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Learning Activities for Kids

Stop Summer Slide with Summer Reading Challenges

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My number one tool for combating summer slide is reading. Thank goodness for summer reading challenges to encourage this! We usually enroll every year in our library’s summer reading program. It’s a great place to start. And honestly, if this is the only thing you’re doing to beat summer slide, then you’re in great shape.

Reading every day is so important. Your kids will keep their reading level steady – and they may even improve! They’ll learn some new facts and increase their vocabulary. And best of all, they’ll have fun.

I’ve rounded up some fun summer reading challenges for kids. I know you’ll find some ideas that work for your family.

One way to stop summer slide is by encouraging your child to read. These summer reading challenges are perfect to do over break.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Have fun with one of these summer reading challenges

If you’re looking for something simple, you’ll find a fun reading log your kids can color at This Reading Mom. Each time they read a book, they can color in one of the books on the shelf.

Get a line across, down, or vertical. Or go for the ultimate challenge with a black out! The Chirping Moms has three different BINGO cards you can print for summer reading fun.

Challenge your kids to think outside of the box. Clare’s Contemplations has a fun summer reading challenge for kids that will get your kids reading all kinds of different things.

Try a punch card for a fun reading incentive. Print out these printable punchcard bookmarks at Over the Big Moon. Your kids can earn a punch for ever book they read, or every time they read for 30 minutes, or whatever you decide.

Challenge your kids to read around the world. Print out the reading challenge map at Stuffed Suitcase. You can read the books suggested in the post or challenge your kids to find their own books that take place in the selected areas around the world.

Can you read 100 books this summer? That’s a HUGE challenge isn’t it? If your kids are up for the challenge, they can read a book in each of the 100 places in this challenge from The Measured Mom.

One way to stop summer slide is by encouraging your child to read. These summer reading challenges are perfect to do over break.

More fun reading challenges

Help your kids be a Summer Reading Star with this printable summer reading kit complete with Summer Reading BINGO, reward coupons, a summer reading banner and more. You can find it at How Does She. (Note: This is a subscriber freebie, so you will need to subscribe to the email list to gain access to this printable.

Read along with a daily reading prompt. No Time for Flashcards has monthly reading challenge calendars (for June, July, and August) that will give your kids a reading challenge a day.

Display all the books you read on this printable summer reading chain at Eighteen25. Each time your child reads a book, they can fill in the information and add a new link to their chain. It would be fun to see how long your chain can grow.

Simple As That has a pretty printable summer reading kit with an old-fashioned flair. (I loved how much it reminded me of the old library card pockets.)

Childhood 101 has a great reading log printable that you can use time and time again. Challenge your kids to fill in the entire log. There’s even a star rating system so you can easily remember the books you liked a lot and the books you didn’t.

Are you up for some fun – and somewhat challenging – reading challenges for the summer? Check out these 9 challenges from Growing Book by Book. You’ll be reading books you never would have thought of before.

Go on a library scavenger hunt and see what you can find! Read books across all genres to complete this challenge found here.

Don’t forget to make some fun new bookmarks to help you keep track of your reading.

Get creative with a hole-punch and make these fun and colorful Hole-Punched Bookmarks.

Magic Wand Reading Pointers can work as both a bookmark and a reading pointer. You’ll definitely want a supply of these. Or, your sports fans may love one of these All-Star Sports Reading Pointers from Better Than Homework.

Make some fun corner bookmarks. Red Ted Art has so many great ideas. You can make Minions, pandas, emoji, butterflies, and more.

Keep reading this summer and beat summer slide with one (or a few) of these summer reading challenges!

One way to stop summer slide is by encouraging your child to read. These summer reading challenges are perfect to do over break.

You can find more great ideas for stopping summer slide on one of these posts:

Color Mixing Lab STEAM Activity

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What do you get when you combine science and art into a fun STEAM project?

A color mixing lab!

We continued our study of color by performing some experiments to find out what happens when you mix color.

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Set up your color mixing lab

We used two basic forms of color: colored water and colored ice cubes.

I prepped the ice a few hours earlier by adding a couple of drops of food coloring to the water in an ice cube tray. I only made the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue.

When it was time to experiment, I also made three cups of primary colored water using food coloring again.

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

I set up the lab with the ice cubes, water, and a pile of white coffee filters.

I showed the girls how they could dip the filters into the water to dye them.

