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Summer Fun! Printable Preschool Summer Activity Calendar

May 4, 2021 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

How many weeks of summer break does it take before your kids get bored?

Mine don’t even last one full week. Four days in or so, they start loafing around.

And it was no different when they were younger.

If you’re trying to keep preschoolers happy and learning over the summer, this printable preschool summer activity calendar is just what the doctor ordered!

Printable Summer Fun Activity Calendar for Preschool

Best of all, it’s free!

You can use this summer activity calendar for preschool to plan themed units for each week with almost no stress at all. Win!

Read on to get your free copy.

And, for more ways to learn over the summer, take a look at our list of 20 printable preschool resources you can use!

Plan a fun learning summer for little ones with this printable preschool summer activity calendar!

Summer Fun! Printable Preschool Summer Activity Calendar

This summer preschool activity calendar is packed with 60 different ideas for early learners!

To use this printable summer calendar, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Printer (with ink)
  • Printer paper
  • Digital device such as an iPad or a Chromebook (optional)
Printable Preschool Summer Activity Calendar

This printable summer calendar for preschool includes four versions:

  • A color internet-linked weekly themed calendar
  • A line art internet-linked weekly themed calendar
  • A color text-only weekly themed calendar
  • A line art text-only weekly themed calendar

Summer Activities for Preschoolers

On each, you’ll find twelve weekly theme ideas for preschoolers. For each day that week, you’ll see a different activity to try.

Summer Activity Calendar for Preschool

The text-only calendars make suggestions for what kinds of activities to try for each theme.

Printable Preschool Summer Theme Calendar

Feel free to search online or use whatever crafts and resources you already have that fit these ideas!

PreK Summer Activity Calendar for Kids

The internet-linked activity calendars feature clickable links to activities, printables, and crafts on this website that fit each theme.

Talk about a lesson plan that’s done for you!

Print the text-only calendar and hang it on the wall during summer! You and the kids can color each activity block you complete.

Or use it as a digital planner and save the file to a digital device! Use the drawing tool to mark off activities and click to visit the reference links as you need.

Scroll down to get your printable preschool summer activity calendar!

Don’t miss these other summer learning ideas for early grades!

Use this Summer Color by Shape activity to help early learners practice recognizing shapes with a fun art twist!
This simple coffee filter jellyfish craft is a perfect easy summer craft for kids! Make a few with your little ones this summer!
These 20 fun books about ice cream for kids are so fun for summer reading!
PreK Summer Calendar for Kids

To get your copy of this Summer Fun! summer activity calendar for preschool, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday night!

Click here to get your free printable!

>>> Summer Activity Calendar for Preschool <<<

Filed Under: Homeschooling Printables, Preschool, Teaching Printables Tagged With: preschool, summer activities for kids

60 Awesome Summer Outdoor Play Ideas for Kids

June 25, 2018 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Head outside with the kids with this list of awesome fun in the sun ideas for summer!

Summer. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for playing outside.

We live in the South and it. gets. hot. But that’s never stopped our kids from wanting to be outside playing every game imaginable.

After a while, though, the same old games just don’t do it for them anymore.

And that’s why I wanted to find some awesome fun in the sun ideas for outdoor play in summer.

60 Fun Outdoor Summer Play Ideas for Kids

Below, you’ll find 60, count’em, SIXTY different summer outdoor play ideas for kids.

And they are awesome!

They can make their own bubble wands, create slime that fizzes, build mud kitchens, and much more!

You can get also get a printable preschool summer activity calendar free! Read on to see how to score this for this summer.

And if you need more ways to make summer fun, check out our list of 40 simple summer crafts kids can make!

This list of 60 outdoor summer play ideas is perfect for keeping kids happy all summer long!

60 Awesome Outdoor Play Ideas for Summer

Several of these summer play ideas for kids also feature learning concepts, such as STEM engineering, art, math, sensory play, and more.

So you can play while giving kids a little more learning. Trust me, they’ll never know.

