Gentle Schooling for Summer 2022

We've pulled the plug on the 2021-2022 school year. We took our last day of school photo, went on a celebratory field trip with our co-op to a local Veteran Historic Center, filled out our last-day interviews, and enjoyed a few scoops at a favorite ice cream shop.

Gentle Schooling for Summer 2020

We'll be pulling the plug on the 2019-2020 school year very soon. We'll pack the books away, take the annual last-day photo on the front stoop, and fill out the end-of-school interviews.

Typically, we celebrate summer break by taking a day trip to someplace fun and educational like a logging encampment or a science center. But with everything closed due to the global pandemic, I've formulated Plan B: a first-day-of-summer basket.

6 Simple Summertime Art Projects for Kids

Written by Jessica.

This spring we added two puppies (yes, TWO!) to our family within a few weeks of each other, closely followed by two kittens (yes, TWO!). Needless to say, for several months, our homeschool routine was utterly, completely, seriously derailed! In fact, the last few weeks of our school year were spent trying to catch up on everything that fell to the wayside and was never finished.

Art was one of those things.

Because summer vacation was just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to have the kids make some seasonal art and arts & crafts type projects that could be displayed around the house during the summer months.

6 Fabulous Reasons to Camp with Your Kids

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Since we're homeschoolers, my family and I are always on the lookout for learning opportunities and ways to build shared experiences. So naturally, when we started our RV living adventure, I was very intentional in my efforts to find amazing and awesome new sights and sounds during our travels. I assumed all the learning fun would only be found in museums and national parks. Many are, but much to my surprise, campgrounds and other natural places have also proven to be incredible classrooms. As our son explores and learns new things in the great outdoors, I can't help but think I should be sharing this magic with other families.

Learning Through FREE {or super cheap} Summer Fun

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Summer is here, and that means your days are longer, you're probably taking a break from school work, and consequently, your kids have lots of extra time on their hands. Fortunately, most homeschooled kids are generally pretty good at finding ways to fill their own time. However, as a mom, it's always helpful to have a few new and interesting ideas up your sleeve.

Gentle Schooling for Summer 2018

Our school books are closed. Our Math CDs are put away. We've filled out our end-of-the-year interviews and have taken our first-day-of-summer bike ride to the neighborhood ice cream shop. Admittedly, we haven't tied up every loose end of the 2017-2018 school year, but we've no plan to. That's not our way. I'm a firm believer and have seen from the experiences of others that nothing will bleed a homeschool quite like slogging through worksheets and textbooks through the summer, especially for those of us who live in the near tundra and only experience nice, outdoorsy type weather for seven seconds each year.

Sneaky Learning Ideas for Summer Road Trips

What do you get when you combine seven people, one dog, a very small space, and eight to ten hours a day of unstructured togetherness?

Well, it depends on the season. 

Should all of that be tossed together in the dead of a tundra-like midwestern winter, I'd say you have a recipe for cabin fever with a side of seasonal neurosis.

But, should you be stirring that pot in the sunshine of summer, I'd assume you're cooking up road trip bliss.

Gentle Schooling for Summer 2017

Our summers are usually defined by family bike rides to the neighborhood ice cream shop. So, I guess it's safe to say that we've officially kicked off summer!

We've closed the grammar books, packed away the math CDs, and have already forgotten what the spelling tiles even look like. I'm not a we've-got-to-finish-these-workbooks-or-else kind of momma. Plodding through worksheets all the way through the summer in order to get to the last page of a curriculum is a sure-fire way to ruin your homeschool, in my opinion. So when it comes to finishing grammar books and math programs, I just don't. When the calendar announces June, I announce, "School's out!" And we pack away all the traditional curriculum.

Gentle Schooling for Summer 2016

We're hitting "pause" on school for three whole months. But don't you worry. There will be no summer slide around here. Our brains will not turn to mush like last summer's abandoned ice cream cones.

Nope.

We'll still be learning even when all the school books have been boxed up. Learning is a lifestyle. It's not something that ONLY happens on certain dates of the calendar between certain hours of the clock.

To us, summertime welcomes learning through leisure. The warmer days and light evening breezes usher in a chance to school more gently. More organically.

Summer Gentle Schooling 2015

While the notion of Sabbath schooling with its Biblical balance of work and rest compels me to tweak our school year schedule each-and-every year, I continue to stand firm with tradition. I continue to cling to the normal nine-months-of-school-and-three-months-of-summer-break pattern that most homeschoolers embrace. 

