Summer School Activites

Ok...here's some ideas to keep skills sharp during the summer. Go to the library. Go buy new books. For math, just Google "free math worksheets" and pick any one and then pick another one!! Play math facts BINGO. My kids at school just started playing multiplication BINGO getting ready for 3rd grade. They think they are really "all that". I just give them a blank BINGO card and tell them to write numbers like 16, 24,8, 27 etc. Then I just say 2x8 and they cover 16 (hopefully). Check out some homeschooling sites. Sometimes they have new and unusual games and activities. Do fun word problems like "how many legs do 2 chickens, 4 cows, 2 flamingos and 3 boys have?" Kids love to think up these and see if they can stump you. My number 1 suggestion is TURN OFF THE TELEVISION! Buy blank books or make them yourself and think up fun writing prompts like "if you woke up tomorrow and you were invisible what would you do and where would you go?" There are sites like schoolexpress.com where you can make your own words searches. Read poetry together. You read a line, child reads a line and then read a line together. This builds fluency. Don't slow your rate of reading down to fit your child. Make your child strive to read like you do. Plant seeds and when they sprout, write how they change every day. Use words and pictures. Get other kids in the neighborhood writing, also. Make books together and then once or twice a week have a writers' party. Girls love to have a tea but they must bring some writing to read or even their favorite poem. Let your kids play with learning over the summer. I could go on and on but the internet is a great source for all kinds of activities. Just google a subject and the add the words"lesson plans" and the whole screen will light up. I would suggest having a set time and place each week for you activities so your kids will feel like they are doing something you think is important.