summer Archives

50 Fun Summer Books for Kids to Read

June 23, 2020 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Summer reading is a great way to avoid the summer “slide” with your kids.

And there’s no better way to get them into a book than to choose one that’s summer-themed!

Today I’m featuring 50 summer books for kids that feature familiar characters, funny storylines, and gorgeous illustrations.

After all, when a story is engaging, kids are more likely to feel interested in what happens.

Plus, they’re more likely to reread them on their own – which is one of the best ways to build a love of reading.

These children’s books about summer make wonderful choices for an upcoming family road trip, book club, or summer reading program.

Read on to see the full list.

And, don’t miss our printable Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks too!

50 Summer Books for Kids

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

1. To the Beach!

2. Pool

3. Summer Days and Nights

4. Should I Share My Ice Cream?

5. The Night Before Summer Vacation

6. Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag

7. Puppy Pool Party! An Underwater Dogs Adventure

8. Summer

9. Curious George and the Ice Cream Surprise

10. Penguin on Vacation

11. Bats at the Beach

12. The Whale in My Swimming Pool

13. I See Summer

14. Ice Cream: The Full Scoop

15. Peppa Pig and the Great Vacation

16. Beach House

17. McElligot’s Pool

18. Let It Shine

19. The Scoop on Ice Cream

20. The Night Before Summer Vacation

21. Daisy Dawson at the Beach

22. Down by the Cool of the Pool

23. Summer is Here

24. Ice Cream Soup

25. Arthur’s Family Vacation: An Arthur Adventure

26. Beach Bungle (Olive & Jay Book 1)

27. The Mystery of the Purple Pool (The Boxcar Children Mysteries #38)

28. A Fabumouse Vacation for Geronimo (Geronimo Stilton)

29. Mouse’s First Summer

30. Froggy Goes to Hawaii

31. Daniel’s Day at the Beach (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood)

32. Pool Party Puzzler (Nancy Drew Clue Book)

33. How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer

34. Ice Cream Summer

35. Pictures from Our Vacation

36. Corduroy Goes to the Beach

37. Leo Can Swim

38. One Crazy Summer

39. Summer Wonders

40. Last Day Blues (Mrs. Hartwell’s Classroom Adventures)

41. Dancing Dinos at the Beach

42. First Time at the Pool

43. Summer Treasure (Robin Hill School)

44. Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star

45. How I Spent My Summer Vacation

46. Biscuit’s First Beach Day

47. Martha Speaks: Pool Party

48. The Night Before Summer Camp

49. Mama, Is It Summer Yet?

50. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation

Get ready for more summer fun with these other learning ideas!

Learn about what sharks eat to live in this fun shark food chain file folder game!

These printable summer reading challenge bookmarks are a fun way to keep kids reading during summer!

Summer Color by Shape Activity for Kids

June 9, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I used to spend hours working on color by number pictures when I was young.

I even remember a watercolor paint by number book that I ruined by using too much water on one of the pages.

So I know that kids love coloring coded pictures. And that’s why I thought it would be fun to share this summer-themed color by shape activity for early learners!

This is a perfect summer art activity for little ones who are just learning their basic 2D shapes!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

And, for more fun with coloring, don’t miss our Space Color by Sight Word Activity!

Use this Summer Color by Shape activity to help early learners practice recognizing shapes with a fun art twist!

Summer Fun Color by Shape Activity for Kids

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

Summer Color by Shape Art Activity for Kids

This product includes four different summer-themed color by shape pictures.

Each picture uses a different set of shapes and a different color scheme. So kids won’t be able to guess what each image is in advance.

If you need a visual guide, especially for younger learners, this product also includes a full answer key with all four pictures colored in and completed.

Printable Summer Color by Shape Activity

Little ones can color shapes they recognize on their own according to the code. Or they can look at the completed pages and work using them as a guide.

These are a wonderful way to get a little geometry practice while having a little summer fun too!

Scroll down to get your copy of this Summer Color by Shape Activity!

Think your students will like this coloring activity? Take a look at some of these other summer learning activities for kids!

This digital and print ice cream vowel sounds sorting activity is a wonderful lesson for early readers! Use it online or as a hands-on activity at centers!

These popsicle themed addition to make 12 puzzles are a fun way to practice addition facts at math centers! Perfect for early elementary math practice!