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

I'll be honest, every year as Saduary...I mean, the bleak month of January...approaches, I really begin to second guess my decision NOT to schedule in a Sabbath-rest week. The winters are long here in the tundra and school can sometimes feel long too. But, in May, as summer slowly peaks around the corner, I am so very glad for the welcome break. I am reminded of why the nine month school year is a MUST for us.

The sun calls us out-of-doors and the warm June breeze whispers of great possibilities.

For three months, the school books are abandoned and the school table is deserted. But don't be fooled by the uncluttered schedule; the learning is still happening.

It just comes at a slower pace--an unhurried, unrushed pace.

Our summer schooling is gentle.

Purposefully gentle, and intentionally long.

Gentle Schooling for Summer 2014

While not necessarily "un-schoolers", we ARE eclectic homeschoolers.  And with that title comes ALL forms of learning...including a little bit of un-schooling or as I like to call it..."schooling at the speed of summer."  

Our official last day may have marked the end of assignments and schedules, but, it did not put a three-month halt to our learning. On the contrary, there is plenty o' schoolin' going on 'round here.  It's just been slowed from a gallop to a trot. It's intentionally more leisurely. It's purposefully more gentle.  

Here's what our days look like during the sunshine months.  

12 Books for a Tween Girl's Summer

Looking for a few good titles to add to the summertime reading list of your tween girl?    

I've asked my book-lovin' daughter to share some of her favorites.  She read dozens and dozens of captivating books during the 2013-2014 school year. But, I've asked her to whittle the list down to 12...her top 12 picks of the year.

Be warned.  This is a twaddle-free list.  You'll not find any "pop culture," dime-store novel reads here.  These are books with substance.  Books with merit.  Books that will either help shape a girl's thoughts or provide worry-free, wholesome leisure. Great books worth sharing with a friend.

All are fiction books unless otherwise listed.

FREE Summer Reading Programs for Kids 2014

With less than two weeks away from our annual "Last Day, Hooray!" celebration, my kids and I are already making tentative summertime plans. While we are penciling in many bucket list items, one annual activity always gets written in WITH INK, making it a permanent "TO DO" on our list of fun.

The library's summer reading incentive program

This year, the national collaborative theme is FIZZ, BOOM, READ.  However, our local library has opted to do their own thing by creating a pet theme instead.

I'm sure the pet activities and prizes will more than excite my animal-lovin' crew, but just in case, there are plenty more summertime reading incentive programs I can look into for a PLAN B.

5 Days of Summer "Unschooling": Extra Curriculars

We've come to our last day in my Five Days of Summer "Un-school" series.  Thank you for joining me on this journey!

As one who takes a more traditional approach to homeschooling, I always appreciate the summer months when I can toss tradition out the window and make room for more organic "free-style" learning.  If you're like me and tend to lean towards the more conventional end of the schooling spectrum, I hope a few of the un-schooling ideas I have shared these past few days has sparked a desire to put the "red pen" away until fall.

Even if you'd rather not focus on core subjects in the summer...reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic...consider using the summer months as a time to introduce some of those fun "extras" that so many busy homeschool schedules can not accommodate for during the school year.

Phy. Ed.

Although some rudimentary P.E. game rules and "how to's" can be taught during the school year, the actual "physical" part of Phy. Ed. poses a problem for many homeschool families.  Often times, our winter Phy. Ed. comes in the form of a Denise Austin's Fit Kids Video.  Summertime, however, has been a great time for my kids to join a community organized sports league.  With five little ones to taxi around, the Hubs and I have made a few house rules regarding summer sports.

• You must be at least five-years-old to participate in any organized leagues.
• You may only be enrolled in ONE extra-curricular group per season.  

These summer-time sports leagues have provided many of the same benefits that I have previously discussed in regards to music lessons.  I find great value in giving my children an outlet for taking baby steps of independence outside of my home.  With mom cheering on the sidelines, my ball players can take those "steps" with confidence.

Do-it-Yourself Summer Camps

I am not yet ready to send my Littles off to summer camp on their own...someday.  But, that doesn't mean that they can't enjoy the fun that a week at summer camp has to offer.  If you're like me and a bit hesitant to send your kiddos off on the camp bus, schedule a week of themed activities right in the comfort of your own home.  Consider inviting a few other homeschool families to join you for daytime activities.  Use this time as a chance to teach creative skills or hone in on your child's current hobby or interest.  Melissa Taylor of Imagination Soup has provided some wonderful ideas and theme suggestions to ensure your Do-it-Yourself Camp is a success.

