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How to Prevent the Summer Slide

June 11, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When I started to write this post about how to prevent the summer slide, I realized that this may not be an issue that affects homeschoolers as much as public schoolers. If you’ve ever had a child in public school, you might have heard of the “summer slide”. Basically, it’s the brain drain that occurs when kids follow a traditional school year and take summers off from structured learning.

I don’t necessarily follow a traditional school year, because we have school lessons during the summer, but we do take breaks from our homeschool during the year. And, trust me, that’s enough time for my kids to start forgetting things.

If you’re nervous about how to prevent the summer slide, don’t worry! There are plenty of things that your kids can be doing to continue their education while also having fun.

10 Easy Ways to Avoid the Summer Slide

If you take an actual summer break, you don’t want to make these activities too “schooly”. You can keep them fun and engaging, while using them to help kids remember some of their skills. If you homeschool year-round, these are nice, low-pressure ways to keep them learning.

Need more ways to make summer educational? Don’t miss our list of 50 summer books you can share with the kids!

Avoid the summer slide by keeping the kids learning all summer. Here are 10 ways to learn over summer break!

10 Ways to Keep Kids Learning During Summer Break

Images c/o: StockUnlimited & konradbak / depositphotos

Garden.

Gardening is a great way to teach your kids responsibility. Not only will they learn about how to grow foods and plants, but you may also get some free fruits, vegetables, and flowers in the process!

Go theatrical.

Have your kids write a short play to put on for the neighborhood. Or, if they are shy, they can just perform it for the family. Tell them to get their friends involved. The other parents will love that you’re providing something fun for their children to take part in.

Birdwatch.

Put a bird feeder, bird bath, and a lot of strings and nest building products in your yard by a window. Hopefully, you will attract some different birds that your kids can study. You may even see the entire process from nesting to baby birds flying for the first time!

Create a summer reading list.

Take your kids to the local library and have them pick a book that interests them. After each book, have them give you a little presentation or just talk to you about the story. You can even let them dress up as one of the characters from the book.

Learn another language.

Summer is a wonderful time to explore a new language! Choose a few simple illustrated books from the local library that are written in Spanish, French, or another language and see how many vocabulary words you and the kids can learn together. Find some videos for learning American Sign Language and try to practice a full signed conversation with our ASL2U curriculum!

Try some educational apps.

Take a virtual spin through an app store and let the kids pick out an educational app they’d like to try. If you limit screen time (like we do), give them a set amount of time to play it each day. Try to choose one that works on a skill your child needs help with, such as reading fluency, multiplication tables, or history facts.

Create musical instruments.

Find items from around the house and see who can make the best musical instrument! Good materials include toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, oatmeal containers, cereal boxes, plastic spoons, and jars filled with water. This is especially fun for little ones!

Write and illustrate a book.

Your kids need an outlet for creativity. Have them work on a story all summer and let them draw all of the pictures. Older kids can try a photo editing program to design cover art on their own!

Start a rock collection.

There’s no better way to learn about Geology than to start a rock collection. Challenge your kids to see who can find the most unusual rock in the neighborhood, then do some research to find out what kind of rock it is and how it is formed.

Study the stars.

If you have a telescope, put it to good use! Learn about a few constellations, such as the Big Dipper or Orion the Hunter, and take the kids outside to see if they can spot them!

Wondering how to prevent the summer slide? There are plenty of things you can do for and with your kids this summer to help them continue learning. Which one of these seems like the most fun and helpful to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Need more fun summer ideas? Don’t miss these posts!

This fun summer bucket list for kids is full of hands-on activities your children will love!

Learn about the science of beaches, plus get fun math, language, and geography practice, in this printable beach unit study!

This fun ice cream themed shape sorting activity for kids is so cool for practicing shape recognition!

And for more summer activities, follow my Summer Activities for Kids board on Pinterest!

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Filed Under: Homeschooling Tagged With: kids, parenting, summer, summer activities, summer activities for kids

ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

November 30, 2017 by Selena Robinson 10 Comments

Children with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting. Use these suggestions to offer ADHD handwriting help to your kids!