If you try some of these with your kids, I’d love to hear which ones they loved the most!

1. DIY Fizzy Slime – Look! We’re Learning!

2. How to Make a Kite – Red Ted Art

3. Driveway Shape Maze – Creative Family Fun

4. Backyard Olympics – Kid World Citizen

5. DIY Rockets for Kids – Frogmom

6. Wet Chalk Color Mixing – School Time Snippets

7. Catapult Splat Painting – There’s Just One Mommy

8. Squirt Gun Painting – Fireflies and Mudpies

9. DIY Mud Kitchen – Megan Zeni

10. Sidewalk Paint Rockets – Gluesticks

11. Recycled Chalk Paint – Rhythms of Play

12. Splash the Alphabet – Days with Grey

13. Ocean Sensory Bin – Frogs and Fairies

14. DIY Obstacle Course for Kids – Buggy and Buddy

15. Outdoor Rainbow Weaving – Where Imagination Grows

16. Summer Paint Sensory Play – Mama Smiles

17. How to Make DIY Bubble Wands and Homemade Bubbles – Natural Beach Living

18. Rainbow Windsock Craft – Kids Craft Room

19. Pool Noodle Boat Racing Game – See Vanessa Craft

20. Bouncy Ball Process Art Painting – School Time Snippets

Summer Outdoor Play Ideas for Kids

21. Colorful Moon Sand – Look! We’re Learning!

22. Cardboard Arc de Triomphe Craft – Non-Toy Gifts

23. $1 Soda Bottle Sprinkler – Gluesticks

24. Plant a Pollinator Garden – Outdoor Families Online

25. Watermelon Fizzy Science Activity and Sensory Play – Natural Beach Living

26. Look Inside a Volcano Project – 123 Homeschool 4 Me

27. Amazing Hand Bubbles – The Craft Train

28. Playground Scavenger Hunt – KC Edventures

29. Water Balloon Bash – Fireflies and Mudpies

30. Water Table Play – Creating Creatives

31. Garden Xylophone – The Moments at Home

32. Alphabet Ice Boats – School Time Snippets

33. Sidewalk Puffy Paint – Fun Learning for Kids

34. Clay Sculptures – Red Ted Art

35. Mud Pie Nature Art – Rhythms of Play

36. Silly Races – Creative Family Fun

37. Salt Art Project – Buggy and Buddy

38. Sea Animals Party Game – There’s Just One Mommy

39. How to Make Chalk – 123 Homeschool 4 Me

40. Frog Habitat Garden – The Craft Train

60 Fun in the Sun Ideas for Kids

41. Sidewalk Chalk Math Game – Look! We’re Learning!

42. Ice Excavating – Gluesticks

43. DIY Craft Stick Peg Doll Boat for Kids – Rhythms of Play

44. Dinosaur Dig Excavation Activity – Fun Learning for Kids

45. Backyard Treasure Hunt – Kid World Citizen

46. Build a Dinosaur Garden – Megan Zeni

47. Beach Detective Game – Kids Craft Room

48. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt – Buggy and Buddy

49. Pop Rock Science Experiment – 123 Homeschool 4 Me

50. Pond Sensory Bin – In Our Pond

51. Cardboard Car Wash – Non-Toy Gifts

52. Fish Ice Play Activity – Messy Little Monster

53. DIY Outdoor Chalkboard – Rhythms of Play

54. Build a Stick Maze – Mother Natured

55. GIANT Bubble Solution – 123 Homeschool 4 Me

56. Color-Changing Sidewalk Chalk – Frogs and Fairies

57. Outdoor Creative Art Station – Where Imagination Grows

58. Photo Scavenger Hunt – KC Edventures

59. Pine Cone Trail Outdoor Activity – Preschool Toolkits

60. DIY Water Wall – There’s Just One Mommy

Farm Fun Bundle TPT Quote Box Ad

Printable Summer Activity Calendar for Preschoolers

This list of summer outdoor play ideas is awesome for filling up summer with kids of all ages.

