10 Fun and Educational Activities to Keep Kids Busy During the Summer
1. Make a giant outdoor hopscotch court using chalk. Not only will your kids get some good exercise, but they'll also practice counting and simple addition as they jump from square to square.
2. Go on a nature scavenger hunt. See how many different types of bugs, flowers, and leaves your kids can find in your backyard or at the park. This is a great opportunity to teach them about the world around them.
3. Create a neighborhood lemonade stand. In addition to practicing their entrepreneurial skills, your kids will also get to brush up on their Math skills as they keep track of inventory and calculate change for customers.
4. Have a water balloon fight! Not only is this activity sure to be a hit with the kids, but it's also a great way to teach basic physics concepts like trajectory and velocity. Just make sure to clean up afterward!
5. Plant a garden and watch the plants grow - talk about how much they're growing each day, measure the height and width, and compare the results.
6. Make homemade pizzas or cookies and calculate the cost of the ingredients.
7. Visit a farmer's market or pick fruits and vegetables from your own backyard - discuss nutritional value and convert pounds to cups or ounces.
8. Fill a water table with sand and shells - have your child estimate how many shells will fit in the container, then count them as they go in.
9. Let's not forget about good old-fashioned board games like Monopoly and Clue, which can also be excellent learning opportunities.
10. Take a family trip to the beach or swimming pool - talk about how long it took to get there.