Tag: summer

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Out With the Old, In With the New!

As we near August, many teachers around the country are holding on to every last second of summer break that is left. They’re soaking in a couple of extra pool days, intentionally not setting their alarms, and are enjoying the freedom of making mid-morning appointments or lunch dates with friends. They’ve got the date of their first contract day in the back of their mind, and are subconsciously aware that it’s coming up quickly. Some may be looking forward to their first day back with excitement, some with nervousness, and others with a mixture of the two. Others, however, may be dreading the day, not quite ready to trade their freedom for cell phone policing and grading. Depending on the year, I’ve experienced both feelings— both the agony and the ecstasy. 

Teachers and other school staff aren’t the only ones in this boat; Students are also feeling the end of summer. They are squeezing in last minute family trips, summer camps, late nights, and late mornings. They are enjoying the endless flow of snacks and popsicles and are living their best lives next to the pool. For most kids, summer is bliss, careless and free. As summer starts to come to an end, they are filled with anxiousness as they wait for class schedules and teacher assignments to be posted. They’re hoping that their best friend is in their class, and that they get the “cool” teacher that everyone wants. It’s a double-edged sword, because they know that along with this excitement of a new year comes the idea of a more structured schedule, homework, and less freedom. Some kids are anxiously awaiting the first day of school because school is their safe place— a place of comfort, happiness, stability, and lack of hunger. For some, summer is the worst few months of the year, and is a time of uncertainty and fear. Other kids may feel anxiousness because school is hard for them and they just don’t want to have that frustration again.

Parents are also stuck in this dichotomous state of anticipation and dread. For many working parents, summer becomes a time of high stress, as they have to find child care, arrange schedules, and manage the guilt that can come from being a working parent. For stay-at-home parents, summer time can mean chaos. Schedules are thrown off, food seems to be flying off the pantry shelves (how are they STILL hungry??), and there is a constant chorus of noise coming from all corners of the house. The house is never clean, and they find themselves saying, “Please shut the door!” approximately 1,352 times a day. Parents are usually exhausted by this point in the summer, and are excited to have more structured days and to have the house stay clean for more than the eight hours the kids are asleep. On the other side of the spectrum, parents are also finding themselves breathing in the last days of summer, watching their kids enjoy childhood. They are feeling nostalgic, and are hoping they’ve created summer memories that will last a lifetime. They are rushing to create last minute moments of happiness as they savor these fleeting moments with their children. 

I find it interesting how something like the start of school can stir so many feelings in people. I guess that’s how it is with change. And while I understand why there is such a wide range of emotions surrounding school, I also hope people know what a privilege it is to be able to attend school and learn. The freedom to be able to sit in a classroom is incredible. Teachers work hard to plan and carry out lessons that are meaningful and engaging, and are doing their best to make school a safe place for their students. 

So, yes, the end of summer can be sad, and the start of school can feel daunting. But it’s also a time to start the new year with a positive attitude and excitement for what’s to come. It’s a time to cherish the memories you made during the summer while also looking forward to making new memories as the school year starts. So as we prepare to send summer out in style, let’s also welcome the school year with open arms, ready to experience whatever is in store for us!

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Summer Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

If your kids are like mine, they start to go a little bit stir crazy when they are cooped up in the house for too long. We’re trying to find a balance between structured activities and “use your imagination to entertain yourself” time. Some days are trickier than others. One thing is for certain, though: a daily dose of sunshine and fresh air does wonders for everyone’s moods. Some days, my kids are outside most of the day, and others, we just get a little time outside. 

Whether your kids are all-day-outsiders or just-a-little-outsiders, an outdoor scavenger hunt is a fun activity to do with them! Print off the free printable below, grab a clipboard and something to write with, then take a walk around your neighborhood, searching for the things on the list! If you’re feeling extra ambitious, have your kids make a pair of binoculars before you go— get a couple of empty toiler paper tubes, glue them together, and attach some string to each side for quick and easy binoculars to make your scavenger hunt even more fun! 

You could even laminate the scavenger hunt paper so that you can re-use it multiple times. This activity would be a great option for a small preschool class or daycare group, too! 