But if you’re trying to keep preschoolers happy, you’re working with a unique crowd.

I’ve been there.

PreK Summer Activity Calendar for Kids

Which is where this printable preschool summer activity calendar can be a life saver!

This printable calendar features 12 early themes with a different activity to try each day. Planning done!

Printable Preschool Summer Activity Calendar

To get this printable preschool summer activity calendar, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

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

Click here to get your free printable

>>> Preschool Summer Activity Calendar <<<

Check out these other summer ideas!

Make this summer one to remember with these easy ways to have a fun summer with kids!
This fun confetti ocean slime recipe is perfect for summer sensory play!
Make this easy sea animal suncatcher craft for a simple summer art project this year!

Filed Under: Fun Activities for Kids, Outdoor Play Tagged With: outdoor play, summer, summer activities, summer activities for kids

40 Fun At Home Learning Activities for Summer

June 21, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

These 40 learning activities for summer are a great way to keep the learning going all during summer break!
Try some of these learning activities for summer to keep kids learning all year long!

I just love summer. In my opinion, it’s the time of year that basically makes life worth living.

The sun is out, you can walk around in flip-flops all day, no one cares if you eat ice cream for breakfast…it’s a good season.

The kids and I tend to take a more relaxed approach to learning over the summer, but I still like to keep them learning as much as possible.

So we found a bunch of at home learning activities for summer that are super fun and great for helping them explore science, math, STEM, literacy, and more!

40 Summer Learning Activities You Can Do at Home

There are 40 different summer learning ideas below, so you can try as many as you like during summer break.

If you decide to do some of these, be sure to come back and tell us how you liked them!

Want to spend summer boosting your children’s literacy skills? Take a look at this list of 50 summer books you can share with them!

Keep learning all summer with this list of 40 at home summer learning activities for kids!

40 At-Home Learning Activities for Summer

What I love about summer break is that you can keep learning with kids, but on your own terms.

No getting up to start school at a set time. No required amount of subjects or hours to cover.

Just time for fun learning with little ones.

40 Fun Summer Learning Activities for Kids

And these at home summer learning activities feature plenty of hands-on, low prep, and interactive ideas to keep preschoolers and elementary kids happy.

Take a look at the list below to get inspired for summer break at home!

40 Fun At Home Learning Activities for Summer

Use this list of 40 fun at home summer learning activities to keep your elementary kids excited to learn!

1

Pineapple Multiplication by Four Roll and Cover Game

This fun multiplication game is excellent for early elementary students! All you need is dice, a printer, and math counters!

2

Playground Science for Kids: Exploring Ramps and Friction on a Slide

Photo Credit: buggyandbuddy.com

Head to the playground to try this simple idea. See how simple machines affect friction with early learners!

3

Exploring Solar Heat – STEM Education

Photo Credit: www.steampoweredfamily.com

Go outside and use solar energy for this one. Show kids how the sun produces heat energy!

4

Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiments

Photo Credit: rhythmsofplay.com

Let kids act as their own scientific instruments! Use this activity to help them tell time with their own shadows.

5

Rescue the Shark Printable Battleship Game

Practice graphing and strategy with a fun summertime game. Plus, this makes a fun indoor activity for hot days!

6

Watermelon Seed Matching Game

Photo Credit: themamaworkshop.com

This is such a cute activity for early learners. And you can even bring it with you and use it as a busy bag!

7

Tide Pool Science Experiment for Kids

Photo Credit: buggyandbuddy.com

Show the kids how tide pools are formed with this simple experiment! And you only need a few supplies to do it.

8

Easy Ice Pop Math Patterns Activity for Kids

This ice pop themed activity is a fun math lesson for kids. Use it to help early learners practice building math patterns!

9

Heating Up Summer Creativity by Constructing a Solar Oven

Photo Credit: mosswoodconnections.com

Show kids how to harness the power of the sun to make an oven. It really works too!

