It happens every summer. You’re finished with school and suddenly your routine is all messed up and your kids start to say the dreaded words… I. Am. Bored! You can have fun this summer while learning together! Here are 6 summer family activities to keep learning fun.

1. Learn through extraordinary travels

Summer is a great time to travel together as a family! Many desitnations will hold additional family friendly activities over the summer to add in extra fun. Our favorite destinations are always going to national or state parks. Many of these parks will offer Junior Ranger programs, which bring in tons of learning!

We love visiting museums or historical places while we travel, as well. Zoos, aquariums, and more will bring many opportunities for so much amazing learning and education! Many people consider this type of learning roadschooling (you do not have to live in an RV to roadschool!) and use travel as a large part of their learning experiences. You can use this travel and fieldtrip journal to record everything you’ve done, too.

If you can’t get out and about this summer, you can still explore the National Park with our beautiful, literature based National Parks curriculum.

2. Learn about Fireflies for some summer memories

One of my favorite parts of summer is when the fireflies come out! It’s always so much fun to see the joy light up in my children’s faces when they see that glow in our yard for the first time each summer. You can learn all about fireflies with this free Rabbit Trails through Science lesson. Read amazing books, get hands on, and learn together with this free summer learning activity!

3. Local summer festivals create great learning environments

We are blessed to live in an area rich with summer festivals! There are likely quite a few within a few hours driving distance from your home. This gives you the opportunity not only to travel throughout your own state, but to learn about some really great local establishments, history, and more!

We were able to catch a local pirate festival a few years ago. They hold this every year in our area, as it is where Blackbeard sank his famous Jolly Roger. While at the festival we were able to visit a historic jail, visit lots of pirates, visit a museum that has artifacts from shipwrecks, and get a Junior Ranger badge from a national seashore. Wow! So much from just one festival. Search for festivals in your area and see what adventures come from it!

4. Learn geography during your summer travels

When you’re traveling to your summer vacations and local summer festivals, your children can learn geography naturally with the license plate game! This is a favorite with our kiddos! They can print off this map and check the states off as they see the license plates go by on the road. This is also a great boredom buster during drives and keeps them from asking, “Are we there, yet?!” a million times. Since the license plates are in a list, and they have to find the state, they will naturally learn geography, too!

5. Explore nature together as a family

Nature study is something we do all year, but summer is a great time for this since there is so much in nature to see! Plants are in their prime, wildlife is out and about, and there are bugs galore. You can do this simple summer learning activity right in your own backyard, out at a local park or trail, or when you’re exploring a new area on vacation. You can make it super easy with this beautiful Nature Journal, too!

6. Use the summer reading program as motivation and a boredom buster

We’ve always loved the summer reading program! It is such a great way to inpire and motivate your kids to read throughout the summer. Most libraries have additional activities in addition to the reading challenges. Take advantage of the free activties! They always serve as great boredom busters and an excuse to beat the heat.

We’re offering an AWESOME and FREE Summer Reading Program for 2023! You will get trackers, weekly book lists, weekly activity suggestions, poetry to read, and more. You can sign up today and get a free e-book when you do!

Are you planning any summer learning activities? Let us know in the comments or in my online homeschool community!

Looking for more resources for your homeschool? See my full resource list that has everything from homeschool rooms to socialization!