To get your copy of this Summer Fun! Color by Shape Art Activity, click the image or the link below to get it from our store!

>>> Summer Color by Shape Art Activity <<<

40 Simple Summer Crafts for Kids

June 8, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

One of the things I love best about summer is that it’s such a relaxed time.

While we still continue schooling, we do so without making lesson plans or trying to meet objectives.

Unfortunately, that also leaves a lot of free time for the kids.

And it only takes a couple of days into June before they’re shouting “Mom, I’m bored!”

That makes summer a great time of year to do some crafting. And these simple summer crafts for kids are perfect!

Each of these crafts requires six or fewer supplies, so they’re awesome for quick art activities, afternoon family fun, or easy projects for the…ahem….not so crafty among us. (Myself included.)

Take a look to find some easy summer crafts you’ll love to share with the kids!

And, for more summer fun, don’t miss our list of 50 summer books to share during read-aloud time!

40 Simple Summer Crafts for Kids:

1. Toilet Roll Butterfly Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

2. Seaside Shell Windchime – Red Ted Art

3. Easy Pebble Art – Blue Bear Wood

4. Pool Noodle Shark – J Daniel 4’s Mom

5. DIY Bubble Snake Blower – Messy Little Monster

6. Paper Roll Flowers – The Best Ideas for Kids

7. Glowing Campfire Craft – Buggy and Buddy

8. Painted Seashell Craft – Moms and Crafters

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

10. Tin Can Lanterns – Rainy Day Mum

11. Threaded Watermelon Craft – Homebound But Hopeful

12. Flower Petal Suncatcher – Messy Little Monster

13. Salt Dough Shell Pendants – Red Ted Art

14. Starfish and Sand Paper Plate Craft – J Daniel 4’s Mom

15. Egg Carton Bee – Buggy and Buddy

16. Decorated Sunglasses – Moms and Crafters

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

18. Grass Seed Art – Blue Bear Wood

19. DIY Friendship Bracelets – Red Ted Art

20. Painted Watermelon Craft – Homeschool Preschool

See more simple summer crafts for kids on page 2!

Pages: 1 2

Summer Fun! Printable Family Summer Bucket List

May 16, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Summertime is my very favorite time of year. I think I have that in common with most school kids.

My kids always enjoyed summer break, too. Even though we’ve been homeschoolers for many years, we’ve always taken a break over the summer and this year will be no different.

Still, though, I never wanted my kids to just sit around being bored through June and July.

So I thought it would be good to share a printable family summer bucket list to give you some ideas for how to keep the kids (and yourself) entertained over the summer!

This is such a simple way to add fun to your summer without overloading everyone’s schedule. Plus, you can choose as many or as few activities as you like.

Read on to get your copy free! And, for more ways to have fun this summer, take a look at our list of 60 outdoor play ideas to share with the kids!

Summer Fun! Printable Family Summer Bucket List

One of my biggest regrets about childhood is that I didn’t spend much time outside. I’m a child of the 80s, so I was indoors watching television a lot.

Looking back, I think I would have liked being outside more if I’d had a better idea of what to do while I was out there.

So, if you’re like me and a bit…unsure about how to help the kids get outside more, this family summer bucket list is a perfect help!

There are sixty-five different bucket list ideas here for kids, including ways to have fun outside, places to visit over the summer, crafts to make, and ways to help others.

Some of the ideas include:

Going on a stargazing hike
Having a water balloon fight
Reading to others at a local nursing home
Going to the zoo
And many more!

How to Complete Your Family Summer Bucket List

So, once you have your family summer bucket list, how do you actually get around to doing the items on it?

Here’s an idea that may help.

Enlist your kids to make sure you actually choose one activity a day. Since there are 65 different ideas, you can try one each day and fill up the entire summer!

Laminate the bucket list and hang it on the refrigerator. As you try each one, check it off with a dry erase marker.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, let the kids plan your week by choosing seven activities themselves. They’ll be so excited to complete all the activities!

As a bonus, plan a special treat for when you’ve tried each item on your summer bucket list. You might even make some special family memories along the way!

Scroll down to get your printable family summer bucket list!

Did you like this family summer bucket list? Take a look at these other ways to spend the summer together!