10

How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag with Recording Sheet

Photo Credit: buggyandbuddy.com

We all scream for ice cream! Teach kids how to make ice cream in a bag and record their scientific findings.

11

Cosmic Colors! Solar System Coloring Pages

Teach the names of the planets in the solar system. And give kids a fun art activity too!

12

STEM Sunscreen Experiment – Spray vs. Lotion

Photo Credit: jdaniel4smom.com

Which lasts longer - spray sunscreen or sunscreen lotion? Find out in this summer science experiment!

13

Ice Cream Sounds! Short and Long Vowel Sound Sorting Activity

Have kids who are working on short and long vowel sounds? Let them use the digital or print version of this activity to practice sorting them!

14

Sink or Float Experiment: Physics for Kids

Photo Credit: www.kcedventures.com

Summer time equals time for water play. This fun water science experiment is perfect for little scientists!

15

Easy Sun Prints STEM Activity

Photo Credit: creativefamilyfun.net

Did you know you can use the sun to make color prints? Show kids how to use household objects and solar energy to make art!

16

Shadow Sidewalk Chalk Art

Photo Credit: rhythmsofplay.com

Add a fun art twist to measuring shadows! This is a simple STEM activity that's perfect for long summer days.

17

Simple Science Experiments: Simple Light Refraction Experiment

Did you know you can actually watch light bend? This simple light refraction experiment is so fun for kids to try!

18

Parts of a Dandelion Nature Exploration

Photo Credit: creativefamilyfun.net

Dandelions are all over the place during summer. Examine them with this nature exploration activity.

19

Travel Tales! Vacation Creative Writing Activity for Kids

Heading on a summer vacation? Let kids practice writing about where they went with this simple printable.

20

DIY Butterfly Number Stones

Photo Credit: www.craftsonsea.co.uk

These lovely butterfly number stones include math and art in one. And kids can do the painting themselves!

21

Bottle Rockets

Photo Credit: www.steampoweredfamily.com

Try an exciting science activity this summer with these bottle rockets. Perfect for outdoor play!

22

Amazing Coloring Flower Science Experiment

Photo Credit: www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com

See how plants receive nutrients with this simple experiment. And make some cool colored flowers at the same time!

23

All About the Solar System Printable Unit

Ready to explore space? This printable elementary science unit is a great introduction to the members of our solar system!

24

FREE Paint Gun Parts of Speech Game

Photo Credit: www.123homeschool4me.com

Get the kids outside for some messy play with this ELA activity. They won't even notice they're learning!

25

Build Vocabulary with a Summer Word Jar (Plus Tips and Ideas)

Photo Credit: www.whatdowedoallday.com

Encourage kids to keep reading and learning new words this summer with this idea! And it's so easy to set up!

26

Ocean Science for Kids - Easy Ocean Life Experiment Kids Love

Photo Credit: www.naturalbeachliving.com

Explore the zones of the ocean, even if you're landlocked, with this activity. Kids will love looking at it day to day.

27

Roll and Add Seashell Counting Math Game – Free Printable

Photo Credit: www.theartkitblog.com

Add a beachy theme to counting practice with this game. Such a great idea for preschoolers!

28

Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log

Keep kids reading over the summer with this printable kit! It comes with a reading log, coloring bookmarks, and more.

29

Make a Balloon Powered Sponge Boat

Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

This is a fantastic (and easy) STEM activity for summer. Kids can design and build a boat that actually travels!

30

How to Make a Solar Still

Photo Credit: theresjustonemommy.com

Did you know you can make drinking water from the sun's energy? See how in this cool science experiment.

31

Math in Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Photo Credit: www.adventure-in-a-box.com

This printable scavenger hunt is excellent for outdoor exploring. Let kids look for math shapes in nature and record what they find.

32

Animal Houses: Engineering Game for Kids

Photo Credit: www.adventure-in-a-box.com

These printable cards challenge kids to build animal houses of their own. Use household supplies or materials they find outside.

33

DIY Geometry Dice - A Fun Math Practice Tool for Kids!

