|
Summer Homeschool Activities 2011
~ Summer Fun Activities ~
* Summer Learning! Have fun with interesting, educational activities this summer! New Weekly Homeschool Lessons will begin in mid-August. Meanwhile, enjoy the fun learning activities featured below!
* Summer Reading Lists! Read, read, read! Then read some more! Here are some Summer Reading Lists to explore!
* Summer Math Activities! Math is one skill that sometimes diminishes over summer. Try the suggestions on "Growing a Summer Math Garden": Click Here (PDF file).
* Run a Lemonade Stand! Build a Lemonade Stand: Click Here. Play the Lemonade Stand Game: Click Here. Try the Lemonade Stand Activities: Click Here.
* Imagine, create, and write a play to perform this summer. Or choose a favorite play from a favorite book. Include family members or friends. Make the props and costumes for your play. Rehearse the play, then make flyers and invite the neighborhood to attend your theatrical production. Read Kids Take the Stage and On Stage: Theater Games and Activities for Kids.
* Build Stonehenge in Your Backyard! What is Stonehenge? Where is Stonehenge? Time to find out! Then follow these instructions on building your own Stonehenge: Click Here.
* Learn Something New This Summer! Take swimming lessons, tennis lessons, rock-climbing lessons, sculpting, cartooning, or guitar lessons. Enroll in hands-on marine biology classes, computer classes, drama classes, or learn a new foreign language. Check with your local Parks and Recreation Department or community colleges to see what all they offer.
* Preserve the beautiful blooms of summer flowers! Make a "plant press" to preserve your flower blooms. After they are dried and flattened, attach the flowers to special mementos, such as scrapbooks, journals, pieces of artwork, bookmarks, notecards, and other keepsakes. Use a flower guidebook, library book, or the Internet to identify wildflowers, to learn about perennials, and other flowery data! to See how to make a "plant press" for preserving your flowers: Click Here.
* Nature Hikes! Take a nature walk through a local park, state park, nature preserve, or your backyard. Take along a camera, binoculars, sketchpad and pencil, and field guides. See how many birds, insects, plants, wildflowers, leaves and trees, or animal footprints you can identify. Consult online Field Guides on Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Fish, Butterflies, Insects, Wildflowers, Trees, Plants, and more by Clicking Here.
* Science Experiments! Have fun with science experiments on floating, sinking, bending and bouncing light, magnetism, electricity, heat, pressure, matter, plants and flowers, and more! Click Here.
* Rainy Day Activities! Here are dozens of rainy day activities and boredom busters for those less-than-perfect summer days: Click Here and Click Here.
* Learn About Everything! Use "How Stuff Works" to learn about all types of things. Click on Adventures, Animals, Computers, Electronics, Foods, Geography, Health, History, People, Science, and more! Click Here.
* Make Your Own Gum! These kits require a small amount of cash, but kids enjoy the fun of making their own Gummies, Chewing Gum, or chocolate: Click Here.
* Focus on Flowers! Explore your yard, neighborhood yards, or local parks as you "focus on flowers." See how many flowers you can find and name. Use a Field Guide to Flowers for your region, or a Nursery catalog, to help you identify flowers. Describe all the flowers you find, name them if possible, and draw illustrations of them. Write about your favorite part of finding and identifying flowers.
* Keep a Summer Vacation Journal. Write about your daily or weekly summer activities, even if it's simply sitting in a tree, reading a book, enjoying the sunshine, or playing in the park. These are all great activities that are fun to read about and remember, when rainy or snowy days come around again.
* Homeschool Room Makeovers! Redecorate or reorganize your homeschool rooms or learning spaces. Then snap a photo of the space and e-mail it to us at Sherri@EverythingHomeschooling.com. We'll post your photos for others to view!
~ More Summer Fun Activities ~
* Earn Free Books! Through Barnes & Noble's Summer Reading Program, you can earn free books! Simply read 8 books of your choice and write about your favorite part. Then take the completed Journal page to B&N for your free book. For details, Click Here.
* Choose an Activity! Start a collection, visit zoos and museums, go fishing, go hiking, visit parks, and more: Click Here.
* Play Games! Play games, old and new, such as Tag, Bean-Bag Toss, Guess That Smell, Card Games, Learning Games, Carnival Games, Circle Games, and more: Click Here.
* Make a Bulletin Board! Create a simple bulletin board with items found in your home. Or let children personalize cork bulletin boards to complement their room: Click Here.
* Attract Hummingbirds! Make your own hummingbird nectar and pour into an inexpensive hummingbird feeder. For a simple hummingbird nectar recipe, Click Here.
* Attract Squirrels! Build a rain-proof squirrel (or bird) feeder, and watch the critters through the glass: Click Here.
* Free Coloring Pages to Print or Color Online! Choose Fourth of July pages, or holiday, nature, or summer themes. There's also Bible coloring pages, travel coloring pages, online coloring books, and online games, such as DrawEasy, Create Funny Faces, Maze Games, Connect-the-Dots, Tic-Tac-Toe, and more: Click Here.
~ More Summer Fun Activities ~
* Scavenger Hunts! Go on a scavenger hunt -- it's fun for a single child or for many! Give each child a list of items in nature, your backyard, or a park, and see how many they can find. Have children make nature sketches as they go on the hunt, too.
