Are you afraid that the kids brains will turn to mush during summer break? I believe in giving the kids a break, but for a little while a few times a week I like to do summer school with them. Here are some things we are doing:

READING: The summer reading club at the library, reading to themselves before bed, reading the Little House series to the kids outside

PHYS ED: Swimming lessons, playing ball, taking walks, learning to throw the frisbee

SCIENCE: Experiments we found in library books, looking at things in the microscope, gardening

SCHOOL: Worksheets sent home from school

NATURE: Nature projects like planting, nature crafts, tree watch- writing down the changes of a tree through the year, nature notebook to writing down all the discoveries

WRITING: E-mailing friends, writing grandparents, practicing writing letters and number, writing a journal of summer adventures once a week

MUSIC: Listening to classical music, learning the play the piano

CHORES: Learning how to do different chores around the house so during the year we just need to list them, grocery shopping, cooking

HISTORY: Learning about state and local history, taking day trips to historical places

MORALS: teaching about a different value each week, service projects

In the midst of all the summer fun, it is great to learn something new.