101 Things To Do This Summer

Time4Learning this summer? Whether you use it for summer skill-building, to prevent backsliding or to get ahead for next year, their online education program offers your kids a productive outlet to stimulate their creativity and promote mental exercise into the summer months.

101 Things To Do This Summer

	1. Make YOUR OWN list—what do you want to do this summer? Go camping? Swim weekly? Learn to ride a horse? Now share your list with your parents. Our list is great–but your list might be even better!
	2. Buy several pairs of inexpensive sunglasses (think the Dollar Store) and decorate them. http://www.bhg.com/crafts/kids/outdoor-projects/kids-summer-sunglasses/
	3. Carve a watermelon! Parental assistance may be necessary. There are certainly some cute ideas—and your watermelon will be the stand out at any picnic!
	4. Now, with those watermelon insides, make Watermelon Ice. Google to find more watermelon recipes. They can sure be yummy—and they taste so much like summer!
	5. Learn to play an instrument. Many music teachers are reaching out to homeschoolers on our Local Homeschooling pages. Piano, violin, guitar, voice and more! And yes—your voice is a beautiful instrument! https://www.homeschool.com/supportgroups/
	6. Have a Silly String fight, a water balloon fight or a pillow fight. Have some raucous fun! Make sure you get permission first.
	7. Lie outside at night and watch the sky for shooting stars. Find out why shooting stars aren’t really stars at all. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question12.html
	8. While you’re out there, check out the moon! Learn about a full moon, as well as the different phases of the moon. http://earthsky.org/moon-phases/full-moon
	9. Decorate your bike… spruce it up… and ride with friends. http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/howtodecoratebikebicyclescraftskids.html
	10. Make your own sidewalk chalk! Then make a work of art in your driveway!
	11. Make (and eat) some butterflies! Yes, you read that correctly! Learn why a good breakfast benefits you the rest of the day. http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/recipes/details/waffle-butterflies.html http://greenhalloween.org/blog/?p=3821 http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/most-important-meal
	12. Turn into an expert. Pick a topic you’re interested in and take a summer workshop or class. Or, you can research the topics online.
	13. Spend one afternoon of quality time with each individual in your family. Go exploring with your sister, play a game with you brother, and hang out with your Dad. Enjoy spending time with those that love you.
	14. Go camping—even if it’s in your backyard! If you happen to have a trampoline–trampolines make great sleeping surfaces.
	15. Make summer themed bandana pillows for your bedroom. They don’t have to be pink—they can be camouflaged! http://www.makingfriends.com/gifts/bandana_tie_pillow.htm
	16. Have a pinata party. But first, make your own pinata. Or for a wet twist, make a water pinata!
	17. Play hide-and-go-seek–in the DARK! Turn off all the lights in the house… and play for hours. Warning–this can get a bit raucous. Parental permission is required.
	18. Get up at dawn and appreciate the coolness and peaceful feeling of the early morning. Compare it to the sweltering afternoon. Write about the differences–maybe a short story or a poem–it’s your choice! You can check out Time4Writing for some helpful hints.
	19. With your family, float down a river on an inner tube. Tubing is a blast!
	20. Play badminton. It’s a fun game. Compare it to ping pong and tennis. Just because you’re good at one doesn’t mean you’re good at the others. Why is that? Google it and find out! http://www.badminton.org/badminton-rules.html
	21. Learn about bats–why they are important and why they are beneficial. Did you know that a bat can eat as many as 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour? Try building a bat house. http://www.bats4kids.org/ http://www.batcon.org/
	22. Read a book a week! Or more! Choose topics that really interest you. This isn’t academic reading—it’s FUN reading! But the plus is—you won’t lose reading skills during the summer.