Do your kids with ADHD struggle with penmanship? You’re not alone. Many, many kids need ADHD handwriting help from an early age. And, once again, it all goes back to the unique struggles of the ADHD brain.

Executive function is what helps us organize our thoughts and carry them out. Because that is sporadic in kids with ADHD, they may have trouble understanding the process of handwriting, including how to hold the pencil, how to form the letters, and how to copy what they see in a book or on a chalkboard.

Tigger has struggled with her handwriting for the past couple of years. On occasion, it would look perfect – identical to the models in her handwriting book. At other times, though, it was barely legible. For the longest time, I did not understand why handwriting seemed to be so difficult for her until I started reading about all the ways ADHD affects children.

Now that I have a better understanding of how ADHD works, I’ve adjusted my teaching style to offer her more help with handwriting. Here are a few tips I’ve been using.

Children with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting. Use these suggestions to offer ADHD handwriting help to your kids!

How to Offer ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. Adjust your expectations.

We’ve mentioned this a few times in the past, but when it comes to developing handwriting skills, we have to adjust our expectations of our kids. They may not develop the fine motor skills to write well at the same time or age as their peers, which means their handwriting skills may develop slowly.

If that’s the case, having them write pages and pages of copywork is not going to help them develop these skills any faster. It will, however, make them hate handwriting.

Let your kids write to the best of their ability and then have them do a small amount of daily copywork. After a few weeks, you’ll see their handwriting improve. It may not look like the D’Nealian model, but it will improve…in time.

Fall Playdough Mats

2. Don’t rush to teach cursive.

There’s a minor debate going on in public school right now about the value of teaching cursive writing in the modern age. Personally, I love cursive and I teach it to my kids. But, I don’t insist that they use it at a certain age.

Cursive is generally harder to master than print handwriting. So if your child with ADHD is already struggling with handwriting, don’t insist that he master cursive simply because he is at the grade level when cursive is taught in school.

We introduced cursive to Tigger in third grade, but I noticed that her print was getting sloppier by the day. So, I stopped teaching cursive and we went back to print. Now she’s learning cursive again, but without letting her print penmanship slide.

Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

3. Let kids use alternate methods for composition.

Some kids who dislike handwriting or have sloppy handwriting are actually excellent storytellers. Don’t insist on them writing their work by hand. Let them use other methods to compose their stories, papers, and responses. Try teaching them to type. In fact, learning to type can actually build fine motor skills that will improve handwriting in the long run.

You might even want to let your kids dictate their stories or draw pictures to express their thoughts. Let them know that there are several ways to tell a story. That way, the frustration of trying to master penmanship won’t poison their love for writing.

ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

Do your kids with ADHD struggle with handwriting? How do you help them develop good penmanship? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! See plenty of ways to make homeschooling kids with ADHD easier!

These 31 tips for homeschooling kids with ADHD are a lifesaver for parents of kids who have ADHD or ADD!

Get even more tips and suggestions for parenting kids with ADHD by following my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

You can get plenty of tips for homeschooling and parenting kids with ADHD when you sign up for our email newsletter!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

ASL Alphabet Flashcards The Grouchy Ladybug Printables Sleep Tips for Kids with ADHD Middle School Coding Projects for Beginners

Filed Under: 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling, ADHD Learning, Special Needs Homeschooling Tagged With: adhd, adhd and handwriting, adhd handwriting, adhd handwriting help, adhd handwriting help for kids, handwriting, handwriting help, handwriting help for kids, kids, parenting, special needs, writing

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids That Actually Work!

November 2, 2017 by Selena Robinson 32 Comments

Sleep Tips for Kids with ADHD - Look! We're Learning!

Getting enough sleep is a major problem for kids and adults with ADHD. I’ve been a light sleeper for years, but I had no idea it was related to ADHD until I started researching symptoms.

Personally, I CANNOT go to sleep without reading first. If I try to just lie down, my mind will race with a thousand “I need to” and “I really should” thoughts, and eventually I’ll jump up and start doing stuff. Not good if I expect to be a relatively happy mom the next day.

