Summer weather in Saskatchewan tends to be hot and dry. It means we can count on getting outside everyday to have fun and keep learning at the same time. We like to go outside as much as possible after being stuck in the house all winter, so we enjoy everything from reading to taking our history lessons outside in the warm weather.
4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer
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1. Get Outside
We like to make lessons a little more fun and messy when we’re outside because I’m not as worried about clean up or spills. History this year was one of those subjects this year made me wish we didn’t live in the freezing cold. Otherwise, we could have gone outside for the messier hands-on projects that my kids love. This summer we have plans to dig site in a section of our garden. Don’t forget just how much you can learn from gardening with your kids during the summer, too.
2. Museum Trips
If you are going on a family vacation this summer check out the museums in the area. We’re heading to the East Coast of Canada and will be going to fishery museums and cannot wait! You don’t have to go anywhere new to check out museums though, just head to your local one.
No matter how many times we go, they always come away with something new. Besides new exhibits being held each new season, the children seem to take a special interested in a different display each time. But even if we do spend most of our time at their favorite human body display.
Check to see if your museums have educational materials on their website. Before you head out, you can print off scavenger hunts or other learning guides to extend the experience. This tip is especially useful for going back to a locale you’ve visited several times before. Having a goal in mind for your visit can bring renewed interest.
3. Catch Up Time
Did you run out of time during the school year on some topics? Catch up on them now. Head to the library and pick out some engaging titles your kids would like. Choose topics that you skipped during the year or topics that you know your child is crazy about.
Lay great books around the house at reading level for your child, books that might grab their attention. While they are browsing the books, they are working on their reading skills.
There are things that I left out of our homeschool lessons that we will be doing during the summer For example our Book of World History has a number of hands-on crafts that we are going to continue to learn through, similar to our hieroglyphs.
Did you do every science activity from your Science kit? Redo them. Let your kids create their own science experiments, explore and learn.
4. Reading
Reading is one of the best ways to keep your child learning this summer. Don’t try to force them to read, but have books out for them. Last summer we got our BookShark curriculum early in the summer and my oldest had read a couple of the read aloud chapter books from the History curriculum, I had simply put them on our bookshelf and didn’t limit her reading choices. That meant she started the school year a bit ahead!
The BookShark schedule is not case in stone. Letting my daughter get a bit ahead on one subject means that she’ll have time to explore her own interests more, or she can listen in when I am reading to her siblings. There is no rule that you can only read a book once.
A summer reading challenge might also be something to try this summer. We take part in a summer reading program at our library for all school aged children. The kids are challenged to read as many books as they can during the summer and to report back each week. At the end of the summer those that have read the most get a little something special, usually a book. If you are interested in doing one on your home, I have one you may want to look at.
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