Great Summer Activities or Homeschool Activities

Lots of free time in the summer does not mean your children do not need to keep learning. Here are some great ways to stay active with your kids and keep their minds engaged.

1. Have a backyard water balloon toss.
2. Blow bubbles
3. Visit your library for books on constellations.?Stay up late to see how many you can pick out in the night sky. Use a free sky map?for your city to see which constellations are currently visible.
4. Go on a picnic.
5. Take a hike.
6. Go on a family bike ride
7. ?Go on a nature scavenger hunt
8. Build a fort ? indoor or outdoor.
9. Learn a new skill, such as baking, sewing, or crafting.
10. Make homemade ice cream
11. Go camping ? even if it?s just in the backyard.
12. Have a campfire ? complete with marshmallows and s?mores.
13. Go swimming.
14. Have a water gun war.
15. Stay inside where it?s cool and have a Nerf gun war.
16. Have a family game day
17. Have an indoor scavenger hunt.
18. Visit the library.
19. Check out library books about sea or pond life. Then visit the water body nearest you to see what you can find and identify.
20. Paint together.
21. Visit local landmarks that you take for granted. Learn the history of your town and what makes it special.
22. Go on a photo walk in your town. This is especially fun if you have a rarely-visited historic district.
23. Delve into art projects?? painting, coloring, collage, pottery, or whatever strikes your fancy.
24. Take some of your artistic masterpieces to a nursing home to share as you visit with the residents.
25. Volunteer in your community.
26. Make homemade dog treats and visit your local animal shelter to hand them out. Offer to walk the dogs or play with the cats while you’re there.
27. Make homemade bird feeders and see if you can identify the birds you attract.
28. Make a butterfly garden.
29. Grow a vegetable garden.
30. Visit a farmer?s market.
31. Paint outside with food-color-dyed ice cubes.
32. Make homemade Popsicles
33. Read ? aloud or independently, assigned or student-chosen.
34. Host a slumber party.
35. Host your own summer day camp with your kids’ friends or cousins.
36. Visit the zoo or nature center.
37. Visit a museum ? art, history, children?s, etc.
38. Bake cookies to take to the fire or police department.
39. Tackle household chores together.
40. Write letters to friends and relatives.
41. Start a parent/child journal. Purchase a simple journal or even just a plain composition book. You and your child can take turns writing to each other, leaving the journal in an agreed-upon location when you’ve finished your entry.

42. Cook or bake together.
43. Make homemade play dough.
44. Go to a baseball game. We’ve found that minor league games are great fun and typically very economical.
45. Write a story. You can collaborate together or each take turns adding to the story.

** Full article can be found in about.education.com