Summer Activities for Kids That Make Learning Fun

Last Updated on August 23, 2021

Parents are always looking for fun and educational ways to keep their kids busy and engaged over the summer. As most schools plan to reopen in the fall, now is a great time to open your child’s mind to get him or her mentally prepared for back-to-school learning.

This month, Granite and TREND Transformations has done its own homework by having found some fun and enlightening summer activities that will spark your child’s curiosity while making learning fun. Try one or try them all. The object is to have fun while learning.

Build language skills with a “word jar”

Using a “word jar” is a fun and easy way to build your child’s vocabulary and spelling skills. Simply find an empty jar (any clear container will do) and fill it with colorful pieces of paper with different words written on each one. (The words should be specific to your child’s grade level.) Then, each day, have your child pick one word from the jar and ask them what it means. You can even make it more fun and rewarding by making it the “word of the day” and then ask them to use it in conversation throughout the day. For the little ones, you can add a fun challenge by having them tell you the color of the paper, too!

Grow their love of science by planting a vegetable or flower garden

Science is all around us. It’s even more fun to learn about it when you can see it happening before your eyes. Planting a vegetable or flower garden can teach your child lifelong skills, such as gardening, while also building their knowledge of different types of plants. It’s a lesson on the wonders of nature that will remain with them for years to come. As an added bonus, have them make garden markers using popsicle sticks to identify each plant. Who knows? This just might get them to eat their veggies, too. Just add water and watch them grow!

Sharpen math skills with a memory game

This fun memory game is reminiscent of the classic game of “Concentration”—only with paper plates! Here’s how to set it up. Use an even number of paper plates and draw items on each one. You can use numbers, words, shapes, colors, or even stickers of animals if your artistic talents leave something to be desired. Just be sure you make two of each item in order to have a pair to match with. Then, place the plates face down on the lawn (or whichever surface you choose) and challenge the kids to find the matches. Once they have found the matches during the math challenge, ask them to add or multiply the numbers. Depending on what skills you want to practice, this interactive and memory-boosting game can be easily adapted to learn shapes, colors, words, or anything you can imagine.

Develop creative & abstract thinking with arts and crafts

Kids love to express themselves and show off their creative sides. This summer, hand them a paintbrush and have them paint garden rocks and plant containers. It’s a great summer project that will add color and beauty to your backyard. Additionally, they’ll love showing off their work to family and friends!

Spark their interest in space with a backyard telescope

Gazing through a backyard telescope is a fun way to give your kids a lesson in astronomy. You can test their knowledge on the planets and stars, and you might even help them to try and identify constellations! It’s a fun nighttime activity the entire family can enjoy.

Install a bird feeder to learn about ornithology

Birdwatching is a soothing way to enjoy your summer days while relaxing in your backyard. Installing a bird feeder will invite “friends of the feather” from all species and give your kids a chance to learn and identify them in all their beauty. To make this activity more fun, borrow a book on bird watching from your local library to make identifying each species easier. You might even learn about some of them yourself!

We hope you enjoyed this blog and will try some of these summer fun learning activities with your kids. For more summer activities for kids, check out our blog, “Fun and Budget-Friendly Summer Activities for Kids.”

Did you know that now is a great time to start thinking about a kitchen or bath renovation? Try our cool Visualizer tool for kitchens and baths. It allows you to see what your space will look like BEFORE the renovation. Consider it a fun summer activity you can do while relaxing in your own backyard. Contact us today to schedule your free in-home, or virtual, design consultation.

Happy summer!