Our kids tend to be light sleepers too. Tigger and Roo take a very long time to fall asleep, and poor Pooh has struggled with night terrors ever since he was an infant. The irony is: The less sleep kids with ADHD get, the worse their symptoms are. So we’ve had quite a few rough homeschooling days due to lack of sleep.

I’ve been reading lots of information about establishing good sleep habits, and today I’m sharing three ADHD sleep tips for kids (and adults)!

If this post is helpful, be sure to read my list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

Does your child with ADHD toss and turn every night? Here are some ADHD sleep tips for kids that really work!

Image: Deyan Georgiev / Dollar Photo Club

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids

1. Provide plenty of physical activity during the day.

For years, my husband has done manual work. On days that he works, he rests well at night because he’s so exhausted from the day. On weekends, though, he tends to stay up late into the night.

Turns out that’s related to ADHD! When kids and adults with ADHD exert themselves during the day, they sleep more soundly at night. Make time for your kids to get up and move vigorously during the school day and they should rest better.

Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

2. End screen time a few hours before bed.

It’s no secret that kids tend to get excited after watching television, but that is true to an even greater degree in kids with ADHD. And it’s not just TV. Any kind of screen time, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, can be overstimulating and make it harder for kids to go to sleep at night. Of course, as I write this, it is 11:38 p.m., so this is a “Do as I say, not as I do” moment. 😉

We’ll be talking more about screen time limits later in the series, but it is critical that we minimize (and even eliminate) screen time when possible to avoid sleep problems and loss of focus. That’s where adding in physical fitness can help, because it gives kids an outlet for their energy instead of adding more stimuli.

3. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it.

We’ve used a set bedtime in our family for years. But that’s not all that’s involved in establishing a bedtime routine. You know how doctors encourage you to create a routine of bathing, reading, and singing to help babies learn to sleep at night? We should keep that going with our kids long after babyhood.

We covered the importance of routines for ADHD yesterday, and those same points apply to the bedtime routine. That means that consistency is critical. Once you establish your bedtime routine, stick with it every night. Over time, your kids’ bodies will learn that nighttime is for winding down and resting.

Note: I’ve been hearing good things about melatonin. My daughter’s pediatrician actually recommended it to us during her last visit. But I’ve been hesitant to try it, because I’ve heard that it gives some kids nightmares. So if any of you have any thoughts or experiences with melatonin, please tell me about them! (Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. Please consult a doctor before deciding how to treat ADHD in your family.)

Have you struggled with helping your kids with ADHD go to sleep? Do you have any ADHD sleep tips for kids that work in your family? Tell us about them in the comments!

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids That Actually Work

Need more help parenting and teaching kids with ADHD? Read these posts for ideas!

Teaching a child with ADHD at home? You've got to read this list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas - Awesome for teaching active kids at home!

Math Activities for ADHD Students

For more help parenting kids with ADHD, follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

ASL Alphabet Flashcards The Grouchy Ladybug Printables ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids Middle School Coding Projects for Beginners


Filed Under: 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling, ADHD Learning, Special Needs Homeschooling Tagged With: adhd, adhd kids, adhd sleep tips, adhd sleep tips for kids, adhd tips, kids, kids with adhd, parenting, special needs

I am That Mom Who Uses TV as a Babysitter

February 29, 2016 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

I grew up watching tons of TV every single day. Later on, I realized that this was not the healthiest way to spend a childhood, so I rigorously monitored our children’s TV use.

Tigger didn’t watch any television until she was 2 (per the AAP recommendations). Somewhere between my third and fourth pregnancy, though, I discovered something wonderful: TV is seriously awesome for kids!

So these days, I don’t hesitate to use TV as a babysitter. In fact, it actually seems to be making me a better mom! Here’s how.