	23. Interview your grandparents. They’re interesting people! Find out what toys they played with when they were young, what their parents were like (your great-grandparents), what kind of clothes they wore, etc. If you can, record the interview. You’ll be glad you did. http://genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/interview.htm
	24. Have a Cannon Ball competition with your friends. Read the following link and you just might win! http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/physics/physics-of-cannonball-splash
	25. Figure out new and fun uses for pool noodles. http://quiverfullofblessings.com/2012/05/22/10-fun-uses-for-pool-noodles/
	26. Learn about compound interest and start a savings account. Check out What Happens When You Double a Penny Everyday for 30 Days .
	27. Do something especially nice for Father’s Day (June 15th). Show your Dad how much he means to you. Write him a letter expressing your love. It’s a gift he’ll keep forever.
	28. Improve your vocabulary–take the Word DynamoChallenge. Then, every day, look up and learn 2 new words from the dictionary. At the end of the summer, take the Challenge again–and see how you’ve improved!
	29. Discover what it takes to swim like a champion! http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/physics/how-to-swim-like-a-champion-according-to-science-10152645
	30. Make S’mores. If you can’t roast the marshmallows over a fire, make BroilerS’Mores. OR, better yet, make Solar S’Mores! Be sure to get parental permission.
	31. Decorate your flip flops. http://spoonful.com/crafts/fluffy-flip-flops
	32. Google the 11 Rule of Multiplication and practice it until you can do it in your head.
	33. Spoil your pet for a day. Give your dog a bath, play ball with him, and take him for a walk. Likewise, cuddle your cat, pet your hamster, talk to your bird, etc. Spoil your pet several times over the summer. Turn it into a habit!
	34. Lounge on a hammock. Better yet, make one first! http://www.ehow.com/how_2180458_improvise-a-hammock.html
	35. Have a neighborhood outdoor game day. Revisit 4-square; Red Rover, Red Rover; Duck, Duck, Goose; and Mother May I. Or better yet, learn some new games! http://spoonful.com/family-fun/driveway-backyard-games-gallery
	36. Choose a day–or two–and perform random acts of kindness. See how others respond. Browse Kindness Ideas, and share your stories as well. http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
	37. Tour a college campus. There are pros and cons to touring during the summer months and you can read some of these at the following link, http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/62655-college-tours-summer.html
	38. Master a cartwheel and learn the physics of tumbling.
	39. Visit a lighthouse! You don’t have to live on the ocean! Where else might you find a lighthouse? There are 680 lighthouses in the United States! www.US-lighthouses.com
	40. Make FUN snacks for your siblings. http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/for-kids/puppy-snack-slideshow.html http://spoonful.com/recipes/after-school-snacks-gallery
	41. Learn to skip stones. There’s a science behind it. http://www.wikihow.com/Skip-Rocks http://discovermagazine.com/2003/aug/featscienceof
	42. Make friendship bracelets for all of your friends–and your siblings too!
	43. Learn about cotton candy. There’s not nearly as much sugar in cotton candy as you might think. http://www.cottoncandy.net/
	44. Do some fun science experiments (with your parent’s permission). Here are 101 Effective Earth Science Demonstrations Using Only One or Two Items! http://www.colorado.edu/GeolSci/courses/DEMOS/seicontribution/101_lowtech_earth_science%20demos.pdf
	45. Have an old fashioned weenie roast– and make your own mustard. There are over 100 recipes for mustard on the following link. http://www.melborponsti.com/inxmtd.html
	46. It’s summer-learn about the sun http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/do_science_now/diy_sun_science (this is a free app)
	47. Master a few jump rope tricks. Find jump rope videos on the Internet to give you inspiration. It’s AMAZING what people can do with a jump rope! http://www.buzzle.com/articles/jump-rope-tricks.html
	48. Learn how to take a good photograph. There’s more to it than pointing and clicking. http://www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp
	49. Check out these new, fun water games. http://parentingteens.about.com/od/games/a/watergames.htm