Imagination Soup

Family Clubs

Our family has made many magnificent memories together by participating in family-oriented summer clubs.  This year, we have limited our focus to just two groups.

The Hubs has signed us up for a summer-long family fishing tournament with a few neighboring families.  The goal is for families to fish at least once together every two weeks.  Each catch is recorded and added together for a season's end total.  For the most part, the league consists of young families with very novice fisher-kids.  We, like so many others in the group, are not expecting to be the summer victors.  We are just grateful for a time to have a little focused fun passing this much-beloved hobby on to the next generation.

For the past three years, I have hosted a Summer God's Girls Club for Sweetie Pea, a few of her friends, and their moms.  I realize that it is my job, as her mom, to pass along a heritage of femininity and love for homemaking.  Since my time is often limited during the school year, I set aside some focused, intentional time in the summer to introduce her to some of the womanly skills that she will need to run a household someday.

Volunteer Opportunities/Apprenticeships

Years ago, the Hubs was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to apprentice under a knowledgable craftsman.  Although he never made that trade his long-term profession, the skills he learned in those few years, have proven valuable still today.  He and I have both determined to provide as many volunteer/apprenticeship opportunities for our littles as possible.  

Although my kids are still rather young, we have used summertime to teach some genuine life skills such as house painting, landscaping, gardening, and home construction/remodeling projects.

Homeschooling, at its very core, is about LIFE LEARNING.  Life doesn't stop simply because the calendar reads "June."  Far from it!  In fact, summertime proves to be one of the best times to concentrate on all the "extras" that make life WORTH learning.  

Thank you for joining me for

Five Days of Summer "Unschooling".

Here's a look at the entire series:

• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Creative Writing
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Science
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Reading 
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Math
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Extra Curriculars

Want some more summertime ideas?  

From July 16-21, join me over at iHomeschool Network for the Five Days of Summer Series brought to you by Beech Retreat and 20 fabulous homeschool bloggers from around the web.  That's 100 homeschooling ideas, kid-friendly activities, and homemaker helps to make this a summer to remember!

5 Days of Summer "Unschooling": Math

Welcome to day four of my FIVE Days of Summer "Un-school" series.  If you've just joined in the fun,  I should warn you...I am NOT an un-schooler.  I am a P-L-A-N-N-E-R...in big, BOLD capital letters!!!  But, even a "planner" has a free-spririted moment every now and again.  

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

As soon as the May page gets ripped from my calendar, all formal schooling comes to a screeching halt!  But, don't assume that just because you won't find a flashcard in sight that there is no learning happening.  

On the contrary...

During the summer months, most of our math comes in the form of games and real-life learning. Since Joan over at Our School At Home is tackling the "real-life" part in her weeklong Real World Math series, I'll take "games."

Here's a look at some of our favorite summer math games.

War

This simple card challenge from yesteryear has been a review staple with my boys who love the challenge that each "battle" brings.  After removing all the face cards, split the deck in half.  Each player flips over one card to "challenge" the flipped card of his opponent.  Whoever flips over the card with the highest value wins that battle and gets to "capture" both cards into a victory pile.  After all cards have been flipped, each player counts the cards in his/her "victory" pile.  The WAR is won by the player who has captured more enemies.  

Sounds simple enough, right?

Toss in two...or even three...more cards per player and it gets a little bit more mathematically challenging!  When Sweetie Pea and I play, we each flip over TWO cards, add (subtract or multiply) our cards together  and use the sum as our "front line".  If I flip a 3 and a 5, I add them together to make 8 and challenge her 2 and 9.  Her front line would equal 11, and she would be the victor.  Occasionally, our cards, when added (subtracted or multiplied) will have equal sums.  In that event, we each flip one more card, add the value of the new flipped card to our first sum, and get a new sum.  

Since Super Boy learned his 0-6 addition fact families this past year, he can challenge his sister to this more-complex WAR version.  We just remove the 7-10 cards prior to play.

