5 MORE FREE Fun Summer Learning Activities That Don't Feel Like School part 2

Summer is here and parents are struggling to busy their kids in anything that doesn’t involve a screen. If this sounds like you, then you have come to the right place. If you have missed out on our part 1 of this topic please check it out here.

Here is a quick list of the activities we talk about: 

Obstacle Courses, Reading Challenges, Family Game Nights, STEM Projects, and Virtual Field Trips

1. Backyard Obstacle Courses (Indoor ones too)

At one point or another we have seen the amazing, professional obstacle courses parents have bought for their kids. And we know you wish your kid had one too, but before you spend hundreds of dollars here is an almost free alternative you can try yourself. Also, if you don’t have backyard space that is absolutely fine, it is just as fun to create one around your home.

The key is to utilize what you have lying around the house, it may not seem all that fancy, but the purpose of this activity is to keep your child busy and active. And let’s be honest, kids who can pretend the floor is lava, will love anything you come up with because it’s all fun and games for them. Of course you can change things around according to your space, but here is a simple way you can create an obstacle course too. 

Materials:

• Chairs: These can be used as mini tunnels for your younger one to crawl under, however do keep in mind that the chair should be sturdy enough that it doesn’t fall onto your child.
• Hula-hoops: Take a few of them and place them in a zig-zag line, so your kid can jump from one hoop to the other. If you don’t have any, then no problem simply use a chalk to draw a circle or tape pieces of paper down for your kid to jump on to. 
• Cardboard box (large enough for your kid to fit through): These are perfect for creating tunnels for younger kids to crawl through. Don’t have any? The alternative can be to hang up a bed sheet low enough for your child to go under. Flatten boxes can also create temporary walls to help navigate kids through the course.
• Rope or yarn: Tie the rope to nearby trees at ground level to allow kids to hop over it. It can also be placed on the ground as a makeshift tightrope for kids to walk on. Certain kids can’t maintain a straight line balance and in that case place 2 pieces of rope or yarn parallel on the floor creating a mini path for the child to follow.
• Cones: These are often used to allow kids to go around them in a zig zag pattern or if the height of the cone is shorter, then the child can hop over it keeping both feet together. An alternative for cones can be rocks or small toys. 
• Sidewalk chalk: Ideal for drawing pathways or creating a simple hop-scotch. If you are building an indoor obstacle course, then you can use paper taped to the floor or if you have tiles you can draw with an erasable marker. However, do be careful that there are no stains left behind and if the child is too young then chances of them grabbing the marker and following suit are pretty high. 

Crazy how the average item can be used to keep your kid busy and active, right? Improve on this further by making it EDUCATIONAL! At each station make them solve a math problem or a puzzle to train their brain as well. What better way to work out their minds and their bodies?

These are just a few ideas of how you can create your own obstacle course whether that is indoors or outdoors. Don’t have time, to create it and then clean up? Take your kids to the local playground and give them a ‘mission’ to complete. For example: Go down the slide three times, climb up the dome and then back down, swing five times and run around the playground two times. 

The possibilities are endless and obstacle courses promote physical fitness, coordination, and teamwork, all while having a blast.

2. Reading Challenges

Reading is one of those things that needs to be implemented early in life, but we know that’s not always the case. Children who are avid readers usually have one or both parents who are as well. Again there are definitely exceptions, so don’t freak out just yet.  So how can you encourage your child to read and that too when school’s out? In order to foster a love for reading set up a summer reading challenge. There are so many ways to go about doing this and here are a few examples:

Sticker charts: create a table with the family (or friends’ names) going down on the left-hand side and the number of books across the top. Every time someone finishes a book they get a sticker. Then at the end of the month who ever has the most can either get a gift or choose the next family outing.

Themed weeks: every other week host a specific theme and base both fiction and nonfiction books around that. For example, if the theme is animals; for younger children books like the Little Bear series are nice, and for older ones Warriors by Erin Hunter or Charlottes Web by E.B White would be good choices. 

Book Scavenger Hunts: This is perfect for older kids as well. Create a list of items, topics, or tropes for your kids to find. They can all be reading different books or the same. Once they find that particular list item they need to write the page number and line down on a piece of paper. For example, one list item is: a witch. Now there are so many books with that word, like Harry Potter by J.K Rowling or Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson. Another example could be that they need to find an alliteration or metaphor example.

