Oh, how we love that summer, summertime! After a long school year, summer should be filled with lots of fun and adventure. Relax by the pool or beach with a good book in hand, spend quality time as a family, go on adventures, and swim through those salty waves. While summer is supposed to be the time for kids to wind down, it’s important not to forget that they should still be learning and practicing academic skills.

We have put together a list of activities that you can accomplish this summer that makes learning fun for your child.

Active Learning Experiences

Active learning experiences are always a great idea. Find wonderful libraries and have everyone pick out a book on something new they want to learn about. Check out museums and other exhibits for more interactive learning.

Make a Blog

You can encourage writing by having your child make a blog. You can pick a topic on anything that interests them and have them write about it. It can be as simple as them making lists, or it can be more detailed such as writing paragraphs.

Community Events

Be an active citizen and participate in community service activities. There are many great organizations out there that teach new skills and help your child gain self-confidence and self-esteem. Find a local program that where your child can volunteer.

Geocaching

Scavenger hunting at its finest. Geocaching will take you on a fun adventure and you will learn the latest outdoor craze. What you do is, you search for hidden containers using GPS on your smartphone. There is always a prize waiting for everyone playing.

Projects

Make fun projects that are educational in nature. You can come up with cool and creative ideas and make it hands on. There are so many topics to choose from but some of our favorites are music, art, dinosaurs, sports, planets, stars, gardening, and baking.

Reading Fun

Go to your local library and have each person in your family pick out a book and set a goal on when the book should be finished. Once finished, have a family meeting and each person must pick their favorite part of the book and act it out for the family. This one will sure bring lots of laughter.

Listen to Learn

Many children love listening to books and listening is an engaging way to learn, so incorporate activities that require listening. Put on some tracks you love, point out background sounds, or sign up for audiobooks so your child can listen while reading along to their favorite chapter.

There are a variety of summer activities that are educational and promote learning. It is important for your child to continue working on their academics, so they do not slide back on skills obtained during the school year. If your child needs to play catch up, summer is also a great time to work hard on closing any gaps in their learning.