Why I Don't Mind Using TV as a Babysitter

Image c/o: djedzura / deposit photos

Why I Use TV as a Babysitter

There are several reasons why I don’t mind using TV as a babysitter, but I’ll just stick to three:

  • TV is a super educational supplement. Depending on the topic, sometimes the TV actually does a better job of teaching something than I do. The kids and I watched a six-minute video about ancient Egypt about a week ago and they remembered more from that than they did from a week-long lesson I did about it a while back. Sigh.
  • The kids discover new interests. Kids have a way of wanting to discuss the exact same thing every single day for eternity, so it can be tough to get them to break out and try something new. Enter TV! When the kids and I watch a good kids’ program, they always learn about something they didn’t know before and that usually leads to a brand new unit study topic they’d never have found before.
  • I need a break. For real, sometimes I just turn on the TV and go into emergency shut-down mode. The kids get to watch a show or two and I get some much needed quiet time.

How I Choose Good Television Programs

The key to making this work, though, is choosing excellent children’s television programs. Generally, I watch a few episodes of a new program with the kids to get a feel for it. As I watch, I consider three things:

  • Is it kid-friendly?
  • Is it educational?
  • Does it make the kids want to learn?

If the answer to all three is yes, then it’s a keeper.

One of my kids’ all-time favorite shows is Wild Kratts. They are seriously fanatics of that show. They get so excited as they learn about animals, plus they love Chris and Martin’s hijinks, so it’s a win-win. These are the kinds of kids’ shows that make excellent babysitters.

I Don't Mind Using TV as a Babysitter

So, yes, I use TV as a babysitter and (with supervision) it’s doing an awesome job with my kids! How about you? Do you use TV to “babysit” your children? What are your favorite kids’ shows? Share your tips in the comments!

For more parenting tips, check out my Parenting with Joy Pinterest Board!

This post is part of the “I am That Mom…” linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read about how my fellow bloggers manage motherhood!

iHomeschool Network I Am That Mom Linkup

And if your homeschooling motivation is somewhat…lacking these days, reinvigorate your mojo with this wonderful homeschooling ebook!

Homeschooling: what to do when you want to quit

Filed Under: Family Life, Parenting Tagged With: kids, motherhood, parenting, television, tv

5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids

November 3, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

“Moooommmm! I’m hungry!!!!” If you haven’t heard those words yet, I’m not sure you’re actually a parent. 🙂

When our kids went to public school for a few months last year, they always came home ravenous. So I had to get very creative about finding food to make into snacks for them. After a couple of weeks, I came up with a go-to snack list that really saved me in the afternoons. So I’m sharing some simple after school snacks for kids today!

Today is also Tuesday, which means it’s time for another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out our favorite posts from last week and get some more parenting and homeschooling encouragement below!

5 Simple Afterschool Snacks for Kids

5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids

Tired of rummaging through the fridge in the afternoons to find something to feed your kids? I know I was. And that’s when I realized that I didn’t have to come up with something different every week. I could just rotate the same snacks out every week and make meal planning a LOT easier.

Check out my go-to list of 5 Simple After School Snacks for Kids over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox!

5 Simple Afterschool Snacks for Kids – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Linky time!

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Welcome to our 57th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.
[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and SawyerLos Gringos Locos
Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures, and more at Los Gringos Locos.
Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin


Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram
Sarah
sarah-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler
Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals
Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon
Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube


Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

Laugh Learn Linkup

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

Laugh Learn Linkup


The Winners for the Week of October 27th:

Featured on #LaughLearnLinkup


Tina’s pick for this week…

FREE Children Around the World Learning Pack for Homeschool

Note from Tina:
It’s important to teach our children about the lands and people of our beautiful planet. It will help our kids learn to love diversity and broaden their horizons.
[bctt tweet=”Help your children learn about other cultures with pack by @momteaches2 #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Selena’s pick for this week…

Learning Games with Standard Playing Cards
Note from Selena:
We have playing cards and we always love unconventional ways to learn math! These sound like a fun way to reinforce math skills!
[bctt tweet=”Use playing cards to help reinforce math skills! #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Sarah’s pick for this week…