Mathematical Memory

This card game is a math version of the simple preschool Memory match-up.  First, remove all face cards from a regular deck.  Then, determine a goal number...any number from 1-10  To play, lay all the number cards into rows...face down.  The first player flips over two cards of his/her choice.  If the player can prove how those two cards can be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided together to equal the goal number, he/she may keep the cards and play again.  If not, the cards are flipped back upside-down and the turn is complete.  The next player may, then, flip two cards.  The goal is to REMEMBER where the previously flipped cards are located to be able to combine them together and make a "match" (reach the goal number).  For instance, if my goal number is 7 and I flip a 10 and a 3.  I could say, "10 minus 3 equals 7" and win the match.  Once all the cards have been matched, the player with the most matches wins the game.

Many times, we end up with a few unmatched cards.  These are set aside as "duds" and we tabulate our wins without them.

For a simpler version, after determining a goal number, choose a math process.  All matches have to be made using ONLY that process (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.)

Need another card games for math review?

Head on over to the my Weekly Kid's Co-op and check out the Tens Go Fish game featured from Mom and Kiddo.

Pizza Pursuit

A couple years ago, I printed off these yum-tastic pizza fractions from Disney's Family Fun on-line.  I purchased a blank die at a game store, wrote fractions on five of the six sides and the word "take" on the other one.  I threw in a couple of paper plates to create a family favorite review game.  

The game consists of five different paper pizzas with different toppings.  Each pizza is divided into a different amount of pieces.  A player rolls the die to determine how much pizza he gets to claim on his turn.  If he rolls "1/2", he can take one piece of the Canadian Bacon pizza which is only divided into two pieces.  Or, he can take two pieces of Cheese pizza which is divided into four pieces...and so on.  If he happens to roll "take", he can nab any ONE piece from another players plate.  The first player to create an entire "pie" wins the game.

The best part about Pizza Pursuit is that ALL of my kids can play it...even 2-year-old Greased Lightening.  While his two older siblings can practice fractional equivalents as they learn to exchange four 1/8 pizza pieces for one 1/2 sized piece, he can simply roll the dice, be told which topping to serve up, and attempt to make a full plate all the while getting introduced to fractions and mathematical terms.  

Mathematical Hopscotch

This is a summer-friendly way to bring math outside.  Create a hopscotch course.  (To ensure a level of difficulty, I prefer to create the numbers OUT of order.)  Determine what math process you wish to review.  (For Super Boy's sake, we use addition.)  Toss the rock onto the first square and then roll the die.  Add the two numbers together.  If you give the correct answer, you may hop.  If not, your turn is finished and the next person gets to roll the die.  All regular hopscotch rules apply.

Boardgames

Often, in the busyness of the school year, our substantial collection of board games get forgotten. But, come summertime, we eagerly unpack them from the closet, blow off the thick layer of dust they've collected, and spend hot afternoons circled around a few of our favorites.  Here is a list of some great MATH or MATH LOGIC-THEMED board games.

• Blokus
• Rush Hour
• Racko
• Money Bags
• S'math
• Sequence Numbers

For more board game ideas, be sure to check out the 5 Days of Family Games at Fruit in Season.


Math has never been my favorite subject.  During the school year, I put on my bravest face when it's time to teach decimal points and dividends hoping that my kids will see my contrived enthusiasm as sincere.  But come summertime, when we take an acutely more relaxed approach to learning, even THIS mathematically challenged momma can enjoy...or at least stomach...'rithmetic!

I hope you'll join me for the rest of

Five Days of Summer "Unschooling".

Here's a look at the entire series.

• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Creative Writing
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Science
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Reading 
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Math
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Extra Curriculars

Want some more summertime ideas?

From July 16-21, join me over at iHomeschool Network for the Five Days of Summer Series brought to you by Beech Retreat and 20 fabulous homeschool bloggers from around the web.  That's 100 homeschooling ideas, kid-friendly activities, and homemaker helps to make this a summer to remember!

5 Days of Summer "Unschool": Reading

We're halfway through our look at Summertime "Un-school."  Thanks for joining me.  If you're new around these parts, I should start by mentioning that on the whole, I am NOT what you would consider an "unschooler".  I tend to take the road more clearly marked...organized unit studies, notebooking pages, a few worksheets here and there...you get the idea.  But in the summer, I take a more relaxed approach to our scholastic endeavors.  The summer sun calls us outside and so our learning often has to come along with us.

Watching Sweetie Pea reading a book in a hammock as I write this reminds me that reading CAN happen even in the dog days of summer. 

