We’ve been on “summer break” from our regular academic-year homeschool schedule for just a bit over a week now…but it hasn’t felt like summer yet. Last week was busy with a flurry of special activities, then we went out of town for four days…and today was cool and rainy. It’s looking like a cool and rainy week here, but hopefully by the time June and July roll around, we’ll really be enjoying some summer weather!
Last year we went all out and made a huge bucket list at the beginning of the summer. We haven’t done that this year (at least not yet), but I’ve been forming a general outline in my head. I’ll be using this to sit down with the kids soon to fill in a few more details and find out what they have been dreaming of doing this summer.
Big Plans for Fun, Recreation and Travel:
- Lots of Swimming (swimming lessons + a pool pass…I really hope it warms up soon!)
- Visiting MN Historic sites with our Minnesota Historical Society membership
- Park and rec sports – Tennis for the two older kids, soccer for Mr. K and maybe Mr. E as well
- Vacation Bible Camp at church in August
- “Mission to the City” for two older kids (along with mom and dad) — 3 intense days of service projects with our church
- Long weekend trip to Chicago in June and a two week vacation out west at the end of the summer
- One or more weekend camping trips
- Visits to Grandma Karen’s house for each of the three “big kids” individually
“Summer School” plans:
While all those activities will keep us busy, I want to make sure we fit in some intentional learning and review, mainly for the two older kids. Here are a few things I have in mind:
- Summer history/geography theme of learning about our state (Minnesota) — We’ll read some fiction and non-fiction, and Miss M may make a lapbook or notebook…plus the field trips of course!
- Math review — Miss M and Mr. E will focus on math fact review with RightStart math games, iPad games, and maybe some “fun” worksheets (as fun as worksheets can get, I guess! I bought a few interesting e-books from the dollar sale at Scholastic Teacher Express that might come in handy).
- Daily reading — Reading aloud is almost always part of our routine, but I want to make sure that Mr. E continues to practice his reading skills often, and that Miss M finds interesting books to read on her own
- Learning to type — Miss M will work on learning to type this summer, and Mr. E may join in on this too
- Interest-led science/nature study — Miss M in particular is really interested in nature study at the moment, and Mr. E often has a science topic in mind to learn more about…so I will be encouraging the kids to pursue these interests
Beyond that…we’ll find plenty of ways to have fun, I’m sure. Water gun fights, ice cream outings, field trips to other local attractions and time to play with friends will definitely be on the agenda.
I’m linking up with…
Homeschool Discoveries 
Wow! You have a busy summer ahead! It sounds fabulous!
Which typing program are you planning to use?
For the moment we are using Dance Mat Typing. I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t have student accounts or track anyone’s progress. If you don’t finish a lesson you have to start it over again. On the other hand, all the other free web-based ones we looked at were deadly boring or just started out too hard, too fast.
If It were just up to me or I had a more normal computer situation going on, I would probably buy Typing Instructor Platinum. (http://amzn.com/B002U0L1BU) But my hubby is in process of setting up a linux based “computer lab” (of two computers) for the kids…so he suggested I should use something web based so they can continue it in the “computer lab” when that’s finished.
But now that I see you can get typing instructor for only ten bucks…maybe I will get that anyway, even if they can only use it on our laptop. My hubby says that sometimes he can get windows programs to run under linux, so maybe it is a risk worth taking at that price!