The Diagnoses We Never Wanted
Note from Sarah:
This post touched me deeply. As a mom of special needs children, with my own special needs as well, I know all to well that sometimes a diagnosis is a relief and sometimes it’s terrifying. Kim is very brave to speak up and help to educate others about Rett Syndrome. The more we all know about syndromes such as this, the more we can help one another to cope and move forward. I so look forward to the time when “no resident will say: “I am sick.” – Isaiah 33:24
[bctt tweet=”The Diagnoses We Never Wanted by @LifeOverCs #LaughLearnLinkup”]


 

Haley’s pick for this week…

Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Let Little Kids add their Personal Touch
Note from Haley:
I love these gifts and letting your little help is even better!
[bctt tweet=”Teacher Appreciation gifts your child can help you with by @worldwidewindow #LaughLearnLinkup”]


 

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Ease back into school!
Note from Lindsey:
Routine is hard for me but something I am always working on. These are great tips to simplify things and make it doable.
[bctt tweet=”Ease back into your #Homeschool routine with tips by Little Log Cottage School #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.


Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Now give us your best posts!

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: family meals, kids, laugh and learn linky, parenting

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

August 25, 2015 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Have you already started the new school year? If so, you might have found that your kids are struggling to recover from summer break. I wrote a post about how to ease your kids back into a school routine over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox Family that might help. 🙂

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out the posts we’ve featured from last week’s party and read today’s newest homeschooling parenting posts!

 

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine

Sending our kids to public school last year was a huge eye-opener for me when it comes to back to school scheduling. Adjusting from getting up at 8 am to getting up at 6:15 am was something they were never really able to do. So I know it definitely takes time to ease kids back into a school routine after a couple of months off.

Stop by Thinking Outside the Sandbox Family to get a look at a post I recently shared called “How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine”!

How to Ease Your Kids Back into a School Routine – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Time for this week’s linky! 🙂

Come join us every Tuesday for our Laugh and Learn Linkup! You are welcome to share any Parenting or Homeschool link. You will enjoy all the great links! #LaughLearnLinkUp #Homeschool #Parenting #Blog #Mom #Bloggers

Welcome to our 47th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and Sawyerlos-gringos-locos-blog

Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures, and more at Los Gringos Locos.
Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin
Tsu

Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram

Sarah
sarah-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest

Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube

Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!

Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube


The Winners for the Week of August 25th:

Tina’s pick for this week…

Why We Stopped Buying Toys

Why We Stopped Buying Toys


Selena’s pick for this week…

17 Airplane & Hotel Busy Bags to keep your kids entertained.

17 Airplane & Hotel Busy Bags


Sarah’s pick for this week…

Blank World History Timeline +Free Printable

Blank World History Timeline +Free Printable

A note from Sarah: We keep a Book of Centuries too, but I love the way she lays hers out.


Haley’s pick for this week…

Grandma, Make a Skirt!

Grandma, Make a Skirt!

A note from Haley: I love how she up-cycled a thrift store shirt in to cute skirt for her granddaughter. What a great memory for her to have later on.


Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Making Friends: Qualities We Want in Our Friends

Making Friends: Qualities We Want in Our Friends


Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image.

[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Now give us your best posts!

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: back to school, kids, laugh and learn linky, parenting

10 Easy Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Your Kids

July 7, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Spending time together in the summer can seem like something that just comes naturally. But, unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Between busy summer activities, taking care of the home, and managing kids during summer break, moms can actually become even more frazzled than usual.

Kids can also lose inspiration as they get into a more relaxed summer schedule.

If you’re running low on inspiration for summer activities as a family, this list of 10 simple ways to have a fun summer can help!

10 Simple Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Kids

We have tried all of these with summer ideas with our kids over the years. And we loved every single one.

If you decide to plan your summer using any of these, let me know which ones were the biggest hits with your family!

Keep reading to see the full list. Plus, score a free summer bingo activity you can complete with the kids!

Looking for more summer fun? Take a look at our list of 50 summer books to share with early readers!

Make this summer one to remember with these easy ways to have a fun summer with kids!

10 Easy Ways to Have a Fun Summer with Kids

1. Get outside.

We live in the Deep South, so if you’re in a hot climate, I can understand why you might be a little hesitant to go outdoors in summer.

