Summer Learning For Kids Made Easy

Alessandra | Posted on June 30, 2025 |

The summer slide is real and there’s nothing wrong with a little summer learning for kids! In this blog, get easy ways to help keep your kids learning all summer (without becoming a teacher or creating Pinterest worthy activities.

Let’s make summer learning fun! I know, summer time is a time to relax and have fun. At least it should be fun, anyway. It definitely shouldn’t feel like homework (for you or the kids). When school’s out for summer, most stay at home moms breathe a sigh of relief. No more rushed mornings, homework folders, or frantic lunch packing. But a few weeks in, you might start wondering to yourself, “are my kids forgetting everything they learned?” And I get it. The “summer slide” as they call it is real, bu the good news is you don’t need to turn into a homeschool mom or create a daily curriculum to keep your kids learning. In fact, kids learn best through play, exploration, and everyday life, especially in summer!

In this blog, I’m sharing some super easy, low-pressure ways to keep your kids’ brains active this summer so you can feel good about their growth and development, without having to plan extravagant activities. Keep reading for fun summer learning your kids will love and actually be in to!

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Summer Learning For Kids

Below are some fun ways to keep the summer learning going for your kids so they don’t fall behind. Don’t worry, these things are all super easy! Plus, get a free screen-free summer activity download to help you get started. Remember, learning should be fun, so all these activities are low-stress and totally no pressure for you, mama. Keep reading and make sure to let me know in the comment section which ones you’ll try this summer!

📚 1. Make Reading a Daily Habit (Without a Fight)

You’ve probably heard this before and that’s because it’s true. Reading is the single best way to keep kids learning! The Child Mind Institute says you should read to your child to help with cognitive abilities and language development. Plus it helps with their empathy and emotional awareness. There are so many positives when it comes to reading, plus it’s a pretty simple task. Try reading to your child, or if they can read themselves, have them read for 15-30 minutes every day.

Here are some tips to make reading fun and easy:

Create a Summer Reading Basket: Fill it with library books, comics, and even kids’ magazines, like Highlights. Swap them out weekly so there’s always something new to read.
Audiobooks count too! Play them during lunch or in the car.
Add reading time to your daily routine: Whether it’s first thing after breakfast or before bed, have a set certain time to read everyday and the same time. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, it works!
Join Summer Reading at your local library: Many libraries have a summer reading program that includes prizes for a certain amount of reading done each week. Check out your library to see what they have for options!

Bonus: Pair reading with something fun, like popsicles on the porch or flashlight reading in a fort or tent. This will make your reading period feel exciting and you’re less likely to receive push back from your kids.

✏️ 2. Turn Life Into Learning (Sneaky Style)

Like I said, you don’t need to be a teacher or homeschool mom to keep up summer learning at home. You don’t need lesson plans either. The best part about summer is everything can be a learning opportunity. Just use what’s already happening in your day-to-day life.

Everyday Moments = Summer Learning Gold:

Cooking? Let them measure, stir, and read the recipe (hello, math + literacy).
Grocery shopping? Make a list, compare prices, count change.
Gardening? Talk about plants, bugs, weather, and responsibility.
Driving? Play “I Spy,” talk about road signs, or do silly word games.

You’re teaching them life skills and critical thinking all the time, without even trying! Those are all important skills to learn too that probably aren’t even taught in school. Daily discussions with your children can make all the difference in their summer learning. Feels easy already right?

🔬 3. Explore With Simple, Hands-On Activities

Kids are naturally curious, so let their curiosity run wild with fun, no-pressure learning experiences. This can be as simple as just getting outside and looking around in nature. Or if you’re up to it, you can purchase items to help you out. Below are a few ideas to help you brainstorm.

Easy Ideas:

DIY science experiments (like vinegar + baking soda volcanoes)
Nature scavenger hunts
Water play + sink-or-float games (you can do this in a water table or the bathtub)
Build with LEGO and create stories around their creations
Reuse cardboard boxes to make robots, castles, or stores
Grab one of my activity packs!

Tip: Keep a “boredom buster” bin with random supplies in it and let your kids create freely. Remember, you don’t have to supervise or initiate all activities. In fact, letting your kids explore and play independently is really good for their development.

🎨 4. Get Creative (Arts Count as Learning Too!)

Arts and crafts build fine motor skills, focus, and self-expression. Plus, they’re just plain fun! It’s also pretty easy to set up an art station, and if you aren’t a fan of messes, you can set up art activities right outside. That way there is no cleaning needed!

Summer Learning Art Activity Ideas:

Paint rocks
DIY playdough table
Create collages with newspapers/magazines
Drawing with markers and crayons on blank paper or coloring books
Sticker + stamp area
Play music and have a dance party

Make sure to let go of perfection. These activities are all about the process, not the product. The process is where the magic and fun happens!

🧠 5. Make Screen Time Count (Because why not?!)

I’m all about limiting screen time, especially in the summer, but it’s also ok to work screen time into your day. Use it as a tool to help you out and find better options to use screen time as a learning experience. It’s all about using it to your advantage! So have a too-hot day or a rainy day? Find something education to watch for a bit.

Try These Educational (But Fun) Apps & Shows:

PBS Kids Games
Kidzovo App
Cosmic Kids Yoga
90s TV shows like Out of the Box, Little Bear, Gullah Gullah Island, and Blue’s Clues are great options!
Adventures in Handwriting Kit: Teach your kid the right way to write by a pediatric OT!

Set a daily “learning screen time” window to balance fun with enrichment. That will help you feel better about your kids’ screen time use and help you manage it better.

🗓 6. Build a Loose Weekly Learning Rhythm

Having a theme for each day can be super helpful and help you to keep up with your summer learning. It can also spark curiosity without adding pressure. Below is an example of how a weekly learning rhythm works and can even give you an idea of what to add to your own summer learning schedule!

Example of a Weekly Learning Rhythm:

Make-It Monday: crafts and/or DIY projects
Tinker Tuesday: STEM kits, building challenges, KiwiCo Crates
Wordy Wednesday: reading, storytelling, or word games
Think-It Thursday: puzzles, scavenger hunts, nature walks
Fun Fact Friday: pick a random fact to explore (sharks, volcanoes, or the moon, the options are endless!)

These will give you a quick idea for what to do each day so you’re not scrambling to come up with something last minutes. The best part is, you can just use what’s around you and follow your kid’s lead. Are they interested in dinosaurs? Then create around that. Maybe they’re interested in a certain singer or athletes/sports. Whatever it is, you can dig deeper into those subjects that are already interesting to your kids to keep it fun!

💡 Summer Learning Doesn’t Have to Look Like School

The goal of summer learning isn’t to become your child’s teacher. That’s not really fun for anyone. Ultimately, it’s to let them be kids while gently encouraging growth, curiosity, and creativity. Which is super easy when your kids are young! By weaving learning into everyday life, with real life experiences and a little bit of creativity, you’re helping your kids thrive without burnout (for them or for you). Keep these six things in mind to have a fun summer filled with learning and curiosity so you can gave a great summer!

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the lack of routine in summer?

👉 Grab my free Morning Routine Checklist for Moms to bring peace and structure back to your days by starting your morning off right! Check it out below:

Need even more support? I got you!

My Mommy Burnout Guide will help you reset, simplify, and create rhythms that work for your real life.

🌟 Quick Summary: Summer Learning Made Easy

✔ Read together (and include audiobooks)
✔ Use everyday tasks as learning moments
✔ Try simple science, crafts, and creativity
✔ Embrace quality screen time
✔ Set a loose rhythm—not a rigid schedule

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