9 Fun Educational Activities For Summer Break

For educators and parents alike, there’s one question that is considered over the summer holidays: Should children get a brain break over the summer, or should they keep working in order for their minds to stay sharp for the return to school in the fall?

It’s a big question, but it has an answer that is less complicated than you think. That’s because keeping your child’s mind sharp over summer break doesn’t have to mimic a regular school experience. They can learn while having fun and feeling carefree all summer long.

What can kids learn over the summer, exactly? A lot! Read on for a few fun educational activities for summer break you may want to work into your child’s vacation time.

The Roles of Parents
Many parents ask themselves the same question: How do I help my child learn over the summer? The real key is to not feel too concerned about it. Chances are, the activities you do with them every day help to keep their minds working and sharp. If you want to make sure you’re reinforcing the things they learned in school over the year, during the summer you can:

• Read to or with them each day
• Use math in fun ways
• Get them outside to simply play
• Have them help with writing, such as making grocery lists

Another thing parents often ask themselves is “How can I make summer learning fun?” The truth is that simply spending time with your children and engaging them in activities is the best way to make learning fun. Going places for day trips or on a summer vacation, or simply spending time with your child should be your focus – even if you’ve got a tween or teen who wants to act as if they’re too cool to care, deep down they really do!

Fun Educational Activities for Summer Break
Summer learning activities for middle school students, grade school students, and even high school students are not as complicated as you may fear. If you want to organize something fun that keeps their brains engaged, here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

1. Get physical
Remember, kids are supposed to have at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day to stay healthy. You can do all sorts of things to achieve this goal, such as a bike ride, a hike, or even some of the other activities on this list!

2. Create a scavenger hunt
Kids, even bigger ones, love a good scavenger hunt – especially if there are prizes at the end. You can create a theme for your scavenger hunt and give your kids a list of things to find, relevant to the theme you’ve chosen. This is a great activity for long car rides (simply have them spot things rather than finding them) or a way to explore new places.

3. A reading challenge
Most local libraries have a summer reading program that includes a reading challenge for kids. It’s important to engage your child in reading over the summer to help improve their skills, gain vocabulary, and simply keep it fresh for them, especially younger children who may just be beginning to learn to read.

4. Arts and crafts projects
Most kids love doing crafts. It’s not only an opportunity for them to make a fun mess, but also it helps to improve their creativity, which is valuable in developing skills that will serve them well in school and the real world. Plus, you may be parenting the next Picasso – so help to enrich their talents!

5. Go stargazing
Summer is the perfect time to do a little stargazing, since the nights are warm and the skies are clear. This may help to spark your child’s interest in the natural world, and you can research different constellations and tell engaging stories about their origins. It’s a learning experience for you, too!

6. Watch movies
When the weather outside doesn’t cooperate with exploration, try watching a fun movie together and then talking about its story and themes afterward. This can be a learning activity, even if it doesn’t feel like one!

7. Grow a garden
Gardening is a great learning experience for kids of all ages. It can help your children to connect with nature and learn more about where their food comes from. Even if you don’t have much of a green thumb, you can easily grow herbs, tomatoes, peppers, or even just some pretty flowers. It’s a god opportunity for physical activity outdoors and a great way for everyone in your family to connect with nature.

8. Cook together
Speaking of learning where their food comes from: learning to cook is another way to help children understand how ingredients go together to create a delicious meal. Younger kids can help you to prep and cook, while older kids can create shopping lists and even make dinner all on their own. Cooking is fun and it’s also a great way to help prepare your child to live on their own one day.

9. Learn a new skill
Is there something your child has been dying to try? Maybe they want to learn a new instrument or take a dance class. Whatever it is, encourage it and seize the opportunity of a less hectic summer schedule to try a new activity.

Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom; it happens in the daily interactions you have with your children and in the activities you do together. Learn together this summer, but don’t forget to have some fun, too!

Featured image by Charlein Gracia on Unsplash