Hands-On Summer Learning Ideas for Homeschool Families

Our busy gymnastics schedule kicks back into full swing the first week of June, which is usually when we officially shift into “summer learning mode” around here.

During the summer months, we spend less time at the table and more time reading outside, exploring new hobbies, playing games together, listening to audiobooks in the car, and squeezing in learning where we can between practices and long summer evenings.

Here are a few of the things we’re especially excited about this summer:

Get Creative Outdoors with Make This Book Wild

One of my favorite ways to encourage learning during the summer is simply getting outside together. We’re excited to explore more of the nature preserve that recently opened behind our home, along with a few other fun places this summer.

Make This Book Wild is a fun journal that’s filled with nature-inspired prompts and creative activities that art-loving kids are sure to enjoy. We’ll definitely be bringing this one along on our hikes and outdoor adventures this summer.

Explore Science with The Wizard’s Guide to Magical Experiments

Hands-on science has always been one of our favorite parts of summer learning. Plus, it’s the perfect time for messy science projects since we can take them outdoors and invite our neighborhood friends to join in on the fun.

This summer, we’re excited to continue working through some of the activities in The Wizard’s Guide to Magical Experiments. It’s a gorgeously illustrated book that’s sure to capture the imagination of magic-loving kids while introducing real science concepts through hands-on experiments and activities.

Travel the World from Home with the Global Explorers Club

Of course, we’ll still be exploring the world from home as part of our summer adventures!

We’re currently finishing up our study of Indonesia and the Philippines and have several more countries throughout Asia to choose from before moving onto Europe in the fall.

Our Global Explorers studies are especially easy to continue during the summer because they already include so many of the things my children naturally enjoy: recipes, music, art projects, folk tales, documentaries, and games, with reading and writing woven in along the way.

If you’d like to explore the world with us this summer, you can take a peek at the new Global Explorers Curriculum Library [here].

Keep Math Skills Sharp with Games

Card games, logic puzzles, board games, strategy games, and hands-on math activities are all on our summer learning agenda this year.

I even created a simple math basket (and tossed in Bananagrams for some spelling practice too) so my kids can easily grab a few activities on our way out the door to the gym.

If you haven’t tried gameschooling yet, summer is a great time to start. A few minutes here and there throughout the week really do add up over time, and your kids will love it!

Read Together

If there’s one thing we consistently prioritize year-round, it’s reading together.

Summer is such a wonderful time to slow down with good books, revisit old favorites, discover new series, and enjoy family read-alouds together. We also tend to listen to a lot more audiobooks in the car during the summer while traveling back and forth to activities.

The Beauty of Summer Learning

Of course, as much as I may plan, a lot of times our summer learning looks like children building forts and playing with friends outside, experimenting in the kitchen or setting up a lemonade stand, telling stories by the campfire, enjoying games together, or becoming deeply interested in something unexpected.

It varies wildly from day to day, and that’s the beauty of summer learning for us.

What are your plans for the summer? Will you be continuing lessons through the summer months, taking a full break, traveling, spending more time outdoors, diving into some new family read-alouds, or simply slowing down and enjoying a different rhythm together?