Summer Is Here
Does your homeschool day include outside activities? If so, I have a homeschool nature study curriculum that you are going to love.
Summer Solstice is upon us! Yes. On June 20th and 21st, we celebrate the longest days of the year.
And I know some of us are ready to relax a bit. Maybe get the kids out of the house for some summer fun.
But, we don’t want to do it at the risk of them possibly losing reading or math skills. So, we need to find something fast because summer is drifting on by.
How Can We Avoid Summer Learning Loss?
The major questions on the minds of many parents – public, private, or homeschool – during this time are:
“How can I keep my kids engaged in learning during the summer?” “How do I keep their brains from turning into mush?”
Although, the questions usually come out like this:
“Where can I put these young people so they don’t drive me crazy?!” “What can I do with them until August or September?!”
Some parents decide to send the kids to day camp, summer camp, or Vacation Bible School during their break. Others choose to let the kids earn some money while at home.
Studies show that kids can lose nearly two months of math and three months of reading skills during the summer! This is commonly known as the “summer slide”. However, teachers agree that this can be overcome if students participate in a summer learning program.
This does not have to exclude homeschooled kids.
They can also participate in a summer learning program WHILE avoiding brain drain. And they can still have fun during their break.
Homeschool Nature Study Makes Summer Learning Fun
If your kids are in need of some brain games while enjoying (or working through) their summer break, there is NaturExplorers: Educational Journeys Into God’s Creation from Our Journey Westward. This homeschool nature study series will help you keep the kids engaged in learning.
With each of these unit studies, you and your children can get out and enjoy nature. All while being inspired, encouraged and enlightened.
No Child…Or Style…Left Behind
Best of all, these unit studies are for all types of schooling! You don’t have to be a Charlotte Mason style homeschooler! You don’t even have to be a homeschooler! Goodness! You don’t even have to be a school teacher!
NaturExplorers is a tool that you will find useful to any homeschooling style. Project-Based homeschoolers, Traditional and Classical can benefit. New and Veteran homeschoolers, alike, can appreciate the ideas that are fully put together and ready to use.
(I mean, it is Summer, after all. Take a break. Let someone else provide the plan for once.)
Classroom Teachers can also use these homeschool nature study units. As well, Nature Club Teachers and Co-op teachers. Even camp directors and after-school program coordinators will be able to find useful information in each nature study.
Many Opportunities to Play and Learn
Within each unit you will find:
- Inspirational literature suggestions
- Background information for the parent or teacher concerning the main focus of the nature topic
- An abundance of creative nature walks
- Follow-up hands-on activity ideas
- Writing and research ideas that encompass several subject areas
- References for Bible study, artist study, composer study and poetry tie-ins
- Child-friendly internet links and book lists for further study
- Ideas for adapting the material for younger and older children, as well as ideas for groups of children
- Several colorful, prepared notebooking pages
- General homeschool nature study suggestions
Wait…There’s More
What’s really cool about these studies is that there are quite a few that are appropriate for various seasons. Not just summer. Even the beauty of nature in Winter can have its own focused study. (Cool? Winter? I get it.)
The units are written with elementary students in mind, but you can adapt them to younger and older students. I had kids from age 3 to 42 get a lot of enjoyment from activities in the Peaceful Ponds study. We all enjoyed the homemade underwater viewfinder.
Because we live in the tropics, one of our favorite studies was Remarkable Rain. It’s great during the rainy season to get out and explore.
To help my daughters understand some of the animals that are common to our area (specifically our patio), we had fun with the Frogs and Toads study.
The Flying Creatures of the Night study was unashamedly for me when I started noticing bat droppings in our bodega. But the girls enjoyed it too. We have since created bat houses to place in certain areas of the yard now that we understand them better.
So, you see summer doesn’t have to be an absolute mental drag for your kids. Or for you.
You can let them have fun! Let them get out! Everyone can enjoy nature! Whether you are chilling out at home or taking a break from work. Parents and kids alike can enjoy learning while playing this summer.