Homeschool Moms Summer Camp

Summer is upon us and so is the start of planning for next year.  How about doing this awesome summer camp from Guilt-Free Homeschooling

Summer Bucket List!

I've loved Homeschool Share for over 10 years now...wow..that's hard to believe!  Here's a fantastic summer bucket list from quite a few years ago that we still use. And they have a printable if you want...or don't :)  I've updated the links since some were dead.

1. Make homemade ice cream and eat it for dinner!

2. Have a water balloon fight!

3. Pick wildflowers and give the bouquet away to a neighbor, grandparent, or someone else who needs some cheer!

4. Run through the sprinkler.

5. Go berry picking and make homemade jam.

6. Make sun prints.

7. Hang a birdfeeder.

8. Construct picture props like mustaches, hats, etc. and take silly photos.

9. Plant a sunflower house and Read Eve Bunting’s Sunflower House.

10.  Bake cookies in a solar oven.

11.  Find some smooth rocks and paint them as insects or people or create a pet rock.

12.  Go roller skating.

13.  Play at the park.

14.  Go camping in your driveway or back yard.

15.  Catch lightning bugs in a jar and read Fireflies by Julie Brinkloe

16.  Ride a carousel or a merry-go-round.

17.  Freeze some chocolate-dipped bananas.

18.  Plan a movie night!

19.  Have a teddy bear picnic! Invite friends and read The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

20.  Ride a horse, even if it’s just a homemade stick horse.

21.  Make some summer funny faces.

22.  Catch a caterpillar and keep it until it turns into a butterfly.

23.  Set up a lemonade stand; donate profits to a charity.

24. Catch a raindrop in your mouth.

25.  Go bowling.

26.  Stay up late and go star gazing. Look for shooting stars!

27. Serve strawberry shortcake for breakfast!

28.  Have a family game night.

29. Invite another family to your house and host a water gun fight!

30. Visit a local creek and catch crawdads. Read Crawdad Creek together.

31. After a good rain, go mud-puddle splashing!

32.  Go swimming!

33.  Paint with ice cubes.

34.  Have a picnic in your backyard.

35.  Concoct some homemade popsicles!

36.  Make giant wands and blow bubbles

37.  Create a scavenger hunt for your kids, or let them create one for you!

38.  Roast hotdogs and S’mores over a fire.

39.  Have a Family Talent Show night!

40.  Make a piñata.

41.  Build a butterfly feeder.

42.  Make frozen treasures and let your kids excavate them!

43.  Craft some wind chimes.

44.  Go bird watching.

45.  Make homemade sidewalk chalk.

46.  Go to a small airport and watch the planes take off and land.

47.  Make sun tea punch.

48.  Play miniature golf.

49.  Build a balloon powered car.

50.  Lie on your back and watch the clouds go by, looking for animal shapes.

51.  Roll down a hill!

52.  Bake a fruit pizza, and eat it for dinner!

53.  Go to the zoo.

54.  Tie-dye T-shirts (outside!)

55.  Craft a outdoor painting.

56.  Go on a hike and look for animal tracks.

57. Build a worm farm.

58.  Jump rope!

59.  Make paper beads for stringing bracelets and necklaces.

60.  Construct an obstacle course in the backyard.

61.  Make mud pies.

62.  Plan a special day away to state park or museum.

63.   Have a wet sponge fight!

64.  Make a rain gauge to measure the rainfall.

65.  Build a fort!

66.  Drink root beer floats.

67.  Try a Kids Who Think challenge.

68.  Write a letter to a friend or grandparent.

69.  Visit a new festival.

70.  Have a build your own banana split night!

71.  Offer to plant flowers at a nursing home or church.

72.  Make fireworks in a jar.

73.  Blow up some fizzy explosion bags!

74.  Play Frisbee together.

75.  Wash the car or the dog (or both!).

76.  Take a family bike ride.

77.  Play games with Glow Sticks!

78.  Plan a one day road trip!

79.  Make Snow Cones.

80.  Create ice sculptures with balloons.

81.  Press some wildflowers.  - Fun ideas 

82.  Have a puppet show with homemade puppets.

83.  Make a boat and sail it in your tub, in a swimming pool, in a creek, or at a pond.

84.  Go fishing!

85.  Dance in the rain!

86.  Go to an outdoor play or concert.

87.  Craft some friendship bracelets.

88.   On a rainy day, construct a marble maze.

89.  Make homemade Lemon Shake Ups.

90.   Craft a sun catcher.

91.  Go to the movies!