Get more ideas to try on my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our printable family summer bucket list, subscribe to our email newsletter! You’ll get this printable, plus lots of others, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

Summer Printable Sight Word Flashcards

May 9, 2019 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Summer’s on its way!

And it’s a great time to start thinking about summer learning plans, especially if you follow a traditional year and take the summer off.

Unfortunately, over the summer kids can start to slack off a bit and forget what they learned during the previous year. But that doesn’t have to be the case!

Get your early learners off to a great reading start with a new set of free printable flashcards: summer printable sight word flashcards!

Printable Summer Sight Words Learning Cards

These are designed to help little ones get into the sunny reading mood!

Plus, these are a sneak peek into our year-long sight word learning cards set!

Summer Themed Sight Words Literacy Cards

Read on to see how to get these summer sight words cards – free!

If you enjoy these, be sure to check out more summer learning fun with our list of summer books for kids and summer printables for kids to use during school break!

Use these printable summer sight words cards to help early learners practice reading fluency!

Summer Printable Sight Word Flashcards for Kids

To use these summer printable sight word flashcards, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

In this set of flashcards, kids can learn the following summer-themed sight words:

Ball
Boat
Chair
Morning
Sun
Fish
Tree
And Water!

Printable Summer Sight Word Flashcards for Kids

You’ll find one set of cards with words and pictures and one with just pictures for memory skill-building.

Summer Themed Sight Words Learning Cards

Printed and blank sight word labels are also included.

There’s also a set of picture matching cards and picture labels too!

How to Use Summer Sight Word Flashcards with Students

To use these summer sight words learning cards, try some of these suggestions.

Review all of the flashcards with students. Make sure to talk about each picture before introducing the sight word.

Summer Sight Word Flashcards for Early Readers

After students have reviewed the sight words, introduce the word labeling cards and labels.

You can use these as a cut and paste activity. Or you can laminate them and add hook and loop adhesive coins to reuse the cards at centers.

Using Summer Sight Words Labeling Cards with Students

You might also find it helpful to keep the flashcards nearby so students can self-check their answers.

Students who are already writing can even use dry erase markers to label the laminated cards for themselves!

If you have pre-readers or ELL students in your class, the picture matching cards are a gentle introduction to reading.

Let students review the pictures and then use the flashcards to guide them in matching the cards and images with the right words.

Matching Summer Sight Words PIcture Cards

Scroll down to get your free summer printable sight word flashcards!

Check out more summer learning ideas for kids below!

Share some of these lovely beach books for kids this summer!

Make this easy sea animal suncatcher craft for a simple summer art project this year!

Using Summer SIght Word Flashcards at Literacy Centers

To get your set of summer-themed sight words learning cards, click the image or the link below to have them sent directly to your inbox!

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

Click here to get your printable resource

>>> Summer Sight Words Learning Cards <<<

Ready to check out our year-long sight words learning cards set? Take a look at the full resource below!

60 Awesome Summer Outdoor Play Ideas for Kids

June 25, 2018 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

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

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

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

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.

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!

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!

>>> 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!

40 Fun At Home Learning Activities for Summer

June 21, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

Cosmic Colors! Solar System Coloring Pages

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Bottle Rockets

Photo Credit: www.steampoweredfamily.com

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Sharks! - A Shark Food Chain Game

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

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!

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!

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!

>>> 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!

These simple summer crafts for kids are such a great way to spend time together!

35 Easy PreK Beach Crafts for Kids

June 18, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

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

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!

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!

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!

>>> 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 printable ice cream lesson plan for preschool is a perfect way to plan an ice cream theme!

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.

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!

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!

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

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25 Summer Bucket List Activities for Kids

June 4, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Can you believe summer is almost here? Before you know it, your kids will be out of school and looking for ways to pass their summer days.

We don’t usually take an actual “summer break” in our homeschool, but we do slow down drastically during the summer months. We’re still working on some of our concepts, but we try to include plenty of hands-on fun and unstructured play. Which is why I wanted to come up with a summer bucket list for kids that would be perfect for those lazy summer afternoons.

To make sure your kids (and mine) never get bored, try some of these summer bucket list activities! From crafts to outdoor play, activities, and even indoor activities, there are 25 different crafts and projects to make below.

Looking to add more reading to your child’s summer? Don’t miss our list of 50 summer books for kids to read!