Play this indoor math game to review angles and lines with elementary kids. Only needs a couple of household items!

34

Color Changing Slime Recipe That’s Sun Activated (Summer Science)!

Photo Credit: littlebinsforlittlehands.com

Have you been making slime with kids? Be sure to try this recipe for solar power-activated color changing slime!

35

Word Building Activity Travel Kit

Photo Credit: iheartcraftythings.com

Put this simple word building kit together for early literacy practice. Great for rides in the car!

36

Water Balloon Letter Smash: Summer Literacy Activity

Photo Credit: www.schooltimesnippets.com

Make learning the alphabet into a summer play activity with this idea. Plus, you could tweak it to use with numbers, shapes, and more!

37

Printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks for Kids

Pick up this printable bookmarks for summer reading with the kids. It's a simple way to help them try new kinds of books too!

38

Sharks! - A Shark Food Chain Game

Get to know how sharks eat and grow with this file folder game. Perfect for shark fans!

39

Printable Beach Unit Study: All About Beaches

Live far from a beach? You can still learn about them with this printable unit for early elementary kids!

40

Printable LEGO STEM Challenge Building Cards

Use these LEGO STEM challenge cards for simple STEM fun. Let kids choose a card or two and see what they can make!

Pineapple Printable Multiplication Game

One of my favorite at home learning activities is a simple no-prep printable game.

And this printable pineapple multiplication by four game is as no-prep as it gets!

Pineapple Multiplication by 4 Game

Just print it out, add a six or ten-sided die, and use counters or buttons to get kids playing.

Best of all – it’s free!

To get your copy of this printable pineapple multiplication by four game, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday night!

Click here to get your free printable!

>>> Pineapple Multiplication by Four Game <<<

Did you love these learning activities for summer? Don’t miss these other fun summer projects!

Use this printable Deep Blue Sea ocean activity pack to keep early elementary students practicing ELA concepts at home or over break!
Make this easy sea animal suncatcher craft for a simple summer art project this year!
These simple summer crafts for kids are such a great way to spend time together!

Filed Under: Fun Activities for Kids, Homeschooling Tagged With: homeschooling, summer, summer activities, summer activities for kids

35 Easy PreK Beach Crafts for Kids

June 18, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Share some of these easy PreK beach crafts with little ones this summer!
These easy PreK beach crafts are perfect for summer art fun!

I love preschool crafts. There’s just something about getting tiny hands involved in making art that is too adorable for words.

Plus, PreK crafts give preschoolers a chance to work on fine motor skills, color recognition, shapes, themes, and more!

And that’s why I thought it would be cool to find some easy PreK beach crafts for kids that would be perfect for summer art fun.

After all, you only get a couple of summers to enjoy with your preschoolers before they become…gasp…kindergartners.

35 Fun PreK Beach Crafts for Preschoolers

There are 35 different preschool beach crafts below, so you’ll have to plenty to choose from this summer.

If you make a few, let me know which ones your kids loved the most!

Read on to see the full list and to score a printable preschool summer activity calendar featuring beach activities to try!

If you’d like to share even more preschool fun at the shore with the kids, be sure to check out our Beach Number Playdough Mats!

Try some of these easy and fun prek beach crafts with early learners this summer!

