create an Outdoor “Classroom”
It’s summer so you want to spend as much time outside, right?
(And, it’s a great way to summer school free!)
Have you ever thought about creating an outdoor “classroom” or a nature learning center right on your balcony, patio, or in your backyard for fun play-based learning areas?
It doesn’t have to be expensive or even huge, but creating some sensory and play learning areas outside will keep the kids outdoors and learning.
Think about mud kitchens, container gardens and fairy gardens they can pretend play in, growing their own veggies, sand boxes for building and more!
Check out these great outdoor learning center ideas and keep your kids learning outdoors all summer!
Summer Learning Idea #5: Get them out and about.
You don’t need to have a specific homeschooling schedule or homeschooling curriculum during the summer.
Your kids will learn so much just spending some time outside and in nature or seeing sites around town.
Go to parks. Join some free programs from local businesses or libraries. Dust off that telescope and journal stargazing finds each week.
Also, join the social media for local farms in your area. You’ll be surprised at how many host local meet the animals events or flower cuttings, or other events for free or cheap.
Plan regular nature hikes and park walks.
(You can even grab our free printable nature scavenger hunt!)
Not a hiker?
NO WORRIES!
We have a great how to get started hiking (even if you hate it) post!
These will also help for your outdoor summer learning activities:
- More nature hike scavenger hunts
- Tiny Explorers: Into the Wild: Outdoor activities, play ideas and fun
- The Children’s Forest: Stories & Songs, Wild Food, Crafts & Celebrations (Crafts and family Activities)
Summer Learning Idea #6: Sign up for summer camp.
Summer camps are great alternatives to summer school because your kids will learn while having fun outside AND you don’t have to plan anything!
There are many different kinds and types of summer camps (including online summer camps!), and (lucky for you!) we have the Ultimate Guide to Summer Camps.
Be sure to check out our important summer camp tips before signing up for any summer learning camps or summer outdoor activities programs.
Just know that virtual summer camps often fill up fast (and some can be costly), so you’ll want to do some preparation beforehand.
If you don’t want to do a full summer camp, check your local library for free and cheap classes and activities. Our library hosts chalk and talk events, weekly art clubs, puppet storytelling for young kids and so many more things that have kept my kid learning during the summer over the years.
Summer Learning Idea #7: Join summer reading programs.
Don’t forget about the library during the summer!
Not only will they provide free activities (and a respite from the heat), they will also have a summer reading program which can encourage your kids to read and get prizes when they hit certain milestones!
Also, some bookstores and businesses also have these programs, so don’t miss out.
Be sure to check out our list of summer reading programs!
Summer Learning Idea #8: Listen to audio books.
For your kids who don’t like to read, don’t forget about audio books!
According to research of the American Library Association:
Renee Michelet Casbergue and Karen H. Harris (1996) have suggested that the oral example provided through audiobooks enables students to not only better understand the story but also be exposed to instances of modeled fluency. Marie Carbo has written that audio recordings help students “to integrate the rate, rhythm, and natural flow of language necessary for good comprehension”
The ALA goes on to say that the benefits of audiobooks include:
- Assisted reading (along with text) improves fluency
- Access to children’s literature
- Improves fluency
- Improves vocabulary (at all levels)
- The technology “encourages auditory and social learning”
LEARN MORE USING AUDIOBOOKS FOR LEARNING
Summer Learning Idea #9: Gaming School.
Did you know that game schooling is a thing?
(It totally is!)
It’s where you use games to learn AND your kids can learn from most any games!
This means board games. (?bored games?)
And card games.
And, yes, even video games.
So, don’t be afraid to let your kids play those games over the summer. (YES! Even video games!) They’re learning and it’s a fun idea for a summer learning program!
GRAB OUR GUIDE TO USING GAMES FOR LEARNING
Summer Learning Idea #10: Help others.
I think sometimes we forget that learning is more than just academics.
Don’t forget to use summer school at home as a way to work on life skills, including community service hours.
Volunteering and helping others is a great way to learn (not to mention, it looks great on college and job applications).
We have a great service / helping others list that we posted during the holidays, but it can easily be adapted to anytime of the year.
My daughter hosted a charity lemonade stand one summer day and made $650 to donate to her charity! (I. KNOW! Once people realized it was for charity they gave a ton of money!)
Summer Learning Idea #11: Let your kids get bored.
I know, I get it.
Those cries of “MOM! I’m boooooooored!” are super annoying.
However, did you know that there are proven benefits to boredom?
An article published by Harvard:
[Michael Rich, an HMS associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital] suggests that the danger of an overstimulated childhood is that children may never learn to find the imaginative paths that lead them out of that unhappy bored state. ‘Parents can teach kids and model for kids that it’s okay to not have an agenda, to not have something to do, to just walk in silence in the woods, to just lie on your back in the grass and make shapes out of clouds,’ he says, so that ‘not only do they learn to tolerate that so-called emptiness but they learn to enjoy it. That’s where creativity and innovation come from.’
And, I have a super secret tip that we use to combat boredom (but still inspire creativity)!
They will work great for all different ages for your at-home learning.
Have fun with these summer learning activities!