	50. Blow bubbles with bubble gum–gigantic, wonderful, pink bubbles. Have blowing contests with your siblings. You can even learn how to blow one bubble within another! http://www.ehow.com/how_2105861_blow-bubble-gum-bubble.html http://www.ehow.com/how_2222361_blow-one-bubble-gum-bubble.html
	51. Swing on a tire swing or a rope swing. Don’t have one? That’s an easy fix! http://www.ehow.com/how_2085185_tire-swing.html http://www.ehow.com/how_2105748_make-rope-swing.html
	52. Attend your sibling’s game and REALLY root for him/her.
	53. The number 1089 is the centerpiece of a curious mathematical trick. Google it and impress others with your knowledge!
	54. Go somewhere fun with the family. A family reunion perhaps? Or the beach?
	55. When traveling, make a vacation chain–this was recommended by a Homeschool.com reader, and we think it’s brilliant! https://www.homeschool.com/Top10/top10traveltips.asp  (Item #3)
	56. Learn the history of where you live. The library will be a good place to start.
	57. Check out your local paper to discover any free-admission activities. Lots will be going on in your community and you don’t want to miss a thing.
	58. Slide down a hill on a piece of cardboard. OR, you can go ice blocking. With both, get parental permission first–and wear safety gear–you can end up going pretty fast.
	59. Make a new friend. Reach out to someone who has just moved into your neighborhood or to someone that maybe doesn’t have a lot of friends. They might end up being your best buddy.
	60. Build a fort. This can be in your living room–made out of blankets, or in a tree with wood and braces. If actual construction is involved, you will need an adult’s supervision–and depending on where you live, you might even need a building permit or approval from a Homeowner’s Association. But think how much fun it will be!
	61. Make and fly a kite. There are 19 kite possibilities at http://www.howtomakeandflykites.com. Learn about lift, drag, and gravity at this link – http://www.gombergkites.com/nkm/why.html
	62. Learn the physics of skateboarding. http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-skateboarding.html
	63. Run through the sprinklers–this never gets old! Or participate in the fun celebration of Slip-n-Slide!
	64. Think about what you want to be when you grow up and find out what type of education is required. Go online and determine the demand for the field and the starting salary. Some adults do what they love regardless of the compensation, others go into a field because of the pay. http://www.careeronestop.org http://www.learnhowtobecome.org
	65. Learn all about physical fitness. http://www.peertrainer.com/how_to/physical_fitness_resources_for_kids.aspx .
	66. Bake cookies on the dashboard of your car (with your parent’s permission, of course)! Learn the science behind this activity. http://howtosmile.org/record/14660 http://www.scienceoffcenter.org/science/355-greenhouse-baked-cookies
	67. Engage in an old fashioned sack or wheel barrow race.
	68. Download some new, free educational apps. http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/do_science_now/diy_sun_science
	69. Make a Tic -Tac -Towel. Great fun for the pool or beach! http://www.marthastewart.com/273719/tic-tac-towel
	70. Along with a towel, make your own, or family beachbag/outing bag. Parental assistance may be necessary.
	71. Learn and tell summer jokes. http://www.bestfamilyadvice.com/summer-jokes-for-kids.html
	72. Try a food you’ve never tasted before. Go on…take a bite!
	73. Find a mentor. Want to learn a specific skill or knowledge? See if someone in the community can be your mentor. This can be a family member, family friend, or someone you don’t even know yet.
	74. BE a mentor.
	75. Play educational and fun variations of hopscotch. http://guiltfreehomeschooling.org/?p=944
	76. Go the day without electronics. Go on, you can do it!
	77. Understand the physics behind roller coasters. They aren’t as dangerous as they seem! http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics
	78. Barter your services. Want to ride a horse? Offer to clean out stalls in return for riding time. Want to take guitar lessons? Offer to mow the instructor’s lawn in return for lessons. Get your parent’s permission and then make sure you follow through on your end.
	79. Prevent brain drain with Time4Learning’s online education program. Summer should be fun. With Time4Learning, it can be!
	80. Visit an educational and fun farm. Several educational farms are reaching out to homeschoolers at https://www.homeschool.com/supportgroups/ . Can’t make it to a farm? Visit a virtual farm .
	81. Recycle bottles and donate the money to a local charity. http://www1.networkforgood.org/for-donors/tips-and-tools/kids-guide .
	82. Make up bubble solution–because we don’t know anyone that doesn’t enjoy bubbles! Learn the best conditions for optimal bubble making. http://www.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html
	83.Learn to hula hoop and master some fun tricks! Learn the science behind it as well! http://www.ehow.com/how_2239194_do-simple-hula-hoop-tricks.html http://people.howstuffworks.com/hula-hoop1.htm
	84. Understand the science behind fireworks. http://www.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/fireworks.htm
	85.Do something…anything you choose… to make you a better you.
	86. Learn how to whistle with two fingers.
	87. Make and fly paper airplanes–and learn why they fly.
	88. Make up with someone. Go ahead, end the feud!
	89. Learn about rainbows. Now, make your own rainbow–all you need is a garden hose! http://askabiologist.asu.edu/recipe-rainbows
	90. Google and find recipes that use pink lemonade as an ingredient! Here are just a few— http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pink-lemonade-pie/e/ http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pink-lemonade-cupcakes/f2b726de-4fd1-4ace-a8b0-3a0cf769d02a
	91. Discover why a Lightening Bug (or Firefly) is neither a bug…or a fly! http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/firefly/
	92. If you’re old enough and your parents approve, get a job. Real life experience is extremely educational!
	93. Find out how hot air balloons work. Depending on where you live, you might be able to go on one or at least watch one take off. Did you know they make quite a bit of noise? http://www.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/hot-air-balloon.htm
	94. Learn to play Chess. There are a number of free sites on the Internet that will help you learn.
	95. Go to the beach or the lake and build a sandcastle. Get your family and friends involved. http://www.ehow.com/how_7470_build-sand-castle.html
	96. Plant a garden–think sunflower playhouses and/ or fall pumpkins!
	97. For your garden, build bird feeders and baths, as well as butterfly and lady bug feeders! Ask your parents what they’d like to attract to their garden, and you can do it!
	98. Learn how to draw! Yes, you can learn! Not all great artists are born. Here are 100 free art lessons — http://www.hodgepodge.me/2011/01/pastels-plus-links-to-tutorials/
	99. Prevent brain drain with VocabularySpellingCity. It’s a fun site!
	100. Make homemade ice cream and celebrate the fact that you’re one summer older!
	101. Last but not least… get ready for homeschool to resume. Summer is GREAT but so is the fall!

This list of 101 Things To Do This Summer has been brought to you by Time4Learning. Whether you use it as an interactive skill sharpening tool, an alternative to summer school, or to try out new materials for next year, Time4Learning makes learning fun! And now that it can be used on most mobile devices, it’s easier than ever to use Time4Learning from anywhere!