Locating Inspiring Summer Resources

Locating Inspiring Summer Resources
by  Rebecca Kochenderfer

Your local craft shops and bookstores—as well as many sites online—are full of kid-friendly materials to enrich your summer learning plans. Involve your child in choosing materials. This is a great opportunity to teach consumer skills. Your child can practice staying within a budget. She can learn to consider the quality of each product and determine if it’s something she’ll use regularly. Look online together or browse through catalogs and discover the wonderful possibilities.

  • Rainbow Resource Center offers one-stop shopping. Art supplies, science equipment, textbooks, literature, music, educational games and toys—it’s all there. This company publishes an impressive catalog that’s great fun to look through or you can check them out online at www.rainbowresource.com.
  • Jerry’s Artarama. If you have a young artist, you’ll want to check out this site. Art materials for all ages are available here. Order a catalog or check out the website. www.jerrysartarama.com
  • Music in Motion has a user-friendly website, but younger children will especially enjoy their colorful catalogs chock full of resources that engage kids with music, movement and dance. www.musicmotion.com
  • Thames and Kosmos’ science kits help kids explore chemistry, physics, alternative energy, electrical science, biology, earth science and natural history, astronomy and space, historical science, construction and engineering, robotics and crystals. These kits are the perfect way to engage children with dynamic hands-on learning. www.thamesandkosmos.com
  • Carolina Biological has everything your young scientist needs to pursue her interests. High-quality science materials for all ages are available at www.carolina.com.
  • Educents has just about everything – science kits, music and art supplies, building toys, and more – this is a one-stop shopping site for hands-on learning materials. And while you’re there, you might find homeschooling curriculum that’s inspiring as well! www.educents.com

For even more resources, please see chapter 10 in Rebecca’s newest book, The Summertime Survival Guide for Parents: How to Create a Summer of Wonder, Discovery and Fun!

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