Each year I think through a plan for the summer months. Otherwise, the time passes with nothing to show for the days. Most frustrating is that it takes my children time to catch up and remember where we left off last.

Summer doesn’t have to mean days with no direction and lots of television. Even play time can include directed time that will leave the children ready to learn fun subjects.

For our summer homeschool schedule, we continue to read and do math, but the rest of our more structured learning is replaced by a relaxed tone such as exploring the woods or lake. I do try to fit in a themed learning activity each week. Our visits to the library might include checking out books checked on this theme but will also include books that the children choose purely for personal enjoyment.

Here are some of my favorite ideas for summer learning themes.

Start a Garden

Our little seedlings are already popping their heads through the soil. I know one family who plants two gardens — one for boys and one for girls. They have a contest each year and keep graphs showing which group grow the most produce before the first frost.

There are so many great ideas for starting gardens on the internet. Starting a sunflower garden,pizza garden, or just growing flowers can be a terrific experience for children.

Last year, we had a learning experience when hornworms decided to take over our tomatoes. That wasn’t the most pleasant situation for my would-be gardeners, but they did learn quite a bit from the experience.

Our favorite part is eating what we grow and that also means plenty of opportunity for kitchen learning.

Gaze in Awe at Summer Astronomy

Tracking the night sky can be enjoyed during the summer months without having to bundle up for a viewing. We have often sat in chairs carried onto the lawn and talked about what we see. It is amazing how much children learn when you are simply enjoying what God has created!

Watch the Weather

Summer is a great time to track storms and clouds. Rain gauges are easy for children to make and can be placed in the yard for daily viewing. Weather journals will allow children to practice handwriting skills through the summer months but are also a great keepsake of the summer.

Make Messy Crafts Outdoors

One of our favorite summer crafts is making tie-dyed shirts. In the summer months, you can set everything up outside, have fun, and not worry about the mess! Pinterest has more tie dye ideas than you could accomplish in a lifetime of summers!

Enjoy Music

Many cities offer outdoor concerts during the summer months. The local symphony performs concerts in one of the inner-city parks in our area. Many times these events are offered at a much discounted rate or even free! Check with your local visitor’s center to see what might be playing in your area.

Study Literature

Bright Ideas Press offers some terrific literature study guides. Reading a novel you didn’t have time to read during the school year is a great way to sneak in more classics and modern historical fiction.

The summer months can provide a nice break from the normal routine of school. If you haven’t thought about the learning experiences your summer days might hold, this is a great time to plan and try something new with your family.

Our homeschool days are full of activity. If you were standing outside of our house, you would see folks coming and going. I schedule our school days so the children aren’t sitting endlessly at the table in front of books. Instead, I want them to learn to appreciate nature up close. We are known to school outside under our big pine trees while the little ones swing, or in the backyard beside our lake as the geese go about their own day. It’s beautiful and calming. There is lots of room for wiggling and running for my smaller children.

Even when the sun doesn’t come out, we don’t allow the rain to chase away the beauty and excitement of homeschooling. There are many special opportunities to learn even when the weather calls for rain or when it’s just too cold to be outside. The following are learning ideas for little ones when you need to stay indoors.

Homeschool in a Tent

A simple sheet thrown over a table with a blanket and pillows on the floor make a fun place to work on school assignments on dreary days.

Become a Weather Watcher

Track the weather, learn about clouds, weather maps, or make a rain gauge. This is also a perfect time to start a nature journal.

Share a Special Book

Is there a book you’ve wanted to read with your children, but time has not allowed? Those days of inclement weather provide a perfect opportunity to snuggle up with a good book!

Create an Art Project

A fun project for little ones is making rain prints. Older children might enjoy learning about a new artist, or trying a new drawing technique of their own.

Practice Cooking Skills

You Tube and Food Network are a full cooking class by themselves! Whether you want to learn simple culinary skills, or master something more complicated, you are bound to find a video.

Explore Classical Music

Listen to a new piece of music, or enjoy a family favorite. Study a new composer and learn more about his life and inspiration.

Visit an Area Museum Or Library

Many cities have a variety of museums. Rainy days make a perfect time to walk the halls of local attractions or further develop library skills.

Watch a Documentary or a Movie Based on History

Several television services available are full of learning resources. Netflix and YouTube offer many documentaries and historical movies. You can search your favorite website for these services and create a playlist to use especially on these days when plans change and you are forced to stay indoors.

Rainy days don’t have to be dreary and depressing. They can be full of rich learning experiences, especially when homeschooling allows for such flexibility.

How about your family? Do you have a favorite way to spend days when you have to stay in all day?

There is something about a clear winter night that makes it perfect for snuggling under a blanket to view the stars.

I hate to admit it, but before I was married, I never really paid much attention to the stars. Although I thought they were beautiful, I didn’t know a whole lot about astronomy. So it should stand to reason that I didn’t find the night sky very interesting.

After marriage, my husband began to teach me about constellations and visible planets. He pointed out the moon and taught me its changing phases. He has taught me to see the night sky in a completely different way and shared this love with our children.

As a homeschooler, the night sky makes for a fascinating and frugal study. You need nothing more than your eyes and a dark place for viewing. If you wish to go a step further, a telescope or pair of binoculars are great tools to further your learning.

We are fond of drawing what we see when we return inside. The children remember more, and the drawings are a nice reminder of an evening of family time, enjoying one of the most beautiful things the Lord created for us.

Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space

The internet is also full of helpful websites on the subject of astronomy.

Online Resources for Viewing the Night Sky

• Space.com is a website that features a sky-watching guide, webcasts from space (with re-plays), space photos (including a photo-of-the-day), and information about telescopes you might want to read if you intend on furthering your space-related studies.
• SkyandTelescope.com is a website that has a, this week at a glance section that is fantastic for telling you what can be seen each week. They also have an equipment guide, video tutorials, a guide for beginners, and a free e-book library.
• ClassicalAstronomy.com is geared more toward Christians and more specifically, homeschoolers. If you sign up for their email list, you can look forward to email reminders about special happenings in the sky you can observe from home. They have an informative telescope section which you may find helpful when purchasing one for your family.
• KidsAstronomy.com is a site geared just for kids! Take one of several free online classes, learn what you might see in the sky tonight, or play games. Your child is bound to learn quite a bit while wandering around this site.
• PlanetsForKids.org is another website that has several features that are geared toward children. This site features printable coloring sheets and lessons about heavenly bodies.

These are just a few of my favorite websites for astronomy studies. How about you? Do you have sites you frequent with your children to learn more about the night sky?