92.  Build a birdhouse.

93.  Spend a day at the fair.

94.  Make a firefly jar! (So cool!)  or Here Read When Lightning Comes in a Jar.

95.  Try to read 100 books (every reader in the house can contribute!).

96.  Make ice boats.

97.  Visit a local Farmer’s Market and try something new.

98.  Watch a parade.

99.  Construct a tin foil river!

100.   Go out for a frozen treat! Read Ice Cream: The Full Scoop.

Natural Homemade Sunscreen!!

photo by Wellness Mama

I knew there had to be a way to make this!!!  Turns out I was right...Wellness Mama posted about this.

Big Ol List Of Audio Books! - NO TV Summer

Here's my second post on alternatives to TV for summer...or beyond!

Here's my post on Kiddie Hi-Fi - classic kid records on the internet for download!!

Our favorite pay for listening....Sparkle Stories!!

My Audio School for everything classic literature!! all organized for your ease of use. 

Librovox!!  you can use this for even your listening pleasure.  These are all public domain books read by regular people.

Internet Archive...tons here..you'll have to know what you're looking for so here's some to start:

                      Let's Pretend

                    Old Time Radio - This one alone you could be lost for days...keep in mind most of this was just entertainment so you'll need to wade through it like you do the TV

Wholesome Childhood is running a Summer Fire Sale on Audios for the next 5 days and their sister site

Homeschool Freebie of the Day usually has an audio every couple of days.  They are the authors of :

Homeschool Radio Shows

Here's my post about Your Story Hour is great because they are coming from a christian perspective. 

Summer NO TV Post..current edition

This is a repost from June 2012


So...what do you do when its summer,  triple digits outside and the kids are going stir crazy?

I've found these books invaluable when weather (or dinner) keeps the kids indoor.

This one is out of print but you can borrow it with ILL.

The best thing I learned from these books was to have a busy can where you list on 3 x 5 cards things your kids can do without supervision so you can get something done and not turn on the TV babysitter.  You can even let the kids decorate the can so they can have ownership of it.  The other idea that I thought was great was a traveling bag that has things your kids can do in the car.

Go check these books out...you won't be sorry :)

and when all else fails...Pintrest!  Look up summer fun and tada!  instant stuff to do.  

Summer Reading From Sonlight!

It's almost that time...time for swimming pools, beaches, gardens and lots and lots of reading!!!

Sonlight has got ya covered so head over and get some good summer reading!

Homemade Sunscreen!!

photo by Wellness Mama

I knew there had to be a way to make this!!!  Turns out I was right...Wellness Mama posted about this.

Summer Projects For Boys!

Need something fun for the boys (or girls...but I have boys)???

100 Awesome Engineering Projects for Kids

Summer No TV Fun!

So...what do you do when its summer,  triple digits outside and the kids are going stir crazy?

I've found these books invaluable when weather (or dinner) keeps the kids indoor.

This one is out of print but you can barrow it with ILL.

The best thing I learned from these books was to have a busy can where you list on 3 x 5 cards things your kids can do without supervision so you can get something done and not turn on the TV babysitter.  You can even let the kids decorate the can so they can have ownership of it.  The other idea that I thought was great was a traveling bag that has things your kids can do in the car.

Go check these books out...you won't be sorry :)

Midsummer Unit Fun

Amanda Bennett is at it again with GREAT unit study bargains just in time for Midsummer Fun!  AND  you also get an additional $5.00 off if you buy 5!  That makes each unit about $3.00!  I blogged about why I like these units better than others here

Join us on a Great Adventure!

Get ready to take off on some great, outdoor adventures, while enjoying out-of-this-world savings this week! We've got five, new titles on sale, perfect for inspiring long walks, stargazing, and appreciation of God's miraculous creation!

This week - buy 5 studies and get an additional $5 off

(buy the 5 titles on sale this week, and you save even more!)

