Six Fun Ways to Learn This Summer

There are so many fun ways to learn this summer! If you’re worried about summer learning loss, don’t miss out on our interest-led summer unit studies focusing on topics your kids want to learn more about like the Summer Olympics or the ocean. 

If you’re searching for ways to prevent summer learning loss and keep it fun for summer break, don’t miss these fun (and easy) ways to learn through the summer months. From learning while you swim at the pool to unboxing some very cool activities in our favorite subscription boxes, you’ll find something for your family to enjoy and keep learning together all summer long!

How To Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Thinking about summer learning loss can be scary. Fortunately, there are many ways we can help prevent summer learning loss without giving up the coveted “summer break.” Summer is the season when we all look forward to slowing down and having more fun. No one wants to spend the summer planning and executing tedious or challenging lesson plans. 

Summer learning loss is most commonly seen in core subjects like math and reading. Taking a break from learning for two months during the summer can have a cumulative effect as well. 

So how can you prevent summer learning loss and keep summer fun? Our favorite summer learning activities are the ones that allow us to keep having fun, give us a break from more rigorous assignments, and fit into summer travel schedules.

6 Summer Learning Tips for Homeschoolers

We have employed lots of summer learning tips over the years! From strewing crafts to learning at Disney, there are all kinds of great summer learning tips for homeschoolers here at The Waldock Way. Discover 6 of our favorite ways to keep learning while enjoying summer break.

Discovery Decks

Our collection of Discovery Decks is growing! This resource is great year-round, but it’s especially useful during summer break. These cards are printable resources you can use to learn more about the subjects your kids are already curious about and interested in learning. With every deck, you’ll get questions like Why are coral reefs so colorful? 

Kids can scan the QR code on the cards to watch informational kid-friendly videos that answer their questions and teach them new things about a variety of topics. Check out some of our favorite Discovery Decks: 

Gameschooling

Another great way to prevent summer learning loss while having fun is by playing games. Games help reinforce learning concepts and make introducing new concepts engaging. 

Gameschooling creates an environment where kids can think creatively and have fun. Isn’t that what summer is all about? Check out some of our favorite games for learning everything from math and reading to art and geography. 

Podcasts

Podcasts are another fun way to keep learning through the summer. Kids can listen on their own or listen together as a family. If you’re planning a family road trip, don’t miss the opportunity to catch up on the best educational podcasts. 

Check out the ultimate guide to podcasts for children to get some great ideas for summer listening. A few of our favorites include Circle Round, a children’s podcast where they share fables from around the world, and Greeking Out, a podcast filled with stories of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece.

Pool Schooling

If you haven’t tried homeschooling in the pool, you should! We’re big fans of summer learning while we swim. Relaxing in the pool is the perfect way to escape the heat and enjoy our summer.

Teaching lessons in the pool is easy with waterproof games and some practical pool tools. Discover how we practice “pool schooling” with favorites like Aqua Blocks and Seek & Splash. With a floating card table and lots of swim time, we’ve turned the swimming pool into a place to cool off and learn new things too!

Subscription Boxes

Subscription boxes have been an excellent addition to our homeschool year-round. During the summer months, the excitement of subscription boxes has added learning and fun to our days. We all get excited to unbox a new activity and with our favorite subscription boxes, it’s always followed by learning something cool.

Some of our favorite subscriptions include Owl Crate, MEL Kids, and Universal Yums. There are boxes for geography, art, literacy, history, music, science, coding, STEM learning, and even sensory kits. I just know you’ll find something fun and engaging for your family and your budget in our ultimate guide to subscription boxes.

Summer Reading Challenge

Another great way to keep learning through the summer months is to keep reading. Public libraries across the nation sponsor Summer Reading Challenge activities for kids of all ages, including adults. These challenges are free and often include fun prizes or certificates for kids who read books through the summer months.

You could also create your own family summer reading challenge. Encourage everyone to read a certain number of books or for a specified amount of time during the summer. If you need ideas for books to read, find great titles on our monthly book lists, or check out 75 of the best book series for kids of all ages to find a series that will keep your kids reading all summer!

More Fun Ways to Learn This Summer

There are so many fun ways to learn through the summer months. In addition to pool school, subscription boxes, and summer reading lists, we can prevent summer learning loss with interest-led lessons that keep our kids engaged and excited about learning something new.

If you’re searching for summer unit studies that won’t feel like hard work, try some of our favorite summer unit studies for kids of all ages. These lessons are filled with excellent picture books, printable activities, games to play, engaging crafts, and fascinating facts about the topics your kids really want to learn about this summer.

Ocean Unit Study

A trip to the beach or a summer cruise can turn into a learning adventure with our Ocean Unit Study. In our complete ocean unit study, the whole family can enjoy crafts, games, trivia, and fun facts about the zones of the ocean, the animals who live there, and oceanographers like Sylvia Earle. 

Summer Olympics

Watch the Olympic Games in Paris this summer and learn about the history of the games, some of our favorite Olympic athletes, and the new sports featured in this year’s Olympic games. In our Summer Olympic Unit Study kids can learn about athletes like Michael Phelps, Venus and Serena Williams, and Jesse Owens with custom coloring pages, copywork, and great books. Plus, everyone will enjoy the printable bundle of 12 Summer Olympic Games including trivia, bingo, and emoji pictionary.

Spy School

This summer, go to spy school with one of our newest unit studies: Spy Academy. In this summer unit study, kids will learn about the history of espionage and how spies have changed the course of The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, World Wars I and II, and The Cold War. Kids will love the hands-on spy science experiments, hidden codes, and secret agent escape room included in this fun summer unit!

Survival Unit Study

Finally, discover all the fun you can have this summer with our Survival Unit Study based on the Bear Grylls Adventure Book series. In this unit study, families will enjoy learning about unique weather events like avalanches and how to survive in extreme weather conditions. 

Plus, have fun learning survival skills as a family like packing a backpack, pitching a tent, and starting a fire. If you’re planning a summer camping trip, you won’t want to miss this exciting science unit. 

If a complete unit study feels too much like work during the summer months, check out some of our mini-unit studies. They’re perfect for filling in weeks between summer vacations and summer camps. 

You can learn about all kinds of cool people, places, events, and animals with these mini-units. Plus, they’re on sale! Enjoy one free mini-unit study when you purchase 5 mini-unit studies from any of our Who Was, What Was, Where Is, and Who Would Win bundles.