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Summer Resources and Activities for Kids
That Encourage Learning and Independence
Summer is here, and something about that always triggers the wannabe homeschool mom in me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the chaos of summer. I love spontaneous trips to the beach, amusement parks, camping, pool days, late bedtimes, backyard adventures, and lazy mornings. Summer is one of my favorite seasons with my kids.
I was just talking to a friend recently about how I tend to go a little overboard organizing summer resources and activities. But the truth is, I’m not trying to turn our house into summer school. Instead, I find that after lots of chaos, kids enjoy some structure and using their brains. I like having a handful of resources ready to fall back on when we are exhausted from all the running around. I also want to inspire a life long love of learning in our kids, so I love incorporating lots of exciting things to learn about as we enjoy our lazy summer days.
Our Summer Culture
Before I share all of the resources we use, I should probably explain that what matters most in our house isn’t the workbooks or reading lists, it’s the culture we’re trying to create. Every family has their own vision for summer, but ours revolves around freedom, creativity, and making memories together.
One of the biggest ways we do that is by having screen-free summers. That doesn’t mean my kids never watch a movie or use technology. But during the summer, screens take a major step back. Instead, I want my kids climbing trees, riding bikes, building forts, catching lightning bugs, reading books, creating imaginary worlds, and getting dirty outside.
Something that I always have to remind myself of as a mom: boredom produces creativity. Each time my kids are bored, guilt creeps in and I feel the urge to let them go on their tablets or watch a show. I have to continuously remind myself that boredom gives my kids the opportunity to find out what they love to do and allows them the space to get creative. Boredom should be protected rather than immediately trying to solve it. When I hear the dreaded “Mom, I’m bored,” I try to respond with “That’s great! That means you get to find something you love to do!” I have created a “Boredom Busters” sheet for my kids this summer to give them LOTS of ideas of ways that they can learn, be creative, or help out.
I’m always happy when I resist the urge to give them screens and I see them doing something WAY better a few minutes later. The living room becomes a fort. The backyard becomes an expedition. The neighbors become teammates in elaborate games that somehow last for hours.
Many of the resources in this post exist to support that culture. They’re simply tools that help us build a summer filled with curiosity, learning, independence, and adventure.
Summer Rhythm Booklet
I made this summer rhythm booklet when my boys were toddlers/preschoolers. I found that it helped them to have a visuals of a loose schedule that the day would follow. Did we follow this schedule every day? No. But it gave them independence in helping the family. I laminated the pages and put it on a ring so that they could flip through it during the day and it has been a gamechanger. It’s a small thing, but it saves me from saying “Did you brush your teeth?” seventeen times before lunch. I’ve found that kids often thrive when they know what’s expected of them, even during the relaxed days of summer.
Summer Brain Quest Books
My kids jump for joy when their Summer Brain Quest Workbooks arrive. What my kids LOVE about these books is that there is a big fold out map in the back where they add stickers as they complete assignments. There are recommended summer reading books in the back, little cut out quiz cards that we have brought with us on long drives, and they cover math, reading, writing, outdoor activities, etc. I cannot recommend these enough!
Summer Reading Lists
Our local library has a summer reading incentive program where you track the time your kids read on the Beanstack App and then they get prizes. It is so fun for my kids and definitely keeps them excited about reading!
My boys’ school doesn’t give summer reading lists, so we make our own! Each child is so unique with reading-level and interests, so I ended up asking AI to give me a list of books (including one book that would be a bit above their reading level as a stretch book) based on the books my boys are currently reading and loving. After tweaking which books I wanted to include, my prompt was: Make a printable 8.5 x 11 PDF with a checklist of those books you just listed for my 9 year old. Titled: Summer Reading, design with some fantasy/cool graphics. I even had one made for my 3 year old so he wouldn’t feel left out!
9 year old
6 year old
3 year old
Summer Recitation Lists
Okay this is where I will probably lose people! Ha! But I came across Ambleside Online (a free curriculum that provides book lists, poetry selections, and educational resources by age) a few years back and thought their approach toward education seemed so rich and engaging. They use the “Charlotte Mason” method. Charlotte Mason was an educator who emphasized great books, nature, poetry, art, and cultivating a love of learning. She encouraged exposing children to beautiful language, poetry, and literature, so that is why I put together these summer recitation lists together for my kids. (Again, my 3 year old doesn’t like to be left out so I made him one, but he may just use his as a coloring sheet.)
The secret is that participation is completely voluntary. I assign prizes to each verse/poem and they have the option to memorize and earn the prizes. This year our prizes include: slushies, swedish fish candy, gummy nerd clusters, ring pops, one hour of video games, $10 to spend at Five Below, outdoor movie night with hot dogs & s’mores over the fire, a Phillies baseball game.
9 year old
6 year old
3 year old
Boredom Buster List
This year I created a giant list of activities my kids can do before they tell me they’re bored. The list includes everything from building forts and riding bikes to drawing, crafting, reading, Legos, backyard games, puzzles, and imaginative play ideas.
When boredom strikes, this encourages kids to help out or come up with their own fun!
Fun Spanish Exposure with Llamitas Spanish
Another thing I try to incorporate during the summer is a little exposure to Spanish. I’ve always loved languages, so it’s fun for me to do this with my kids. I’m not attempting to create fluent speakers over summer break, but I do love introducing another language in a fun and low-pressure way.
One of my favorite resources is Llamitas Spanish. She offers a ton of free resources: printable activities, playlists, games, and other resources that make language learning feel playful rather than academic.
It’s a simple way to expose kids to Spanish through songs, activities, and everyday learning.
Exploring the World Through Eat2Explore Cooking Kits
We’ve had a lot of fun with Eat2Explore cooking kits, which introduce kids to different countries and cultures through food. Each box includes recipes, spices, activity cards, and information about the featured country.
When my kids do these kits, they are so proud of themselves, they try new foods WILLINGLY, and they don’t complain about what is for dinner! It’s a win-win-win. Pair it with a movie about the same culture and do a family movie night!
It’s the kind of activity that checks a lot of boxes for me: quality family time, hands-on learning, trying new foods, and exposing kids to the wider world without leaving home.
Simply Piano
Another resource we’ve really enjoyed using over the years is the Simply Piano app.
It’s a simple, kid-friendly way to introduce piano without needing formal lessons right away. The app walks kids through short, interactive lessons (that feel like games) and lets them learn at their own pace, which works really well during the relaxed rhythm of summer.
What I like most is that it turns practice into something approachable. Kids can sit down for just a few minutes a day and still feel like they’re making progress. It’s flexible, low-pressure, and easy to pick up whenever they’re in the mood.
It’s one of those “quiet learning” tools that fits nicely into our summer rhythm – something they can explore independently while still building a real skill over time.
The Goal Isn't a Perfect Summer
If all of this sounds like a lot, I promise our summers are still filled with messy bedrooms, endless “can I have a snack?” requests, neighborhood adventures, and lazy summer days.
These resources aren’t meant to create a perfectly structured summer and we won’t complete every book, task, or activity that I have listed above. They’re simply tools I keep in my back pocket for the days when everyone could use a little direction, enrichment, or inspiration.
I hope you have a fun summer with your kids and these resources help your cortisol levels to stay low even when you hear: “Mom, I’m bored!!” 🙂