It’s hot. Hot beyond all belief.

But spending time outside is one of the simplest ways to have a fun summer with the kids.

We usually go outside early in the morning – right after breakfast. That way, we get some outside time without melting.

Going Outside with Kids During Summer

2. Have a backyard campout.

Summer nights are just perfect for camping out. If you have a decent-sized backyard, pitch a tent or two and sleep outside with the kids.

You get the experience of camping out – with the convenience of using your own bathroom.

Be sure to grill something for dinner and start a campfire for s’mores!

3. Plan a quick getaway.

You might not have the time (or funds) for a long summer vacation.

But if you have a free weekend, taking a getaway to a nearby destination can be an awesome way to reset with the kids.

We’ve found some beautiful spots within a few hours’ drive of our town. And, even when we didn’t plan to do anything “special”, we still had a great time.

Planning a Summer Trip with Kids

4. Hold an indoor movie marathon.

This is one of our favorite ways to have a fun summer. We literally do this every year.

Since we have four children, each one gets to choose a movie and we watch each one together. To make it into an event, we bring sleeping bags into the living room and have snacks the whole time.

It’s awesome.

5. Try a local summer camp.

I don’t like to have the kids scheduled for the entire summer, but spending a week at a summer camp is an annual highlight for us.

We’ve tried several with each of the kids, including computer engineering, swimming, and tennis. Once we find a camp they like, that becomes a regular for us.

If you’re new to summer camps, take a look at seven ways to help your kids get ready!

6. Add water play activities.

I would love to have a pool in our backyard. But we just don’t have the space.

We still plan water play with the kids, though. We just keep it very simple.

Running through the sprinkler, water balloon fights, and water painting are some of our regular summer activities.

And those are perfect for summer afternoons when it’s too hot to do anything else.

7. Try a “staycation”.

Take a week or two and live like a tourist in your own town with a “staycation”. We’ve done this a few times also and the kids loved it.

When you live in a city that has attractions for tourists, it’s easy to get so busy that you never actually visit them.

Let the kids pick a few places they’ve always wanted to go and get tickets to as many as possible.

Sightseeing in Your Town During Summer with Kids

8. Make DIY summer treats.

When you’re planning ways to have a fun summer with kids, you don’t have to look much further than ice cream and popsicles, right?

We don’t have an ice cream maker, but thankfully you can make plenty of no churn ice cream recipes. And the kids can help!

If you’re in the mood for something a little easier, try making some simple popsicle recipes and take them outside to eat!

9. Play a few classic childhood games.

How many classic games can you remember from your childhood?

I remember playing hopscotch, keep away, four square, freeze tag, dodgeball, and duck duck goose. (I learned most of those in elementary P.E. class.)

Kids don’t get a chance to play as many of these games now as we did growing up. But our kids have loved learning to play them all.

Actually, I think I might have had a little more fun playing those games with them than they did.

10. Slow it down.

And, finally, when you’re planning your fun summer, remember to slow it down as much as you can.

Overscheduling makes for a miserable break and that’s the opposite of what we want for our kids.

Slow Summer Bingo Activity

To help with planning a fun, relaxed summer, try this printable Slow Summer Bingo activity board!

It has several activities that are low-prep and perfect for spending time with the kids over the summer.

Plus, there’s a pretty summer-themed wall art printable you can hang on the wall!

To get your free copy of this Slow Summer Bingo Activity board and wall art, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this Sunday!

Click here to get your free printable

>>> Slow Summer Bingo Activity <<<

Don’t miss these other fun summer ideas for kids!

This fun confetti ocean slime recipe is perfect for summer sensory play!
This simple paper bee craft is a fun way to make an easy spring or summer craft with kids!
Keep learning all summer with this list of 40 at home summer learning activities for kids!

Filed Under: Family Life, Outdoor Play, Parenting Tagged With: kids, parenting, summer

Hi! I'm Selena, a veteran teacher and homeschool mom to four. I'm so glad you're here!
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