Summer Learning Fun for K–5 Families!
Teachers, send a link to this post to families who might enjoy a little low-cost, high-fun family learning as the summer weeks stretch out before us.
School's out, but the learning doesn't have to stop! Here are 50 fun, easy, and low-cost summer activities that spark curiosity, creativity, and connection for kids in grades K–5. Each activity is designed to fit right into your daily life with minimal prep and common household items. Whether you're indoors on a rainy day or soaking up the sun in the backyard, these learning-forward ideas will keep brains buzzing and boredom at bay all summer long!
ELA (English Language Arts)
Storytime Theater – Act out a favorite story with voices and costumes.
Backyard Book Club – Read a book together and discuss over snacks.
Alphabet Scavenger Hunt – Find items for each letter of the alphabet.
Write a Family Newspaper – Create articles, comics, and interviews.
Letter Writing – Send real letters to friends, family, or even fictional characters.
Word of the Day Challenge – Learn and use a new word each day.
Create a Summer Journal – Write and draw daily reflections.
Silly Story Dice – Roll dice with words or pictures to create a story.
Read Aloud Relay – Take turns reading aloud from a chapter book.
Poetry Picnic – Read and write poems outside on a blanket.
Math
Math Fact Hopscotch – Write math facts in chalk and solve while hopping.
Grocery Store Math – Practice estimation and addition while shopping.
Shape Hunt – Look for different shapes around the house or neighborhood.
DIY Board Game – Make a math-themed board game.
Cooking with Fractions – Measure ingredients and discuss fractions.
Counting Collection – Count and sort rocks, buttons, or coins.
Math Minute Races – Solve as many math problems as possible in a minute.
Build with Blocks – Explore geometry by building towers.
Number Nature Walk – Count birds, flowers, or insects.
Skip Counting Jump Rope – Count by 2s, 5s, or 10s while jumping.
History
Time Traveler Diary – Write about a day in the life of a historical figure.
Family Tree Drawing – Create a visual family tree. Need some help drawing a tree?
Local Landmark Visit – Explore a nearby historical site.
History Hat Parade – Make hats that represent different time periods.
Historical Recipe Taste Test – Cook and try foods from the past. You HAVE to see the recipe for Mud Apples!
Make a Map – Draw a map of your neighborhood or town.
Dress-Up Day – Dress and act like a figure from history.
Story Stones – Paint stones with history-themed symbols and tell stories.
Timeline Tape – Use masking tape on the floor to make a life timeline.
History Bingo – Create bingo cards with historical events or figures.
Arts
Sidewalk Chalk Mural – Create collaborative art on the driveway. Here’s some inspo with a bonus recipe on how to make your own chalk!
Nature Collage – Glue leaves, flowers, and twigs onto paper.
Puppet Show – Make paper puppets and perform a show.
DIY Instruments – Create shakers, drums, or guitars from recyclables. LOADS of fun noise!
Watercolor Story Painting – Paint scenes from a favorite book.
Paper Bag Costumes – Design wearable art. Your inspo
Shadow Art – Trace shadows with chalk at different times of day.
Art Gallery Tour – Set up and walk through a homemade art gallery.
Recycled Art Challenge – Build sculptures from clean recyclables.
Color Mixing Lab – Mix paint to discover new colors.
Music
Backyard Dance Party – Play favorite tunes and dance it out.
Rhythm Stomp – Use feet and claps to make rhythms.
Musical Chairs Reading – Combine music and reading games.
Name That Sound – Guess mystery sounds from around the house.
Sing-Along Karaoke – Use a device for lyrics and sing your heart out.
Science
Sink or Float – Test household items in a tub of water. Your backyard wading pool is perfect for this!
Bug Hunt – Explore and identify insects in the yard. Or make your yard insect and pollinator-friendly!
Lava Lamp Experiment – Use oil, water, and food coloring. 34-second recipe here!
Solar Oven S'mores – Harness the sun to make a treat. YUM!
Weather Journal – Record daily weather and make predictions.
Shopping List
We compiled this list specifically to use materials you might find around your home. But if you don't already have these, here’s your list!
Paper, pencils, markers, crayons
Dice (or make paper cubes)
Blank notebooks or paper for journaling
Chalk
Old clothes or fabric scraps (for costumes)
Recyclables (bottles, boxes, caps, etc.)
Masking tape
Craft glue or glue sticks
Scissors (child-safe)
Paint and paintbrushes
Musical instruments or containers to make noise
Basic kitchen ingredients (oil, food coloring, baking items)
Envelopes and stamps for letters
Books (library or home collection)
Send us pics of your family doing some of these! We’d love to see your masterpieces!
Happy learning and adventuring this summer!
This blog post was written in collaboration with ChatGPT. I used the prompt: “Generate a list of 50 fun and easy summer learning-forward activities that parents can do with their grades K-5 kids. Make the list as low-cost and low-supplies as possible. Also, generate a shopping list for the supplies they'll need for each activity. Again, no supplies are best, but if there are supplies needed, try to make the supplies materials that most households with kids aged 5-10 would have. Also, categorize the lists into ELA, Math, History, Arts, Music, Science, Homemaking, and Entrepreneurial. Provide a 1-paragraph introduction that is very friendly and fun.” I used the output as a starting point for generating the list before modifying some activities and adding in human-reviewed links.