Create a reading environment in your home by reading to your kids daily and discussing what was read and even setting up a cozy reading nook.  It always helps to let kids choose what they want to read, this will let them connect with the books and develop a fondness for them. 

Let us know what challenge your family has tried and what other games have worked for your kid in the comments below. 

3. Family Game Nights

As evening approaches kids turn to the TV for entertainment, but so close to bed time will make it harder for them to switch off their hyper brains and fall asleep. And no one wants that. Grab the remote and turn off the screens, because we got games for your kids to dive into.

Maintaining family game nights every week will teach children there is fun to be had beyond the screens and it’s an excuse to bond with the family. Giving your kids a game and expecting them to enjoy by themselves will not be enough, especially in the beginning. They need to see their parents involved and having fun, for this to become a habit. So what games can you begin with: 

Board Games: For younger kids start with easier games like Candy Land or Chutes & Ladders. For older kids try Monopoly or Othello. Board games are great for problem solving, analytical thinking, or learning simple arithmetic. There are so many games out there that are specifically designed to teach words or arithmetic, which is ideal for preparing kids for the coming school year. 

Charades: A person gets a word or a phrase and has to act it out until someone guesses it. Remember no talking. Create paper folded notes with different words and place them in a bag to be pulled out. Some categories can be movies, books, animals, verbs, idioms etc. Charades will tune your child’s mind to understand visual cues and to think out of the box. 

Would you rather: Players are given questions about hypothetical scenarios and they must choose between two options.  Go around until everyone has answered and the answers are sure to leave you giggling. Some questions that can be included are: Would you rather sleep as long as you want without time passing or never get tired? Would you rather fly or run at the speed of sound? This game is great for creative thinking and social skills.

Jigsaw Puzzles: The more people involved, the larger the puzzle can be. It will take patience so if that’s not a strong family trait then avoid this game. Try your best and don’t give up. Remember your children are watching how you face challenges or act in frustration, and as they get older they will mimic these traits. Jigsaw Puzzles are great at improving problem solving skills and trains the eye to pay attention to details. 

Rebus Puzzles: These are picture representations of a name, work, or phrase. Families will have lots of fun with trying to figure these out. To make it even more challenging add a time limit per puzzle. 

Bake off: Split into teams and have a baking challenge to create delicious cakes or brownies. May the tasty treat win. 

Hide and Seek in the Dark: Play it in the dark to make it harder, count to 20 while everyone runs to hide and then find them. For younger kids keep the lights on, we wouldn’t want anyone tripping and getting hurt. 

Family Game Nights provide the foundation for a strong family unit. When you take the time to bond with your child then you become their priority and the person they turn to when life gets tough. Ask parents struggling with their teenagers or even adult kids, it hurts when they turn to their friends that are bad influences and you can see them ruin their lives. That’s what makes family time necessary, creating happy memories for your children will create happier adults. 

4. STEM Challenges

Do you have a kid that avoids learning like it’s the plague? If the answer is yes then STEM projects are for you. They are the ideal way to disguise learning in fun. Engage your kids with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) challenges like building a bridge from popsicle sticks or creating a solar oven. These projects promote problem-solving and critical thinking in a hands-on way.

Benefits:

• Critical Thinking & Creativity: It encourages students to think outside the box 
• Innovation
• Teamwork: kids learn to work together and communicate effectively in order to complete the project. 
• Boosts curiosity: while working on one project, children have a tendency to wander what will happen if they change this or do that. STEM fuels curiosity allowing children to solve problems in multiple ways and answer any questions that they may have. 
• Scientific literacy: Experimenting and learning new methods will build a strong foundation and understanding of the different fields in science 
• Abundant Career Opportunities

5. Virtual Field Trips

Can't travel far? No problem! Explore museums, zoos, and historical sites around the world through virtual field trips. A lot of places also offer free virtual tours where you can sit in the comfort of your own home and explore so many places and learn. 

But what are virtual field trips? They simulate existing locations and are composed of videos, still or 360-degree images. There may be narration or sound effects. YouTube offers so many adventures for your kids, simply type in ‘virtual field trip for kids’ in the search box and get ready to explore.

Conclusion

Finally, you have reached the next 5 Free Summer Learning Activities (check out part 1) and their benefits. Get your kids involved and using their brains this summer without them even knowing it. Kids are busy, parents are happy and summer vacation didn’t go to waste…again.

Let us know, which of these activities your kids have tried and loved. 

Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages to learn how you can maximize your child’s education journey @zubdapublications