35 Easy PreK Beach Crafts for Kids

1. Beach Shoebox Diorama – Look! We’re Learning!

2. Shell Critters Art Projects for Kids – Mosswood Connections

3. 3-D Sandcastle Craft for Kids – Buggy and Buddy

4. Beach Drift Wood and Broken Shell Rattles – Red Ted Art

5. Sea Animal Suncatcher Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

6. DIY Sea Shells Sensory Bottle Calm Down Jar – Rhythms of Play

7. Easy Sea Shell Crafts – Teach Me Mommy

8. Clay Boat and Underwater Craft – Messy Little Monster

9. Beach-In-A-Jar Keepsake – Moms and Crafters

10. Shell Sunflower Craft – Rhythms of Play

11. Beach Holiday Keepsake – Teach Me Mommy

12. Seashell Memory Game for Kids – Growing Up Gabel

13. Summer Beach Themed Sand and Shell Art – Happiness is Homemade

14. Sea Glass Sun Catcher Jar – The Gingerbread House

15. Easy Salt Dough Keepsakes – Red Ted Art

16. Shell Daisy Nature Craft – Rhythms of Play

17. How to Make Adorable Jellyfish Crafts Preschool Activity – Natural Beach Living

18. Shell Frames With Handprint Keepsake Gift – Rhythms of Play

Fun and Easy PreK Beach Crafts

19. Coffee Filter Jellyfish Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

20. A Mermaid City in the Sand – The Craft Train

21. How to Dye Seashells – Rainy Day Mum

22. Seashell and Beach Glass Nature Collage – Adventure In a Box

23. Stone Fish Craft – Messy Little Monster

24. Sea Glass Ornaments – Red Ted Art

25. Framed Sand Handprint Craft – Fun Handprint Art

26. Seaside Shell Windchime Craft – Red Ted Art

27. Paper Sandcastle Craft – I Heart Crafty Things

28. Shark Craft – Natural Beach Living

29. Make Sand Dough Sculptures and Ornaments – Pink Stripey Socks

30. Jiggly Slime Jellyfish – Natural Beach Living

31. Snail Shell Craft – Easy Peasy and Fun

32. Coffee Filter Crab Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

33. Rocky Shore Small World with Ocean Playdough – Buggy and Buddy

34. Paper Plate Seashell Craft – Artsy Craftsy Mom

35. Crab Fridge Magnets – Red Ted Art

Summer Preschool Theme Activity Calendar

Wondering what else you can do with preschoolers this summer?

This printable preschool summer theme calendar is here to help!

PreK Summer Activity Calendar for Kids

In this resource, you’ll find twelve different early learning themes to try with preschoolers this summer.

Plus, there are five activity suggestions for each theme: one for each day of the week!

Printable Preschool Summer Activity Calendar

The digital version includes links to how you can try several of the activities yourself.

To get your copy of this printable PreK Themed Calendar for Summer, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this weekend!

Click here to get your free printable

>>> Preschool Summer Themed Calendar <<<

Looking for more fun summer activities? Don’t miss these ideas!

These shark themed counting to ten puzzles are wonderful for use at early math centers!
This fun confetti ocean slime recipe is perfect for summer sensory play!
This printable ice cream lesson plan for preschool is a perfect way to plan an ice cream theme!

Filed Under: Crafts, Preschool Tagged With: beach crafts, crafts, prek crafts, preschool crafts, summer, summer activities for kids

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

25 Beach Crafts for Kids

July 10, 2016 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Have you made it to the beach yet this year? We’re planning a quick trip to a local one in August, so I thought I’d look for some fun and adorable beach crafts for kids that we can make together before we leave!

What I love about studying the beach with kids is that the topic is so broad! You can learn about the sun, the ocean, ocean animals, beach sand, animals that live on the beach, seashells, ice cream, and so much more! So there are crafts for all these things below!

Read on to find some fun beach crafts you can try too!