* Outdoor Artwork! Create paintings outdoors. Use large sheets of butcher paper taped to a fence, or large pieces of cardboard, tarps, or old sheets pinned to a clothesline. Be creative with large splashes of color, splatter-painting techniques, sponge-painting, or old-fashioned finger-painting. Paint rocks, too, to resemble critters or caricatures of people.
* Summer Insect Crafts! Make fun, simple crafts that mimic summer insects, such as Ants, Bumble Bees, Butterflies, or Dragonflies. Discuss each insect, where or how it lives, and try to find them outdoors, too.
* Water Balloon Fun! Fill balloons with water, put on the swim suits, and have some cool fun. Puncture balloons with pinpricks and play "Cold Potato," Pitch-and-Catch, Keep-Away, Balloon Toss, and other creative games with water-filled balloons.
* Arts & Crafts for Bored Kids! Choose to do creative Watercolor Murals, Nature T-shirts, Sand or Shell Art, Melted Crayon Art, an Ice Light, and more: Click Here.
~ More Summer Fun Activities ~
* Craft Idea! Print this Car Travel Activity booklet and take along on your trip. Color the pages, do the travel word searches, find landmarks, and more! Click Here.
* When visiting different areas this summer, find out all you can about them. Read up on the states, cities, or towns you might visit. Discover new or interesting facts about the areas, and share these with your family as you visit the areas. They'll be impressed with your knowledge, and will appreciate you being their tour guide!
* Plan a picnic for your family or friends! Decide what to make, fix the goodies, then pack the picnic in a basket, bucket, or other creative container. Think about everything you'll need for your picnic, such as beverages, utensils, a tablecloth, and games to play for entertainment.
* Make home-made ice cream. Gather friends and family together and whip up mounds of fresh, home-made ice cream. For yummy vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or peach ice cream recipes, Click Here.
* Follow the ants. Rather than inviting ants to your picnic, lead them away. Scatter some bread crumbs or other food scraps several yards from your picnic area. During the day, check to see how many ants have been attracted to the crumbs. Then follow them to see where they're having their picnic, how far they're traveling with their picnic goodies, and how they're telling their friends to join them.
* Craft Idea! Make a Sunny Sunflower by tracing your own handprints, adding sunflower seeds, and arranging them on a paper plate! Click Here.
* Summer Souvenirs! Collect and keep souvenirs from this past summer's adventures in a special display case or container. See ideas for storing and displaying: Click Here.
~ More Summer Fun Activities ~
* Craft Idea! Make a Popup Flower Garden Card and send to a grandparent or other relative or friend! Click Here.
* Create your own Word Unscramble Sheets, using summer themes, such as these: Click Here.
* Plan your vacation. Whether you're going on a trip many states away, or camping out in your backyard, or visiting friends in the neighborhood, plan and map your vacation activities. Draw a map of the routes you may travel, the places you might visit, or the area to pitch your tent in the backyard. Make a list of the things you'd like to take with you on your trip.
* How is your garden growing this summer? Now is a good time to check the amount of rain your garden has received and to pull those weeds that inevitably crop up. If your area has been experiencing a drought, the garden could use a good drenching with the hose each morning. If an over-abundance of rain has fallen, use the hoe to aerate the soil and provide some drying-out time.
* For a restful activity, close your eyes and think of summer sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and summer feelings. Write down several words that describe these sensory images. Using these words, create a story or poem -- rhyming or not. Give your story or poem a special Summer title.
* Creative Writing! Use summer theme Picture Prompts, such as these, to stimulate writing and drawing ideas: Click Here.
* Craft Idea! Make a door hanger of your own creation, with the words, "Shhh! I'm Reading!" or something similar. Use posterboard or other sturdy paper. Decorate the door hanger with drawings, stickers, or decals. Punch a hole through it and add a string or cord for hanging from doorknob. Then sit back and read to your heart's content!
* Watch the summer constellations during these warm summer nights. Select a good book depicting the summer constellations, such as Constellations of The Night Sky or Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations. Or see some of them by Clicking Here. Use the illustrations to locate and observe the constellations each night. Note how their position gradually changes as the summer nights go by.
~ More Summer Fun Activities ~
* Make a Summer Time Capsule! Make a shoebox time capsule and include items that depict this summer's adventures and events: Click Here.
* Be a Summer Reporter! Learn interesting facts, see how to conduct interviews, write and share what you learn! For reporting ideas, Click Here.
* Craft Idea! Make a Vacation Memory Book. Print out the pages, color them, keep a trip diary, draw scenery along the way, and more! Click Here.
* In your garden journal, note the changes that have taken place over the past month. In addition to recording the rainfall and temperatures, describe the new blooms on the flowers and make sketches of them. Describe the ripening tomatoes on the vines, the bushy beans, the lengthening ears of sweet corn. Use colored pencils to bring life to your garden sketches.
* Pick Fresh Vegetables! Visit a "U-Pick Farm" or pick fresh vegetables or fruits from your own garden or orchard. Make a meal, using the fresh vegetables and fruits you pick.
SUMMER READING: See our Summer Reading Suggestions, too.
This Page © 2005-2011 Sherri Linsenbach
[ Home ]
|
|
|