An alternative for older kids would be to let them explore on their own, but send them with some way to take pictures, and have them photograph the items as they find them.

However you decide to use it, happy searching!

**PRINTABLE IS FREE, BUT IS ONLY TO BE USED FOR PERSONAL OR CLASSROOM USE. DO NOT SELL, RE-POST, OR CLAIM AS YOUR OWN.** 

Outdoor Scavenger HuntDownload
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Summer How-To List

Summer time tends to provide kids with ample amounts of free time, which can be a blessing and a curse. Some kids do really well with extra time, and are very creative in how they fill their extra hours. Others, however, struggle with imagining up ways to spend their days, which often leads to lots of, “Mom! I’m bored!” 

Many families create a summer bucket list in hopes of finding ways to reduce boredom over the summer months. It’s a great idea, and provides an easy answer to, “What should we do today?” I’m a big proponent of having the kids help create the list. Obviously, adults should over see the list making to ensure that the desired activities are within the financial, time, and logistical limits the family has. 

In addition to a summer bucket list, I’ve also heard of many families instituting a summer “how-to” list. Each family member comes up with a list of a few things they want to learn how to do over the summer break. Lists could include important life skills such as how to do laundry, cook a meal, tie shoes, mow the lawn, place and pick up a food order, and so on. Other skills might include new hobbies, such as learning to sew a pillow, draw, crochet, or code. Again, adults should guide list making to help kids set realistic goals and to ensure that goals are feasible. 

The idea of a “how-to” list is appealing to many, since it provides kids with something to do, but also gives them an opportunity to learn something and keep their minds active. It’s a win-win! 

To help you get started on your own summer “how-to” list, I’ve created a free download you can print off and use with your kids. Even if you don’t have kids, you can use this for yourself– there isn’t an age limit for learning new things!

** As always, this download is free, and should only be used for individual and classroom use. Please do not resell or claim as your own. **

My Summer How-To ListDownload
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Avoiding the Summer Slide

Just looking at the name, the term “summer slide” seems like it might be a fun thing! Summer? Slide? Wahoo! In reality, though, a summer slide in the context of education isn’t as fun as it might seem. When we talk about a summer slide, we are referring to what happens when students get an extended break from learning. Sometimes it is also referred to as the summer slump. Without constant practice, many students tend to regress and forget some of what they have learned during the school year. 

Keeping information fresh in their minds will help kids to more easily jump back into learning in the fall when school starts back up again. In addition to an easier transition back into school, summer learning practice helps kids’ minds stay active and growing. This can be done through various methods. Below, you will find a few ideas to help your kids stay on track during summer break and avoid the summer slide.

For mid-upper grades:

  • Encourage daily reading. Most public libraries have a free summer reading program, offering prizes and other incentives as kids read books. You can also download my free summer reading tracker here.
  • Find and print some pre-made worksheets. The inter webs are teeming with options, many of which are free! You can easily find a plethora of downloadable worksheets for any grade or any subject. Some good websites to try include Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, or Super Teacher Worksheets.
  • If you’d rather have a book of worksheets for your kids to work through, rather than printing off a bunch, there are many options for practice workbooks that can be ordered through Amazon or other retailers.
  • Print off or create some building block challenge cards and have your kids use their imaginations to create whatever the card suggests. Some ideas might be to use blocks to build a house, car, flower, animal, and so on.

For preschool-lower grades:

  • Incorporating learning into their play time is a great way to get them engaged and excited about learning practice. 
  • Puzzles are a fantastic way to keep young (and more mature!) minds active and engaged.
  • Cut out several paper shapes of varying sizes and colors. Have your kids sort them by shape, color, or size. You can even have them order the shapes from largest to smallest or smallest to largest. 
  • Practice letter and number writing using different mediums such as play-doh, pipe cleaners, string, etc. 
  • Do an alphabet search and match activity by writing all 26 letters (lower case) of the alphabet on a large piece of paper. Use 26 sticky note sheets and write all 26 letters in upper case. Hide the papers around the house and have your kids find them then match the upper case letter to it’s correct lower case partner. 
  • Using the same idea as the alphabet search and match, do a number search and match, where you have kids match the numeral form to the word form of a number (ex: 1 and one). You can also write numerals on a large piece of paper. On sticky notes, draw dots or shapes to match the numerals you have on the larger paper (ex: 5 on the large paper and five dots on a smaller paper).
  • Incorporate math into snack time by having your kids count out how many crackers, marshmallows, apple slices, etc. they have on their plates. 

