Whether you are teaching summer school or spending the summer at home with your kids, you may be searching for some new learning opportunities and activities. With great summer weather and nature in full bloom, there are lots of exciting things to do that kids just don’t get to experience during the regular school year.

Get out and get learning with these fun summer lessons:

1. Summer Safety – Get kids to help you create a summer safety checklist to highlight all the things they need to keep in mind now that the warm weather is here. Cover such topics as water safety, bugs to watch out for, and reminders about helmet safety.
   
   
2. Bugs and Flowers, Oh My! – Summer brings bugs and plants in full bloom. Have children observe and identify what they see in their own backyard.
   
   
3. Reading Lists Galore – Summer is a great time to get kids reading or to read to them. Have students make up a reading list and then ask them to discuss each book after they finish it. What did they like about the book? What motivated the main character? What would they change about the story if they rewrote it?  Check out these sites for great summer reading list suggestions.
   
   
4. Move it to a museum – With so much free time, plan day trips to your local museums and check out everything they have to offer. Many museums offer special summer activities, making it the perfect time to visit.
   
   
5. Learn a Sport – Get kids to exercise more than their brain this summer by learning a sport or activity they haven’t tried before. It can be something as typical as soccer or something different like Frisbee golf.
   
   
6. Make your own holiday¹ – There are no national holidays in August, so challenge the creative minds of your children by having them come up with one. They should create an entire backstory for why the holiday exists and what traditions will take place on that day. Then they should celebrate it!
   
   
7. Arts and Crafts – Arts and crafts don’t have to be saved for a rainy day. Bring out kids’ inner artist with things that are readily on hand. Have them collect and clean recycling items, water bottles, paper towel tubes, etc. Then have them build something functional and/or artistic – everything from their own inventions to egg carton caterpillars.
   
   
8. How Does Your Garden Grow? – Visit a local farm or your own garden to observe how plants grow. Discuss the different phases of plant growth and observe them from start to finish.
   
   
9. Get Messy with Science – With the outdoors wide open, it’s the perfect time to try some messy experiments! What kid doesn’t love to get messy? Try fun ice experiments, or the classic pop and candy trick to blow up a balloon. With these experiments, kids will have fun learning while making a mess.
   
   
10. Bring History to Life – Visit local historic sites and memorials and learn why these places and events were significant. Give kids the whole picture by reading about a key person who was involved.

After all of these great activities, remember to sit back and relax! Summer is for learning, but also for recharging and enjoying the time before the leaves start falling and school is back in session full time.

¹ http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/summer.shtml