Today, let's chat about encouraging summertime reading.

Library Book Clubs

Just about every public library hosts a summertime reading program complete with small trinkets as reward for meeting short-term reading goals.  If you don't already have a weekly library date during the school year, try to launch a new habit during the less-busy summer months.  Frequent visits to claim prizes EQUAL frequent visits to discover new literary treasures.  Although Sweetie Pea has always been a library fanatic, Super Boy has only recently wandered away from the games and puzzles and has discovered his favorite shelves.  He has spent the summer lugging home arm-loads of good finds.  (I have actually had to make a rule that he can only check out as many books as he can carry home.) 

Family Reading Challenge

If your library does not host a summer club, create one of your own. Challenge everyone in the house to a reading contest.  Be sure to include yourself in the competition.  Create a fun chart to keep track of books completed or minutes spent reading.  Follow everyone's progress.  Consider offering small trinkets, special dinnertime desserts, "passes" for a household privilege (later bedtime, friend over to play, board game date with mom or dad, etc.) for meeting milestones.  Set a family reading goal and try to meet that goal together.  At the end of the summer, celebrate your group success with a inexpensive family outing.  

"Past Bedtime" Reading

Celebrate a more relaxed schedule by allowing your kiddos to stay up past bedtime to read.  Sporadically throughout the year, we allow the older kids the special privilege of late night reading.  For obvious scheduling reasons, this happens a lot more often in the summer months.  The rules are simple.

• You can stay up late (usually 30 minutes to an hour), but you have to be in your bed.
• And, you HAVE to be reading. 

A child who would otherwise dread picking up a book might jump at the chance to read if it meant staying up late.

Around Town Book Clubs

The following are links to reading incentive programs offered by local business and on-line organizations.  

• Barnes & Noble Bookstores
• Book Adventure/Sylvan Learning 
• Book It!
• Chuck E. Cheese
• Dept. of Defense (for military families only)
• Half Price Books
• H-E-B Grocery
• PBS Kids & iVillage
• Pottery Barn
• Scholastic.com
• Showcase Cinemas

The old adage still rings true..."Better caught then taught."  If your kids see YOU make reading a priority this summer, they will be more likely to pick up a book.  So, take a few minutes each day to grab a book and some sun...and encourage them to do the same!

I hope you'll join me for the rest of

Five Days of Summer "Unschool".

Here's a look at the entire series:

• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Creative Writing
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Science
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Reading 
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Math
• Five Days of Summer "Unschool":  Extra Curriculars

Want some more summertime ideas?  

From July 16-21, join me over at iHomeschool Network for the Five Days of Summer Series brought to you by Beech Retreat and 20 fabulous homeschool bloggers from around the web.  That's 100 homeschooling ideas, kid-friendly activities, and homemaker helps to make this a summer to remember!

5 Days of Summer "Unschool": Science

Welcome to Day 2 of my weeklong series of Summer "Unschooling!"

Yesterday, I shared a few brief thoughts on why this unit study-Charlotte Mason-living literature-Thomas Jeffersonanion-Montessouri-notebooking-slightly textbooky-ECLECTIC momma somehow morphs into an UNSCHOOLER for the summer. I also presented a handful of ideas for encouraging creative writing while on a school-time hiatus.

Today, let's take a look at Un-schooling Science.

Science, especially anything related to nature and the great outdoors, gets a little tricky during the school year in my neck of the woods. Unless we plan to study hibernation and/or dormancy, our nature study is limited to whatever happens to be able to withstand several feet of frozen "white."

Four years ago while chatting with some homeschool veterans, I decided that although I would continue to teach science throughout the school year, I would focus much of our science efforts during the summertime. Throughout the year, I make a mental note of what natural interests my kids develop as we read books together. If possible, we revisit those themes when the snow melts...or June starts...whichever comes first!

These summer-long units are very organic. I don't really do any planning. We simply read a lot of books, observe, make theories and test them, and do some notebooking to document our discoveries.

I thought I'd share a few of our past adventures in hopes that it might spark an idea or topic of interest for your summertime learning.

Summer-long Units

Butterfly Study

The Deputy's Wife is my go-to science gal. A few years ago, she was gracious enough to scour her property for milkweed and the little caterpillar critters that take residence on them every summer. She helped us nab a few to keep in a homemade observatory (a large pickle jar with netting over the top). We were able to watch the fascinating life cycle several times before summer's end.  