The options are endless, and they don’t have to be expensive or fancy. Sometimes the best activities are the simplest. The goal is to provide kids with opportunities to keep their minds active and engaged during the summer months, with the hope that come fall, their minds will be able to more easily transition to learning mode.

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Summer I-Spy Printable

Summer is in full swing over here! We’ve survived one full week of summer break, and I’ve heard, “I’m bored!” more times than I can count. While I’m not a cruise director and don’t have to provide my kids with activities 24/7, it is nice to have something on hand to pull out for the times when you just need a minute of quiet.

I created a fun free summer themed I-spy page that you can print out and have your kids or students do. I’ve included both color and black and white versions for your convenience. You can print and laminate so they can do them over and over again, or print them and have them do the page as is.

*Please enjoy the summer I-spy pages, but please do not resell them, repost them, or claim them as your own.*

Summer I-SpyDownload
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Summer Reading Doesn’t Have to be a Chore

Summer is almost upon us, and that usually means less structure and less of a schedule. And let’s be honest, that’s a blessing and a curse. It can be tricky to find a good balance between order and chaos. If you’re like me, you find yourself hitting panic mode right about now because how are you going to entertain the kids all day and get your work done and keep up with laundry and dishes and keep your kids’ brains from turning to mush?? It can be a lot. Let me take some of the stress off with a few helps! I’ve made a couple of summer reading resources that you can use. I’ve created a summer reading challenge with fun ideas of places to read and different kinds of things to read. I’ve also made a reading tracker. Both are available in color and black and white. You can decide if you want to have an end reward for completing the challenge and tracker! 

Some kids will just automatically pick up books over the summer and will read for hours on end. Others need a little more encouragement. Either way, I hope these resources help your kids stay on track and keep their minds active over the summer. 

Teachers, feel free to print this out and hand it out to your students before they leave your classroom for the year.

** As always, these resources are meant to be helpful. Please do not sell them, modify them, or claim them as your own. **

Summer Reading ChallengeDownload
Summer Reading Tracker-2Download
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It’s Summer, Take A Break Teachers!

substitute teacher quandry

Whew. 

Who is ready for a good, long summer break after that school year? Is anyone else filled with worries about your students after such a rough spring? Maybe miss them because you weren’t able to say your goodbye’s before you left? Scenarios of next year play out in your head about your past students and how they will do advancing to the next grade, as well as your future students and how you will handle the lapse in the curriculum. 

*deep breath* 

I know it’s worrisome, but we did it. We all made it through. Now, it’s time to relax. I know, it can be hard, but here’s some ideas of how you can (somewhat) take your mind off of school for a time and enjoy your summer break. 

Read a book! No, not your math curriculum book. A book of your choosing that is fun. If you want an easy, fast read with some juicy drama, try The Selection Series by Kiera Cass. It’ll give you a few days of distraction because you’ll be so sucked in it’ll be all you can think about! 

Visit the beach, the lake, the pool, and get in the water! Swim with your kids, your nieces, and nephews, your grandkids, whomever it may be! 

Go hiking, or go for walks around your neighborhood. 

Check-in on other teacher friends. Laugh about the fun times you had with your students, both in the classroom and on Zoom! 

Pick up some new (or old) hobbies like sewing, crafting, biking, sailing, or building. 

Start or work on your Twitter or Instagram, or any other social media! 

Read teacher memes to keep you laughing. 

Take a stroll on a local scooter or bike share, but bring the Clorox wipes!! 

Summer can make or break teachers. We can think and plan, never giving ourselves a break, hoping to make next year less stressful, but it can also do the opposite by not giving us the time we need to check out. This summer especially, given the current circumstances. 

Take a breather. Take some time. Enjoy your summer! Stay safe and wash your hands!