10 Fun & Educational Activities for Homeschooling in the Summer
Whether you take a summer break or homeschool year-round, it’s so easy to get off track during the summer months. Rather than beating yourself up about falling behind or not getting enough done, I like to encourage families to take advantage of these months to get outside, be hands-on, and take a different approach to learning. The summer season and nice weather give us so many learning opportunities that we might not get the rest of the year. So to help you make the most of the season, here are ten ways to enjoy the summer while continuing to learn!
1. Create a Summer Reading List
Starting off with the most ‘academic’ point on our list, creating a summer reading list is a great way to keep up with reading and vocabulary but also encourage a love of reading. For older children, you can work with them to decide on a list of interesting books they might enjoy. You can even join in and create your own summer reading list – and then make it fun for all by taking your books to the beach, to a picnic, or wherever your summer plans take you!
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Language Arts: Reading comprehension, vocabulary, storytelling
- Critical Thinking: Summarizing, predicting, discussing themes
- Independence: Choosing age-appropriate books builds autonomy
2. Visit a Farmers Market or Local Farm
One of my favorite parts of the summer is the fresh, local produce, so why not take the kids for a trip to the farmers market or a local farm? If you can, try to arrange to meet with a local farmer and have them share about a day in their life! Use this opportunity to:
- Talk about the plants and how they grow
- Discuss the importance of eating locally and learn about food and plants local to your area
- Learn about the process of farming and how the food we eat gets to our table
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Science: Plant life cycles, ecosystems, food chains
- Social Studies: Local economy, farming as a career
- Nutrition: Learning about healthy food choices
3. Go Camping
A classic summer activity – take your children camping! Even if you don’t have the ability to actually go camping in the forest, you can still do this by setting up a tent in your backyard or even your living room! While it’s great to get outdoors, you can also learn valuable outdoor skills from home. In either case, your children can learn:
- How to set up a tent/shelter
- How to start a fire
- Fire safety
- Wilderness safety
- Different plants, animals, and environments
And be sure to make some S’mores to make it even more fun!
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Science: Ecosystems, wildlife, botany
- Life Skills: Fire safety, navigation, setting up shelter
- Problem Solving: Working together to prepare and adapt
4. Go for a Hike
Like camping, hiking is another way to get outdoors and be active while learning more about nature. Especially if you don’t have the time or resources to take a camping trip, going for a hike is a great one-day activity that allows you and your children to:
- Learn about and practice map skills
- Learn about different plants and animals
- Practice identifying things in nature
It is also a great opportunity to teach your child about the importance of respecting nature and the responsibility that comes with enjoying the outdoors.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Science & Nature Study: Observation and identification of plants/animals, nature journaling
- Geography: Reading maps and understanding landscapes
- Physical Education: Endurance, coordination
5. Cool Off with Water Fun
Another summer must-do! This may look different depending on where you live, but try to spend some time visiting a beach, lake, river – or by setting up some water fun in your backyard. While these days are mostly for getting active and having fun, you can always add in some learning by:
- Learning about marine biology
- The different ecosystems
- Teaching children how to swim
- Learning about water safety
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Science: States of matter, water cycle, ecosystems
- Safety Education: Water safety and survival skills
- Physical Education: Swimming and motor development
- Environmental Awareness: Learning about pollution and marine life
6. Make Homemade Ice Cream or Popsicles
Plan a cooking class and make some sweet treats to cool off! You can turn this into a science experiment and learn more about the freezing process, practice math and measuring skills, and experiment with different flavors and textures.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Science: Chemistry of freezing, states of matter
- Math: Measuring ingredients, fractions, time
- Life Skills: Following directions, cooking
- Creativity: Experimenting with flavors and combinations
7. Play Outdoor Games
One of my favorite things as a kid was family BBQs where we would have games set up to play. Try having a water balloon fight, playing badminton or volleyball, or other lawn games like cornhole or bocce ball. If you don’t have any of these, you can always go back to the tried-and-trues like tag or hide-and-seek. Bonus points if you can get some family, friends or neighbors to join in! Children can learn about teamwork, healthy reactions to competition, as well as essential math skills.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Physical Education: Gross motor skills, coordination
- Math: Scoring, keeping time, strategy
- Social-Emotional: Teamwork, fair play, handling competition
- Executive Function: Learning rules, organizing play
8. Have a Picnic at the Park
…but let your children plan and arrange everything! Help them plan a menu, go shopping for the ingredients, make the lunch, and choose the location. You can teach them about planning, organization, budgeting, and cooking.You could also bring along a book from your reading list or a nature journal to draw or write about the environment around you.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Life Skills: Planning, budgeting, food prep, creating a picnic checklist
- Math: Measuring ingredients, working with fractions, estimating costs
- Health/Nutrition: Understanding balanced meals, identifying food groups and nutrition
- Language Arts: Writing a shopping list, journaling, reading a poem or short story outdoors
- Science & Nature Study: Observing nature and environments, using a nature journal to draw or write
- Geography/Map Skills: Reading a map of the park
9. Start a Lemonade Stand
Learn about entrepreneurship by running a lemonade stand or other ‘business.’ You could encourage your child to sell other goods (like baked goods) or services (lawn mowing, babysitting, etc.). Not only does this teach the value of hard work, but you can also introduce the concepts of running a business or having a job, the economy, and financial literacy. Encourage your child to think responsibly with their money and also show the importance of giving back or raising money for a cause.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Math: Counting money, making change, pricing
- Entrepreneurship: Business basics, advertising, profit vs. cost
- Social Studies: Understanding community needs and services
- Character Development: Responsibility, generosity, initiative
10. Volunteer Together
Take advantage of the slower pace of summer to dedicate some time to give back to your local community. Volunteering with your children sets a great example and shows them the value of compassion, generosity, and community involvement. Some ideas for volunteering could be:
- Pick up trash at your local beach, park, hiking trail, etc.
- Volunteer at an animal shelter
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen or gather supplies to donate
Even small acts of service help children understand the impact they can make.
Subjects/Skills Focus:
- Social-Emotional Learning: Empathy, compassion, gratitude
- Citizenship: Community involvement and civic responsibility
- Communication: Working with others, listening
- Problem-Solving: Adapting to others’ needs and tasks
Share Your Experience
We hope these ideas bring fun and excitement to your summer season! We’d love to see how you incorporate these ideas into your homeschool, so share your experiences and photos in the comments below or tag us on Instagram using @mightylittlemindsblog!
Looking for more seasonal resources? Check out our Seasonal & Holiday page!
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