Download N Go - K-4, 1 week - $4
Volatile Volcanoes, Magnificent Moon, Tremendous Trees, Twisting Tornadoes

Unit Study Adventure - K-12, 4 week - $5
Gardens

Summer Unit Study Fun

So I'm not a huge fan of unit studies because the mom spends more time putting stuff together and PLANNING than I think the kids actually get out of it.  It seems like there is a lot of paper craft stuff that doesn't seem to be of any real educational value to warrant the LARGE amount of time (mom's mostly) doing it.  I do like FIAR because I don't have to do anything beside read a great book.  The same for Sonlight.  When I read a great book it doesn't take long for my kidlets to start "playing" what they have heard which means they are internalizing what they've heard and living with that.   So is there anything I do think is great about them? Well yes.  Having the kids learning together for one thing.  Delight directed learning at that, where they get to choose what they learn.  I'm not talking about the 3r's here.  That's done in the morning.  No I'm talking about those rabbit trails that happen when you're kid keeps asking you about something and you find books out of your personal library (aka Sonlight or the many sets of encyclopedias you have) to let them find out.  Notice I didn't say me find out.  Or how about youtube for when you need to find that train they really want to look at?...oh is that just me?  I didn't think so.



So then WHY would I put this post up if I'm not overly fond of unit studies?

Because I found one that doesn't involve tons of mom time but the kids can explore and have fun.  Now I'm going to say you probably should have a Ipad (we do) or some kind of tablet to make this really soar but you don't have to.  So what is it?



Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett

These things rock!  You download them and your ready with everything you need.  You can add the suggested books IF you want but most of them are not necessary (but cool if you have them).  All of these are internet linked so you just push the button and tada!  You have what you need!  We happen to be studying The Little Red Lighthouse and The Great Gray Bridge and guess what?  There was a sale for the lighthouse unit. COOL!  Seriously I like these well enough that I can see us adding this in for our afternoon funtime.

Right now there's an awesome sale going on for summer themed stuff

This week - buy 5 studies and get an additional $5 off

(buy the 5 titles on sale this week, and you save even more!)

Download N Go - K-4, 1 week - $4
Sunny Seashells
Dolphin Days
Whale Tales

Unit Study Adventure - K-12, 4 week - $5
Oceans
Lighthouses

Solar Smores - Summer Fun!

A New Way to Make S'Mores!!!

I found the cutest activity in Disney's Family Fun Magazine (April 2008)! It's so hot here today...and it's supposed to get worse as the week goes on. I've been waiting for a way-too-hot spell to try it, and this is the week!

S'mores are probably my favorite summer treat, with or without the campfire. I make them in the oven, you can grill 'em, but this new way is completely safe for the munchkins. Introducing....

SOLAR S'MORES!
Here's what you'll need:

• Pizza Box
• Pencil and ruler
• Craft Knife
• Aluminum Foil
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Black Construction Paper
• Clear plastic packing tape
• Clear plastic (like sheet protectors, laminating paper, etc)
• Graham Crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows
• Stick or dowel

Next:

1. Adults: On the top of the pizza box, draw a square that is an inch smaller than the lid all the way around. Use the craft knife to cut through the cardboard along three sides, as shown, and then fold the cardboard up along the uncut line to form a flap.

1. Kids can help: Glue aluminum foil, shiny side out, to the bottom of the flap, keeping it as wrinkle free as you can.
2. Glue another piece of foil to the inside bottom of the box and then tape black paper on the top of the foil.
3. Tape clear plastic to the underside of the lid to seal the opening created by the flap. For the best results, the seal should be as airtight as possible.
4. Place your "oven" outdoors in direct sunlight with the flap opened toward the sum, For each s'more, center two graham crackers on the construction paper. Top one with chocolate and the other with a marshmallow. Close the box and then use a stick or dowel to prop the flap open at the angle that reflects the most sunlight into the box (check periodically to adjust the angle). Within an hour (or sooner if it's a really hot day), the chocolate squares and marshmallows should melt enough to assemble into s'mores.

If you try it, let me know how it goes. It's also a good excuse to order out pizza for dinner. :)