4 Fun Ways to Enjoy Summer Homeschooling
4 Fun Ways to Enjoy Summer Homeschooling ~
Written by Cait Curley
Our family just wrapped up a 3-day soccer tournament and the kids are prepping for their year-end piano recital. I need to sign my daughter up for the summer swim team this weekend and my oldest needs to decide which merit badges he wants to work on at Scout camp. My husband just brought freeze pops home from Costco and my youngest is working on a summer activity wish list.
Summer is here, you guys. We made it!
I’m ready to hop grab a slice of watermelon, hop in the hammock, and get lost in a delicious book. But, first… I have to figure out our summer homeschooling plans.
Summer Homeschooling Works Well For Many Families
As much as I would like to while away my summer hours reading in a hammock, my kids crave structure. Early in our homeschool journey, I tried taking the summer completely off and it made for rocky re-entry in September. I’ve learned that our family thrives when we maintain a little structure during the summer months.
Summer homeschooling works for several reasons:
- Kids love routine.
Routines are important for children and teens. Predictable routines help kids to feel grounded and secure. Routines are especially helpful during times of uncertainty and change. - Routines help to keep children and teens busy.
I’m a huge believer in the value of boredom. My kids always do something creative after complaining of boredom. That said, I don’t want to spend my summer days listening to my kids whine about boredom. Adding a dollop of structure to summer days can help decrease the “I’m bored” whine factor! - No summer slide.
Honestly? I kind of hate the term summer slide, but we all know that those math skills can be a bit rusty come September. Sprinkling a little math throughout the summer can make September reentry a breeze! - Allows for time off during the year.
This is one of my favorite reasons to homeschool during the summer months. It allows for more time off during the traditional homeschool year. Feeling burnt out? Want to enjoy the winter holidays? Dying to take an impromptu long weekend? Year-round homeschooling allows for more space during the year.
There are many benefits to year-round, but summer homeschooling need not look anything like the rest of the homeschool year!
Homeschooling in the Summer Needs To Be Fun
- I need the break.
Homeschooling is hard work, and the past year-plus has been more challenging than in previous years. I want our homeschooling to be fun this summer! - My kids need the break.
I try to remember that when I feel like I need a break, my kids are almost always feeling the same. Kids need downtime, too! - The weather is better and we need to enjoy it.
Summer is hands-down my favorite season. I live in New Hampshire and summer is but a blink! Because of this, I want to soak up every last bit of our summer days.
Our summer homeschooling includes heaps of outdoor time, stealth learning, delicious books, and -of course- play!
4 Fun Ways To Enjoy Summer Homeschooling
I’m a firm believer that the very best ideas are often the most simple ones. Here are four super simple, super fun ways to infuse more play into your summer homeschooling:
- Make your own bucket list
Summer bucket lists can be fun, but they often lead to feelings of pressure and overwhelm. I much prefer a Summer Idea List. The Summer Idea List is just that- a list of ideas. It’s not a to-do list. You’re not expected to tick off every box. Instead, this is a boredom buster. Did your teen just whine of boredom? Refer him to the list. - Coffee and Books
Reading aloud is the most important part of your entire homeschool day. In our family, we have a simple but beloved homeschool tradition called Coffee and Books. It’s as simple as it sounds! I drink coffee and read books to my children while they eat breakfast. I’m able to check off the most important thing early in the day and that feels pretty darn good. - Outdoor Games
We are gameschoolers, but board games do not need to be confined to indoor spaces. When the weather is gorgeous, we take our games outdoors! We love to play waterproof games in the pool or at the beach. - Unit Studies
I love unit studies! The summer months are perfect for getting lost in a long, leisurely rabbit hole. Whether you’re interested in backyard science or you want to get lost in a favorite author’s work, unit studies are a great way to sneak in some fun summer learning.
What will your summer look like?
Whether you’re eating your weight in watermelon and spending lazy days reading in the hammock, or if you’re homeschooling through those hazy hot and humid days, I wish your family a wonderful, playful summer!
What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!
Such a refreshing take on keeping summer learning low-pressure! We’ve leaned into letting the kids document their own little projects, and for the short lessons I record myself I’ve started making them as faceless videos so I can stay behind the scenes. It has made our summer show-and-tell so much more relaxed. Thanks for these ideas!
What a refreshing take on keeping summer learning playful! We started letting the kids plan their own nature journals and even design little themed posters — I used FastGen to help them turn their ideas into images, which made the whole thing feel like play instead of school. Thanks for the inspiration.