After releasing quite a handful of monarchs into the wild (One even accompanied us on a vacation up-state and was set free at the crest of a large hill), the children made some Eric Carl-esque paintings and set their findings down in the form of a hand-made book.

Bird Watching

Come spring/summer, our area becomes an Audubon birder's paradise. With a few field guides and a homemade birdwatching notebook at her side, a then first-grade Sweetie Pea, set about to document every bird she saw. She even stopped in the middle of a Community Ed. soccer game to run over to the sidelines and tell me she saw an osprey's nest above the light pole.   

In her book, she documented the bird's name, date of her findings, the bird's gender (based on the coloring), where she found the bird, the bird's diet, how that species builds its nests, and any other interesting facts she learned from her field guides. She completed the entry with a handmade drawing of each. (It helped that her dad is a professional artist and gave her a few tips on drawing bird forms.)

I wish I still had the files for this bird book printable to be able to share it with you, but alas...

Instead, check out these other bird watching notebooking pages:
Think Crafts' Bird Watching Book
KidsCanHaveFun's Bird Watching Explorer sheet

Frogs/Toads

For years, we have had a family...and eventually a LARGE community...of frogs and toads living in our basement window wells. One summer, I had a plan to do a nature study on ants. I had prepared a notebook filled with observation activities, checked out several books from the library, and had bookmarked several scripture verses about ants in order to incorporate a character study using ants as a natural example. But, after only a few days of our study, it was quite clear that the frogs were much more intriguing to my little learners. In the true nature of "unschooling," I scrapped all my PLANS and enlisted the Hubs to help the kids round up some little leapers.

Since this truly was a "plan B," our learning took place mostly through observation and care/keeping of the little critters. My boys especially loved discovering the eating likes/dislikes of our "house guests."

TOPS Science Units

Now, before you write the "unschooling authorities", I realize that a pre-planned unit does not necessarily qualify as organic learning. That being said, I do think that TOPS Learning System books are excellent resources to jumpstart the natural learning process. They encourage exploration of a topic by presenting NUMEROUS projects that follow the steps of the scientific process.

We completed the Tops Radish kit this past fall and are spending the summer working through their Corn and Beans biology unit.

A couple of things to remember when embarking upon a TOPS series: The units are written for a five-day-classroom situation. In order to complete the projects correctly, a pre-planned timeline has to be strictly followed. Our Corn and Beans unit takes 5 weeks to complete. Missing even ONE day in those five weeks makes a few of our experiments a moot point.

The books include lab instructions and journaling pages that can be photocopied for each child. I put all of these into pronged folders for my kids to fill out. Most of the TOPS units have suggested age-ranges. Be sure to choose the right range for your household and read all teacher notes before beginning.

Other suggestions

Lord willing, we will have many summertimes in our future to be able to use these same patterns of natural learning to explore these other topics.

trees
flowers
other insects
fish
spiders
stars

Short-term units

Not wanting to commit to an entire summer of scientific discovery? No worries. Many topics can be explored in a few days or even a few minutes.

Egg Carton Nature Hunt

For my littlest learners, an egg carton nature hunt is always an annual summertime staple. Before heading out on a walk through the woods or a state park, we each paint the insides of an empty egg carton. Each cup is painted a different color.

As we walk, the kids attempt to find a natural element that is similar in color to each of the painted egg cups.

When we get back home, we share our findings, try to determine the name of each, and do some nature drawings of our favorites in a nature notebook. This has proven to be a great way to encourage thoughtful observation as we "commune with nature."

Nature Collections

Super Boy, especially, gets a spark every few weeks to search out a new topic. This often comes in the form of gathering a collection of similar items. Rocks, shells, leaves, and feathers have all made their way into a treasure box or dresser drawer for safe keeping. Even though his reading level does not enable him to actually read all the words in it, I provide Super Boy with a simple field guide, to encourage investigation. He looks through the pictures and finds an item with similar characteristics to the one in his collection.

Discovery Baskets

During the summer, our discovery quiet time basket becomes a hub of organic learning. It has been a great way to introduce numerous new topics in order that my kids can develop new interests. I fill much of the basket with nature and nature-study resources.

I realize that science and science projects can make many mothers shudder, myself included. Just the THOUGHT of cleaning up a mess can be exhausting. Saving science for summer can be a great, less-busy time to encourage the disorder/clutter that comes with exploratory learning.