Tag Archives: summer activities

Where Did the Summer Go?

A week ago I complained to anyone who would listen that the local bargain store was clearing out sunscreen and no longer had the zinc oxide I wanted. I couldn’t believe they would pack away those products in the middle of July when the weather was still plenty hot and sunny. But there were boxes where they were packing up summer things and unopened boxes with school supplies. Yesterday I complained about all the back to school sales going on. I said things like “couldn’t they just let us enjoy our summer”, and “we’ll worry about that next month”, and … Continue reading →

Summer School by Choice

When I was young, summer school was the kiss of death—it was something you had to go to if you flunked a class or did poorly in the year and it was not a reality that anyone wanted their friends to know about. With my children’s generation, however, summer school seems to be just another educational option and there are kids who take advantage of summer school to get ahead or to take electives that they do not have the time to take during the regular school year. This summer my son is going to summer school by choice—he wants … Continue reading →

Options for Summer Fun

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My children have ten days left of school. Sometimes by this time of year, I am tired of the routine of mornings, homework, and packing lunches and am ready for school to be over. This year isn’t one of those years. Summer has really snuck up on me. I’ve got to get some stuff planned for the boys. They are all much too old to be interested in the sand box and bubbles. I do want them to have a lot of down time this summer, unscheduled fun – those days where they can just play and be creative. But … Continue reading →

Good Summer Activities

It is time to begin thinking of summer activities for your children. If you have Primary aged children you may consider putting together a summer group. This group will give your children a structured activity once a month. It is also a chance to have your children maintain their friendships with church members. This is especially important if you live outside of Utah, and your neighbors aren’t necessarily members. You can have as much structure or as little structure as you want. You may consider planning a craft activity each week, along with a story time. It might be nice … Continue reading →

Labor Day Weekend – Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

Labor Day weekend is almost here. We are looking forward to the annual hot air balloon festival and four day weekend. Four days off from school will be a nice break and a chance to catch up just a little on chores and homework. Many people consider Labor Day to be the end of the summer. It’s a good weekend to throw an end of summer party. Even though summer is ending, there’s still time for a couple of afternoons at the lake, a few more picnics, a few more hikes before the snow hits. We’ve had such a hot … Continue reading →

Young Men: Summer Activities

It is important to keep your son out of trouble over the summer months. The summer is great for relaxing and having fun, but it easy for kids to get in trouble if they have too little to do. Here are five activities that you may consider having your young man do over the summer. 1) You can have your son work. One common job is mowing lawns; another is taking on a paper route. You may also consider encouraging your sixteen year old to find work over the summer. You can encourage your son to pay his tithing and … Continue reading →

Unique Summer Learning

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Learning and academic achievement do not have to stop during the summer months. However, your child does not have to study and attend class to have a successful and enriching summer. Children, like adults, need a break. While encouraging your child to continue learning and enhancing his knowledge, you should also let him enjoy his time off and have some fun. There are many ways to strengthen your child’s academics without making him endure class or study time. Summer is a wonderful opportunity for your child to grow academically in a less structure environment setting. Look to enroll your child … Continue reading →

Summer Brain Drain

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Summer vacation has officially arrived. I barely survived my first week! Here’s an interesting tidbit I read about. According to a study by Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, students lose one to three months worth of learning when they return to school after the summer break. According to Cooper, this loss is greatest in math skills. He claims that all students lose math skills over the summer. The study also found that income had an impact on how much a student lost or gained in the area of reading. Middle-class students gained in … Continue reading →

Planning Summer Fun

School got out a week ago. Normally our first week off is a do as little as possible week. We are all so glad to be home and to have free time that we don’t need a lot to entertain us. This week though, we’ve been off visiting relatives. I’m not sure yet if we’ll jump into our summer when we return, or if we will need a few days of doing hardly anything at all. I really enjoy the lazy days of summer, but I also think we need some fun plans. If we don’t have things planned, or … Continue reading →

A to Z Educational and Fun Summer Activities: U to Z

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This article will finish my A to Z series of fun and educational summer activities. I hope that you have enjoyed this series and find the activities helpful. I wish everyone a safe, fun, and educational summer! U = Uncover! Take the children outdoors and uncover small rocks in the yard or creek. Hunt for roly-poly bugs, crawl fish, lizards and more. Make sure that your children do not uncover large rocks that snakes may be hiding under. V = Vines! Take your child to pick blackberries or strawberries. Discuss how the berries grow and the various types of berries … Continue reading →