10 Ways to Keep Summer Education Fun

Make this a memorable summer with plenty of family moments that will keep you reminiscing for years to come. Throw in some summer education fun, and you will have a summer that your kids will never forget!

1. Go on a Nature Walk: Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. Find a hiking trail near a creek or lake where you can rest and relax when needed. With older ones, find a place, even if it is a bit of a drive, to go where you can hike to a small (or not so small) peak and take in the views. Experience the peacefulness of God’s creation with your children even if the rest of the world is seemingly in turmoil. Use His Creation to teach your children simple Biblical principles such as “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Bring bird, plant, or tree identification books with you and be prepared to teach, explore, and learn.
2. Scavenger Hunt: Surprise your kids with a planned scavenger hunt unexpectedly one of these days. Hide clues and prepare unexpected twists and turns to keep your kids on their toes. Make it fun. Make it educational. Think of a theme such as trees, flowers, animal homes, or anything else nature related. Hide clues in appropriate spots and treat your kids in the end with a special surprise!
3. Practice Writing with Sidewalk Chalk: For the child who refuses to sit still and practice their writing, take them outdoors and place a piece of chalk in his/her hand! Call out letter sounds and have your child draw the first thing that comes to mind. Create a hopscotch board with different letters and ask your child to call out the letters as they hop on them.
4. Write a Letter to a Pen Pal or Family Member: Practice writing skills in a non-threatening manner with letter writing. Does an old friend from college have a daughter the same age as yours? Try connecting them as pen pals! Do you have nieces or nephews in the same age range as your kids? Encourage your kids to write their cousins letters over the summer months to keep their writing skills sharp.
5. Cook with Your Kids: If your children have yet to learn the basics of meal preparation, now is the time to teach them! Assign your children a meal a week and place them in charge of the meal. Younger ones can be in charge of easy lunches, learning how to make sandwiches and opening a bag of chips without tearing it completely apart. The next oldest can be on breakfast, toasting up bread, spreading it evenly with jam, and learning the basics of scrambling eggs. Work up from there, and you might have some gourmet meals prepared for you one of these days!
6. Pick a Favorite Read-Aloud Book: Gather the children around each morning and enjoy a favorite read-aloud book this summer. Travel back to the time of Jesus with the historical fiction book The Bronze Bow, great for middle school boys. Learn homesteading skills as you read The Little House on the Prairie. Be intrigued by the whimsical story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Whichever story you choose, cozy up and enjoy it together. These are the moments that homeschooling is made of!
7. Nighttime Star Walk: Set the alarm on your phone and wake up the kids when the night sky is lit with constellations galore! Set up a blanket in the yard or go for a walk close to the house, admiring God’s handiwork. Studying the stars in the daytime is one thing; making a special effort to view them at night is another!
8. Online Educational Games and Courses: Take advantage of educational games and courses available to you online. Set a specific time when your children are allowed to use devices for online learning and give them age-appropriate options. PreK-12 children can view hundreds of educational videos on SchoolhouseTeachers.com. With a membership, they also have access to World Book activities, games, and resources.
9. Become a Junior Ranger and Learn about National Parks: Many national parks offer young visitors the opportunity to join the National Park Service family as Junior Rangers. Kids ages 5 to 13 complete a series of activities during a park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and Junior Ranger certificate.
10. Virtual Science Field Trips with Creation Trail: Take a Creation-based tour of popular museums and sites along the Creation Trail! Providing a Biblical worldview in a secular setting, the Creation Trail tours provide insight based on Scripture. Children can learn about the world around them through a clear rather than a tainted lens, allowing them to see God’s Creation for what it truly is.