With most kids out of the virtual classroom, families are exploring all the available options for keeping their children entertained this summer. With reasonable precautions, most experts think it’s safe for children’s lives to return to some degree of normalcy — especially with outdoor summer activities. So, you’ve got a few weeks of summer camp on the calendar, and maybe a family vacation, or swim lessons, but there are always at least a couple weeks of kids yelling, “I’m bored”. Why not entertain and educate them at the same time? Win – Win!
Whether you’ve got toddler, preschool, or elementary-aged children, we have the perfect summer activities for you to do with your little ones. Here are a few of our favorites:
Toddlers
- Bucket Fill encourages counting practice, quantity concepts and spatial reasoning skills. It can be played inside or out, and you almost certainly have the necessary supplies in your kitchen already. Check out more details here.
- Water Paint & Trace is a math activity that allows your child to practice their numbers and shapes. All you need is some sidewalk chalk, a bucket of water and a paintbrush. Get details here and learn how to help your toddler with tracing.
- For more indoor activities for toddlers, like read alouds and treasure hunts, as well as outdoor games like mermaid parades, check out our Pop-Up Early Learning Courses for Toddlers. You’ll find a variety of themes like weather, dinosaurs and animals.
Preschoolers
- The Fishy Face Pout game lets preschoolers use their imaginations and a little role playing to up their emotional intelligence and increase their own ability to self-regulate when something doesn’t go their way. Click here for details and instructions on making a fish frame for your pouty faces.
- The Crab Grab helps your child build balance, fine motor skills and the ability to move their torso. All you need is a pillow, some kitchen tongs, a bowl and small objects for them to pick up. Click here for more details and see below for a video.
- For more fun activities for preschool kids, check out the Pop-Up Early Learning Courses for Preschoolers that feature fun themes like vehicles, seasons and life cycles.
Early Elementary
- Word Work with a beachy twist will help your student practice letter names, letter sounds and rhyming words. Check out the video with Ms. Cheryl here.
- Telling a Story is a great opportunity for your child to turn a family activity into a learning experience. Watch Maya Lawrence from the Alliance Theatre lead a workshop where they’ll learn how to share oral histories. Family summer traditions and memories can be a great place to start.
- Find early elementary activities, story reads, workshops, and more for K-1 and 2-3.
Need more summer activity ideas?
Check out free video lessons for toddlers and preschoolers with Pop-Up Learning from Cox Campus. You’ll get eight weeks of stories, enrichment activities, and songs, based on the critical parts of a preschooler’s day.