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

Experiment with color

The experiments began in earnest.

We’d dip in blue and then use a yellow ice cube to color over it. Suddenly we had green!

We tried red and blue and got purple.

It wasn’t long before we had a pile of colorful coffee filters and a couple of girls wondering what would happen if they dipped a coffee filter in all of the colors? The result, a “beautiful” brown coffee filter!

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

When we ran out of coffee filters, we took our experiments one step further. It was time to mix the water and the ice cubes.

We dropped the yellow cubes into the blue water and watched as the water quickly turned from blue to green. Drop, drop, drop, and suddenly our primary colors turned into secondary colors.

So much fun!

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

Experimenting with color is a fun and vibrant way to mix a little art and science together.

Set up your own color mixing lab; it’s fun for preschoolers and school-aged kids!

What is your favorite way to experiment with color?

Combine art and science into a fun STEAM project where you can learn about color mixing. This color mixing lab is a fun hands-on sensory activity.

More colorful activities you may enjoy:

Rainbow Writing

Rainbow Color Hunt

Color Wheel Painting

Indoor Color Scavenger Hunt

Tips for Observing the Night Sky for Kids

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You can learn all about the phases of the moon and learned and constellations through activities and books. But one of the best ways to learn is to do the real thing and go stargazing. Observing the night sky for kids is a fun and valuable activity that also perfect for family time.

Stargazing is the perfect activity for a fun family night. It doesn’t require any special equipment. It won’t cost any money. And, if you’re lucky, you may not have to go further than your own front yard.

Grab a thermos of hot chocolate and some snacks. Pack a blanket or two, if it’s cold, and head outside.

Great tip for observing the night sky for kids. Plus, you can write down your observations in this free printable night sky journal.

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Tips for successful stargazing:

Keep a close eye on the weather report. Choose a night that is clear with little to no cloud coverage.

Dress for the weather and remember that it will be colder at night. Bring blankets for sitting on the ground and for extra warmth.

Choose an area with as little excess light as possible. Stay away from street lights and other city lights. The darker it is, the more stars you will see in the sky. Bring your own flashlight for the times when you need a little extra light.

Do your homework. Be able to identify a few constellations and that night’s moon phase. Bring along a star map and know how to read it. You’ll be better able to help your kids have a successful night of stargazing if you equip yourself with some knowledge.

Look for the moon.

If you’re observing the night sky for the first time or are viewing it with preschool-age or younger children, a good starting place is the moon.

Know what that night’s moon phase will be. A full moon night is a fun time for a night sky observation!

There are many easy ways to check the moon phase. I have Moon Phase Pro, an Android app, on my Kindle Fire to keep track of the moon phases. Moon Calendar is a good app for Apple products. If you don’t want to use an app, you can check out a free moon phase calendar at MoonConnection.com.

It’s fun to observe the night sky a few days in a row to see how the moon changes every night.

Great tip for observing the night sky for kids. Plus, you can write down your observations in this free printable night sky journal.

Keep a night sky journal

Invite your school-age kids to keep a night sky journal for a few days. Record the night’s moon phase. Look for constellations and draw the ones that you saw.

Compare your journal pages over a few days and note any changes.

I made a simple night sky journal page, free for you to print out and use. Please click here to download and print the journal page. If you want to do something a bit more simple, invite your child to draw or write their observations in a small notebook.

More fun ways to observe the night sky for kids:

The Flourishing Abode has a fun family stargazing night already planned, including a fun printable.

This video from PBS Parents – Adventures in Learning has more helpful tips for stargazing with your kids as wells as information about making your own pocket star guides.

Have you ever gone stargazing with your kids? What are your best tips for observing the night sky for kids?

Great tip for observing the night sky for kids. Plus, you can write down your observations in this free printable night sky journal.

If you enjoyed this night sky for kids post, the above photo is perfect for sharing on Facebook or you can share the photo below on Pinterest.

Great tip for observing the night sky for kids. Plus, you can write down your observations in this free printable night sky journal.

You may also like one of these posts:

Phases of the Moon Mobile

Constellation Wall Hangings: Simple Sewing for Kids

Puffy Paint Moon at Rainy Day Mum

Backyard Summer Fun Space Camp at Schooling a Monkey

 

Phases of the Moon Mobile

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I’ve always found that the moon is the perfect introduction to the night sky for kids. It’s easy to observe; you don’t need any special equipment to see it. Plus, there are so many kid-friendly resources to help you learn about it.

