Looking for some fun ways to work a little education into the lazy days of summer? Here are some activities that will serve as boredom busters and keep the kids learning at the same time.
1. Recreate great works of art in sidewalk chalk on the driveway. Grab a great book of famous art (the Blue Earth Public Library has all kinds) and have the kids do their own chalk versions. Remind them that they're not supposed to look just like the originals, of course, but see if they can identify each other's masterpieces afterwards.
2. Take a field trip. Visit one of the Minnesota Historical Society's sites around the state, a little museum in a nearby town, a state park or someplace else fun to explore. Aim for a site with lots to do outside, and then a nice air conditioned building to extend the studies inside once everybody's hot and tired. A lake works for that second part too!
3. Help the kids run a garage sale or lemonade stand. They'll use those math skills and maybe make a little money (and get rid of a little clutter) too!
4. Make math manipulatives out of natural items outside. Challenge the kids to help you collect all sorts of natural treasures to use for different number values. You can use shells, rocks, pine cones, sticks (paint them and use different lengths like Cuisenaire rods!), tree nuts, you name it. Put the kids in charge of deciding what each item is worth and then ask them to show you how to use them. For instance, they could use shells like money (big ones are a dollar, little grey ones are five cents, and so on) and then "shop" with them. Alternately, they could make base ten values for various items (these pine cones are 100, these rocks are 10, these seed pods are one...) and then use them for calculations.
5. Set up a scavenger hunt outside. You can tailor it for all ages. Depending on age, you can have kids look for:
- Colors
- Things that start with certain letters
- Specific types of plants (such as deciduous trees or lichen)
- Specific varieties of plants (such as an elm tree or milkweed)
- Animal tracks
- Objects shaped like letters
- Types of birds
- Seed pods
- Something local Native Americans used for food or medicine
- Something early settlers used for food or medicine
- An insect that's an herbivore
- An insect that's an ommivore
- Signs that an animal has been nearby
Decide ahead of time if they should just spot the items and check them off, take pictures or gather items. Be sure they don't gather items that are protected, dangerous or otherwise unwise.
Have fun!
Comments