25 Beach Crafts for Kids

25 Beach Crafts for Kids

1. Beach Diorama for Kids from Look! We’re Learning!

2. Puffy Paint Ocean Collage from ArtsyMomma

3. Seashell Keepsake Craft from Moms and Crafters

4. Beach-Themed Sand and Shell Art from Happiness is Homemade

5. Sand Footprint Craft from Paging Fun Mums

6. Newspaper Shark Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

7. Paper Plate Sun Craft from Buggy and Buddy

8. Starfish Ocean Button Craft from A Little Pinch of Perfect

9. Shell Sunflower Craft from Rhythms of Play

10. Sand Handprint Keepsakes from The Imagination Tree

11. DIY Beach Sand from Look! We’re Learning!

12. Cupcake Liner Sun Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

13. 3-Ingredient Ocean in a Bottle from Happy Hooligans

Fun Beach Crafts for Kids to Make

14. Paper Plate Seashell Craft from Artsy Crafty Mom

15. Sand in a Bottle Craft from Gift of Curiosity

16. Coffee Filter Beach Ball Craft from Look! We’re Learning!

17. Popsicle Stick Mosaic Sun Craft from Kids Activities Blog

18. Cupcake Liner Lighthouse Craft from Sugar Aunts

19. DIY Seashell Mobile from Nurture Store

20. Egg Carton Ocean Craft from The Imagination Tree

21. Bubbling Shell Painting from Mess for Less

22. DIY Moon Sand from Look! We’re Learning!

23. Paper Plate Beach Ball Craft from Glued to My Crafts

24. Sun Craft Scissor Skills Activity from A Little Pinch of Perfect

25. Beach Keepsake Craft from Fireflies and Mudpies

Fun Beach Crafts for Kids

Need more summer learning ideas? Try these with your kids!

Summer Books for Kids

50 Free Summer Printables for Kids @ Look! We're Learning!

Your preschooler will love working on fine motor skills and number sense with these beach number 0-9 playdough mats!

Plus, get even more ideas on my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest Board!

And don’t miss my All About Beaches Printable Pack – perfect for keeping kids learning over the summer!

All About Beaches Printable Pack

This post is part of the Summer Activities for Kids Blog Hop! Check out more summer fun for kids below!

Flower Suncatcher Nature Craft – Messy Little Monster

Make a Bee Bath – Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Water Play Car Wash – Play and Learn Everyday

Tic Tac Toe Races – Royal Baloo

Finding Dory Wind Sock Craft – The Gingerbread House

Filed Under: Crafts Tagged With: beach, beach crafts, beach crafts for kids, crafts, crafts for kids, fun crafts, kids craft ideas, kids crafts, summer, summer activities for kids, summer crafts, summer crafts for kids

10 Helpful Tips for Summer Travel with Kids

May 20, 2013 by Selena Robinson 7 Comments

Tips for Summer Travel with Kids

It’s almost summertime and a lot of families are getting ready for their annual vacation.

We’ve gotten a chance to go away for the last few summers. With four kids, that is no small feat.

Along the way, I’ve picked up a few traveling tips for summer travel with kids that I thought I’d share with you today!

10 Helpful Tips for Traveling with Kids

Bear in mind – these are just based on our personal experiences.

But I have a hunch that most of these will apply to all parents, even if your family is smaller or larger than ours.

Keep reading to see the full list of family travel tips. Plus, grab a free printable travel bucket list for easy vacation planning with the kids!

Want some awesome summer activities to try with the family? Don’t miss my list of 50 summer crafts for kids to make!

Make your next vacation a breeze with these helpful tips for traveling with kids!

10 Helpful Tips for Summer Travel with Kids

I didn’t grow up in a large family. It was just four of us and my brother and I are ten years apart.

So I didn’t know any tips for summer travel with kids when I started having children of my own.

I hope these can help some of you avoid the less than pleasant early travel experiences we had to deal with – since I had no idea what I was doing.

1. Bring more of everything than you think you need. 

You will run out of something halfway through the trip and I promise it will be the thing you thought you’d need the least of.

We pack twice the amount of kids’ clothes we think they’ll use. They always end up needing it all somehow.

2. Add an extra half hour of travel time for every two hours you spend on the road. 

Remember when you and your spouse could get to your destination with just one or two stops along the way?

Those days are long gone.

Whenever Google Maps tells us we can get to our destination in six hours, we add at least an hour and a half to that for stops.

Tips for Traveling with Kids

3. Keep plastic shopping bags and wet wipes in your vehicle. 

Someone (or more than one someone) will spill something in the back of the vehicle.

Someone will also have an “accident” and will need to change clothes at some point.

The shopping bags and wet wipes will come in handy more often than you think.