Today’s project is all about the phases of the moon. We took a little learning and turned it into a kids craft project so you can have the moon in your room both day and night.

This phases of the moon mobile is easy and takes only a few supplies, which you may already at home.

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Learn about the phases of the moon

Every night the moon looks different. Over the course of a lunar month (approximately 30 days) the moon goes through several phases, from new, to crescent, to quarter, to gibbous, to full. It changes because the moon rotates around the earth.

You can get a detailed but kid-friendly explanation here from NASA.

To get excited about the moon and to do a little hands-on learning, we’re going to create a simple illustration of the moon phases.

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

Supplies Needed

2 paper plates
Scissors
Multiple colors of blue paint
Sponge
Hole punch
Yarn
Coat hanger

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

How to make a Phases of the Moon Mobile

For this moon mobile, we made three moon phases. We made a full moon, a quarter moon, and a crescent moon. You can make as many phases as you would like.

For the full moon, leave one paper plate whole. Cut the other paper plate in half. Use one of the halves for your quarter moon and cut the other half in the shape of a crescent moon.

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

Using your blue paints, sponge paint your three different moons. We only had two different shades of blue so that’s what we used. Use as many shades of blue as you would like, or add in grey and white for a different color scheme. If you only have one shade of blue, use white paint to lighten some of it.

I cut up a sponge into small squares to use for painting. The small squares of sponge are perfect for little hands to use.

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

After your moons have dried, punch a hole in the top of each. Tie a piece of yarn through your hole and again to your coat hanger.

I varied the length of my yarn so our moon phases would hang at different levels.

Once you’re done, hang your phases of the moon mobile up in your room and wow everyone with your new knowledge of the moon.

Combine science and art to make this simple phases of the moon mobile out of paper plates. It's a fun way to learn about the moon.

To learn more about the phases of the moon

Watch this beautiful video on YouTube. Set to the soundtrack of Beethoven’s Sonata No 14, an animated moon works its ways through all of its phases.

Stop by Kids Activities Blog for another fun project you and your kids can do to chart the moon and learn about the different phases.

MoonConnection.com has a moon phase calendar you can use for reference. You can switch between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere to get the correct moon calendar for your location.

Counting On Card Game

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Did you know that you already have two of my favorite tools for math practice in your home?

I promise you do. Just head to your game closet and you’ll find it.

What am I talking about? A deck of cards and a pair of dice. That’s it!

Keep them available during the school year, and you and the kids will have tons of fun practicing math such as this counting on card game to help practice this math skill.

Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It's an easy way to practice math after school.

In Counting On: The Card Game, we’re practicing the basic skill of counting on (counting beginning at any number other than one).

This game is easy to learn and a cinch to pull together after school. Come on, let’s have fun practicing math.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It's an easy way to practice math after school.

Supplies Needed:

Deck of cards with the Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Jokers removed

Dice (1 or 2)

Or add some movement to this fun game with a giant deck of cards and large dice!

Instructions for this Counting On card game:

Shuffle and place the cards face down on the table. Player one flips over the top card and starts a discard pile.

Next the first player will throw the dice. Their challenge is to start counting from the number shown on the card and count on the number of times shown on the dice.

Take turns flipping over a card and counting.

There is no winner or loser in this game. It’s just simply a turn-taking game.

Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It's an easy way to practice math after school.

The game is quite simple and won’t take long to learn. In the picture above, my daughter turned over a 10. She then threw a dice and got a 6. She started at 10 and counted: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

To make it more difficult, my oldest daughter skipped the counting on and just added the number on the card to the number on the dice in her head. This is a great way to play the game with kids at different skill levels.

What are you waiting for? Let’s go have some fun with math while we play this counting on card game!

Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It's an easy way to practice math after school.

If you enjoyed this counting on card game, the photo above is perfect for sharing on Facebook or you can share the photo below on Pinterest.

Grab a deck of cards and some dice to play this simple counting on card game. It's an easy way to practice math after school.

You may also like one of these fun learning ideas:

Practicing Counting On in Nature

Pick Two: A Fun LEGO Math Game

Hot Chocolate Science

31 Ways to Practice Spelling Words

Exploring Greater Than and Less Than with Playing Cards at Better Than Homework

Are you looking for more activities?

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I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.