Summertime fun! Find new ways to keep kids active and learning during the summer months with our summer activities.
Ready, set, volcano! Engage students in hands-on STEM play with this creative activity from Hands-On Science and Math where children will explore the concepts of chemical change, creating a gas, and how volcanic eruptions occur.
Math ScienceBrought to you by The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6, this fall wreath activity allows children to explore and collect natural items as the seasons change. Discuss with the children what makes autumn different from the other seasons, and make the activity into an enjoyable learning experience. Get the book for more crafty learning activities like this one!
printable Outdoor Learning Art Seasonal Learning: Fall Science Individual ChildThis nature prints activity, featured in Everyday Play: Fun Games to Develop the Fine Motor Skills Your Child Needs for School, will help your child develop fine motor skills while interacting with nature. Get the book for more fun and easy activities to get your child ready for kindergarten!
Summer Learning Outdoor Learning Art Seasonal Learning: Fall ScienceFeatured in The Path to Early Math: What Preschool Teachers Need to Know by Ingrid Crowther, EdD, this Tree Math Stories activity allows children to manipulate the leaves on the tree as they draw cards with various number stories on them. In her book, Ingrid explains that in order for children to understand addition and subtraction, they need a lot of practice forming visual computations in fun and realistic ways, as well as working with concrete materials that they can manipulate. Find tons of stimulating early math activities like this one in The Path to Early Math.
MathGrandparents' Day is this Sunday! Remembering to make time for family can be a challenge, especially when everyone has such busy schedules. But taking your child to spend some quality time with relatives will not only foster family engagement and learning, but will also make their grandparents' day! Stephanie Mueller and Ann Wheeler, authors of 101 Great Gifts Kids Can Make, share that "When young children make something unique to give as a special gift for a loved one, they feel proud and successful about what they can do and share. Often these child-made gifts are treasured for years to come." Below you will find instructions for a fun craft kids can easily make and give to their grandparents to show them how special they truly are!
ArtFeatured in Let's Take It Outside! by Kathy Charner, Mary B. Rein, and Brittany Roberts, this Mud Dough Letters activity for children ages 3 to 6 connects alphabet learning with hands-on experiences in the outdoors to engage children's excitement about literacy. In this activity children will learn to follow directions, form three-dimensional letters and identify them by sight, and use uppercase and lowercase letters when they are ready. Children are able to do all of this while enjoying the many benefits of being outside!
Literacy Outdoor LearningErin Buhr, MEd, author of Little Walks, Big Adventures: 50+ Ideas for Exploring with Toddlers, shares: "One of my favorite (and only) memories of my preschool experience was when we had a beach party inside our classroom. When I became a teacher, I knew this was something I wanted to attempt to duplicate. This is good, silly pretend play." Learn how to create this memorable indoor beach day with your little ones with the instructions below, and find more ideas for adventures with toddlers in Little Walks, Big Adventures!
Movement and Play Summer Learning Infant & Toddler SensoryFeatured in The Path to Early Math: What Preschool Teachers Need to Know by Ingrid Crowther, EdD, this Lily Pad Comparison activity helps children develop their understanding of forming sets. A set is a collection that contains a specific number of objects. Children are able to begin understanding sets before they even know how to count. This also leads to exploring concepts of one more or one fewer. "Oops, I guess that was one too many. The lily pad is sinking."
MathFeatured in The Possibilities of Play: Imaginative Learning Centers for Children Ages 3-6, by Dr. Jean Feldman and Carolyn Kisloski, this learning center activity is a perfect opportunity to practice observation, predicting, and vocabulary. Facilitating exploration and observation through play in young children allows them to develop concepts about science and nature, all while having fun!
Movement and Play Science SensoryMany children feel an uncontrollable urge to fidget and move around. This need for movement is often a distraction to both the child and to those around the child. To meet this need, William DeMeo, PhD, author of When Nothing Else Works: What Early Childhood Professionals Can Do to Reduce Challenging Behaviors, recommends fidgets. Below, you will find instructions to construct your own fidget gel bag. The child can assist you in making this fidget toy, giving them a sense of pride and ownership over the toy.
SensoryPrevent summer slide with fun games and activities for kids. Infants can enjoy gross motor activities outside while toddlers and preschoolers explore the lush summer flora. Summer activities are fun for the whole family!
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