4. Tell the hotel staff if you have more than two kids. 

One of the problems you run into when you have a large family is that most hotels only allow you to have two kids in the room.

I know some families just book the room anyway and double up the kids in the bed, but I’ve found it best to just tell the staff that we have four children.

They’ve often given us discounts on suites or larger rooms that had more space and better facilities.

How to Make Traveling with Kids Easier

5. Pack jackets for the kids, even when it’s blazingly hot outside.

This is one of those tips for summer travel I wish I had known earlier.

Always, always, always have your children bring their jackets with them on a trip.

They’ll end up feeling cold somewhere – in a store, in the car, in a movie theater, or a restaurant.

And you won’t have to run to the store to pick up a blanket.

6. Choose a hotel room with a full kitchen. 

On a couple of family trips, we found that eating out ends up costing more than the hotel room, especially if we’re gone for an entire week.

We wised up a few years ago and started booking rooms that have full kitchens and refrigerators. The money we save on eating out more than covers the cost of the larger hotel room.

7. Make a grocery store run as soon as you get into town.

Since you’ve chosen a hotel room with a full kitchen, you’ll have room to store actual groceries.

We stick with simple, low-cost meals like spaghetti, salads, cereal and milk, tuna sandwiches, and snacks.

They’re affordable. I know the kids will eat them. And they don’t take much time to prepare.

At least once during the trip, we go out to eat at a nice restaurant. But most days, we just have what the kids would normally eat at home.

Bonus: They can make most of these meals themselves.

10 Tips for Family Summer Travel

8. Choose a hotel that has on-site attractions.

If you go to a family-friendly destination (think: Orlando, Myrtle Beach, Pigeon Forge), you may think you have to add tickets to a popular attraction like Disney, Dollywood, or Ripley’s Aquarium.

And those are fine.

But if you’re on a budget and your kids are fairly young, you can get a lot out of the on-site attractions at the local resorts.

We usually choose one that has a splash pad and a water park. Then the kids can just walk down to the park and we can hang out by the pool. Win.

10 Helpful Family Travel Tips

9. No matter how fun the trip is, expect the children to complain at least once per day. 

This is one of those tips for summer travel with kids that I didn’t pick up on until our second family vacation.

On that trip, we had taken the time to put together an itinerary that we were sure the kids would love. We even booked a room that had a themed kids’ suite with bunkbeds.

They still found a reason to be unhappy with it. (I think it was that the room wasn’t big enough to play in or something.)

But that’s just kids being kids. If you can weather their initial complaints, you’ll probably end up having a great time. We did.

Helpful Travel Tips for Families

10. Center the trip on a kid-friendly attraction.

And, to round out our list of tips for summer travel with kids, try to visit at least one kid-friendly spot while you’re away.

There are a ton of low-cost and even free places to visit in the United States that are definitely worth a visit and may even be on your way.

Need some ideas for kid-friendly attractions to visit in the U.S.? Pick up our free U.S. Landmarks and Attractions travel bucket list!

U.S. Landmarks Family Bucket List

This printable is packed with 250 different sights to see in the United States (five for each state).

Choose a couple in the state you plan to visit and let the kids check them off as you tour them all.

You may even come up with some new vacation ideas along the way!

Printable U.S. Landmarks Travel Bucket List

To get this printable family travel bucket list, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming to your inbox this weekend!

Click here to get your free printable

>>> U.S. Landmarks Travel Bucket List <<<

Family Tips for Summer Travel

Do you have any tips for summer travel with kids? Feel free to share them in the comments!

And if you need some learning activities to keep your kids happy on the road, check out some of these printables for kids!

These shark themed counting to ten puzzles are wonderful for use at early math centers!
Use these printable solar system coloring pages for a fun astronomy activity for early learners!
Use this printable rescue the shark game to help kids have fun play time indoors!

Filed Under: Family Life, Parenting Tagged With: family travel, family travel tips, summer, summer activities for kids, summer travel, summer travel tips, summer travel tips for families, travel tips

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