Fun Ideas to keep kids brains going during the summer?

Question

Anyone have any fun suggestions on how to keep my kids thinking over the summer? My son is 12 and going into 7th grade, and my daughter is 10, going into 5th grade. We just want to do some fun activities that will also be educational. For instance, Today we took them to a zoo and gave them worksheets that were kinda like scavenger hunts ... they had to list 2 mammals they saw, 2 nocturnal animals, list things the zoo keepers do, etc.... they really enjoyed it!

Answer 1

i would google different places in your area for day trips - the jersey shore, mountains etc, even maybe New York City and have them do scavenger hunts that you put together and also keep a journal -work on their creative writing.   Pick up some books from the library on each place before you visit too for them to read about.  HAVE FUN!!!

Answer 2

look into the "dangerous book for boys" and the "darling book for girls"  they might want to pick somethings out of there they might want to do.

could always visit the amish and see how their way of life is...

Answer 3

one thing my mother always encouraged us to do during the summer was make a scrap book. she'd take us to the wall mart and we'd pick out large note books that can be used as scrap books. and every time we went somewhere intresting or did something fun we wrote and drew and stuck things down. and cut up flyers from theam parks and annotated the maps and that sort of thing.

Answer 4

let them PLAY - play is a HUGE part of learning that parents nowadays overlook because everyone is paranoid about scholarships, the right schools, National Honor Society, blah blah blah

Allowing kids to play teaches them social skills like sharing, playing fairly, conversation, leadership roles, etc.

PLEASE don't make summer a nightmare for kids because they only get to be kids ONCE - remember?????

Answer 5

I bought my sons this kit that have you collect insects, butterflies or other stuff and explore them under the microscope adn magnifying glass. Then there are sheets that has questions for them to fill out. They have digital camera they take oitures adn out them on the sheets that i will bind for them as thier show and tell for school.  It is fun and educational. My kids are five three adn half. Your kids will have 10x because there is another kit that make them mix things up-un harmful chemicals and record their findings.  You can also get them a making candle kit! Good luck!

Answer 6

Here are some things you can do at home with them:

Buy some computer games that get them ready for next year.

Buy some workbooks and have them do about 2 pages a day.

I hope this helped.

-Tara

Answer 7

It is summer don't p**s on there parade.

Answer 8

if you live near colonial williamsburg I would totally go there.

Answer 9

wow give your 12 year old some space....Let him have fun

Answer 10

I was just talking about this very thing today.  :)

Have your kids write a play.  There's a lot of stuff to be done with writing and performing a play.  They can make sock puppets and design the little stage, or they could make costumes, props, and a set for themselves (kinesthetic, creativity, sewing).  There's a script to be written and then typed up and printed out (creativity, language arts, technology).  Since your kids are older, they can also create character bios that give more information about their characters than the play might suggest.  Rehearsing takes time (and works on the lost art of memorization).  And of course, performing the play for family (or friends, depending on how good it is, lol), is the final bit.  

You can also have them create recipes and make the food.  Let them research different countries or places in the US to find regional foods to try and make.  Or have them learn several different ways to make an egg, and then you can get those fancy chef hats with all the pleats (each one represents a different way to make an egg).  

Have them create a Ninja Warrior obstacle course.

Take them to the Humane Society and let them walk the dogs and play with them.  Just make it very clear that they won't be adopting pets themselves.  They can learn about how important spaying and neutering is, and they can get all sorts of civic responsibility lessons in that way.

Answer 11

There isnt realy much... but DO NOT  give them work that resembles school work... when they start high school and get summer work they will hate you for not letting them have a work free summer when they were younger...

Answer 12

Try telling them to write storys about things they enjoy. Also maybe try making a memory game out of paper have them play but, the memory game must be made with time tables and divsion they will get a number and they will have a divsion sign or time table sign along with the number on the card they have to try to flip over the right card with the answer. They may see the answer during the game and they have remember where it was. Who ever has the most pairs at the end of the game wins. Try taking them to the forest and have them have a scavenger hunt their. They will have to find things in the forest that are interesting to them. Then they will bring the things they find. Have them try to figure out what it is. Write it down on a peice of paper. Then go home and look it up on the computer to see if they were right. Here is another game. Math Bingo how you play is simple have numbers on a sheet of paper. Then think of addtion or subtraction problems that answer to the numbers. Tell your kid the problem and they have to try to find the answer on their sheet. Who ever get a bingo across, diagnal, or down wins. If they win give them a treat such as candy.