I don’t know about you, but about four maybe five weeks into summer, I would start hearing from my kiddos, “I’m bored!” or “There’s nothing to do!”

Yes, you know what I’m talking about. You check the calendar and see we are halfway through summer vacation.

But wait . . . what about enjoying summer and spending some time learning?

Can this be a happy marriage?

1. Take a hike along a local trail, to the neighborhood park, in the mountains or along the beach.  Make certain to bring some water in my favorite bottle, a trail mix snack, and wear comfortable shoes. Find a place along the way to stop and enjoy Mother Nature!

1 cup of raisins, 1 cup of almonds, 1 cup of pecans, 1 cups of walnuts, 1 cup of M&Ms. Mix in a bag. Enjoy!

Check out these starfish!! This local museum has a variety of hands on science and historical learning opportunities about Alaska. This is a touch display, perfect for kids!

2. Visit the local museum!  This is a great time to learn about history, science, and actually participate in the learning.  This is called experiential learning!! 

Oftentimes, towns have special events that kids can take part in over the summer. Whether it is a museum with artifacts, town parade, even a celebration. There seems to be some type of event (or several in my town) during the summer that are perfect for learning.

This is the small town museum. Most towns have some type of place where kids can learn about the local heritage or past events. In my town, there is a small museum that focuses on life as an early settler. Kids learn about the Mat-Su Pioneers’ life in the early 1900s, see some tools and view other artifacts relevant to their town.

3.  Check out the local sports scene!  Heading to a local park, ballpark, soccer field . . . you’ll see some great athletes play their heart out and enjoy a new sport! Whether it’s a youth soccer, baseball or adult softball league, there’s lots of fun at the ballpark.

Patrick and I enjoy taking in a local baseball game. I love when my students invite us to attend their game.

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4.  Enjoy a sunset, if you live in the lower 48, and catch some lightning bugs (fun childhood memory). In Alaska, the sun doesn’t set!  We enjoy 19 1/2 hours of daylight where I live.  The remaining time is a twilight which you can see in this picture taken on the longest day.  We celebrated the Summer Solstice on June 21 with a BBQ, gardening, and a baseball game.

5.  Grab that tech device and relax under a tree engaged in reading some new titles, reviewing some math skills, or researching a passion. It is important to keep those new academic skills growing to avoid the “summer slump”.  Don’t forget to get KindleUnlimited for all your reading and listening requirements.  Check the footer bar for a direct link. 

I’m not sure what our pup, Buckeye, is reading, but he sure enjoys the shade on these hot summer days.  

6.  Plant a garden!  Kids love playing in dirt, and what better way than to teach about sustainability food source, providing beauty in our environment!

Oftentimes students learn about planting in the spring. Encouraging students to continue this learning process at home can result in a better understanding of not only how to grow a plant

from a seed, but also leads into a fall harvest ~ which can tie in another social studies learning opportunity. Students can also keep a journal about their planting learnings and/or even hold an experiment testing different soil, light, and amount of light. There are so many options to investigate.

7.  Here’s another sustainability food source – fishing!  Each summer my family and I head down to the Kenai River to do some dip netting.  We love fresh Pacific Salmon and freeze it for our winter feast. There are lots of opportunities to learn about science, health, and social studies. Plus reading and writing are easily embedded into this learning experience. Fish on!!

8.  How about a backyard tent escape or a trip to the campground?  Spending time outdoors is such a relaxing way to relax and enjoy time away from the busy day to day activities!

Patrick and I enjoy spending time outdoors. Whether we are hiking or camping . . . getting some fresh are is a Win-Win!

Painting an Alaska summer scene with my daughters is a lot of fun. I have several paintings hanging in my classroom and home. Although I am an amature, my painting skills continue to improve with each class. Check out your local Art Guild for paint nights.

9.  Enjoy some time with the kiddos getting messy with art materials!!  Kids LOVE art!! Painting is always a fun medium to create with all types of pictures.    Whether kids paint rocks, scenery, self portraits, or finger paint . . . it’s a lot of fun! Try other art ideas like watercolors, playdough, or stenciling. Get creative with building a structure using recyclable materials. Yes, this is also art. Think outside of the box. Create, color, and have fun!

I always enjoy making cards for others. My students and I make thank you cards throughout the year. This is such a great way for kids to show others they care with a homemade card. Check out my IditaCard Design Etsy shop for all occasion handmade and printable cards.

10.  When you are ready to take a break, whether after a day of fun in the woods or your backyard, a great bonfire is a sure fire way to end a hard, exploring day! Why not have dinner on the grill? Roast some marshmallows, make some s’mores, or serve up a foil dinner.

Besides learning how to cook on a fire, campfires are also great opportunities to teach fire safety skills, proper ways to start a fire, as well as fire safety.

Campfires are perfect times to share stories, read books, even write in a journal. Keep the technology away and enjoy this time together in conversation creating beautiful memories.