fess up

[houseelf]

What kind of educational stuff do you really plan on doing with your kids this summer?

We got a list home of potential topics to go over this summer.

I'm pretty certain that I'm going to go barebones, however. I'm going to provide some fun reading material (thanks for the fab suggestions Angie and Flynn) and pull out some math fact worksheets a couple of times. :huh: If I feel super motivated, I'll pull out some Spanish, but I doubt it because we have a short summer (finish later in MN and start earlier in OH).

I readily admit to my slacker-dom because we're only talking about 2nd grade here. What about you?

Kelly

Same here. I'll just keep stoking the book fire with new stuff as she needs it. There is little effort needed on that. I'll look around for a good 1-2 grade math workbook. If I put it out, she does it on her own.

Otherwise, that is about it. We have a camp here and there and we will swim. I nixed swim team this year. It starts at 7am ( ) and that just isn't happening. The kids stay up later during the summer and I don't want to let go of the fantasy that they might sleep a little past seven. Probably keep up with swim lessons, some bike rides, and check out an art camp.

I like lazy summers. Stick a move in the middle of all that and we're good.

Jacob got 4 workbooks to do over the summer, so that will be pretty much the extent of it. He's in a summer basketball league, and both will be taking swimming lessons.

That's it.

[DCJenn]

We plan on learning to swim.

He starts pre-school this fall (late summer actually) so I'm not too concerned. He just showed me a paper where he had actually written his name out so I'm not too concerned about his not keeping up!

We'll continue to read books whenever he wants as well.

Now I'm going to get some educational materials to become a water aerobics/deep water running instructor (I hope- they're kind of expensive) and take myself to my pool Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Jenn

[samssugarmomma]

We're working on the alphabet - recognizing the letters and that "Apple starts with A, etc"

Is that realistic for a 2 year old (born in Feb so almost 2.5)? She knows the "ABC" song....but doesn't recognize the letters yet.....

We also read books and now that we don't have tumbling lessons every week, we are going to start heading for the library for new books every week. We are taking the summer off from activities and will start either swimming or tumbling again in the fall.

[Momo]

Did any of you have to do school type work over summer break growing up???

The most I recall doing was the occasional 4H things, vacation bible school, tennis,cheer & disco camps, as well as baton, tap dancing, swim and acrobat lessons...these were spread out over the course of my childhood.

The main thing I did during the summer was play outside: ride bikes , skateboard, climb trees, and swim. I used to catch butterflies & lightening bugs, go fishing, fly kites, play in the sprinkler/slip and slide,stay all night @ friend's houses & have them over to mine. We
(siblings& I) would play various outdoor games w/neighborhood kids such as : tether ball, croquet, badminton, volleyball, wiffleball, baseball and every type of tag.
You know the just being a kid kind of stuff.

The best part of of all, was NO SCHOOL WORK! That's what summer break was all about a break from school stuff/books IE formal learning. The closest we got to schoolish type stuff, was either the trips to the library w/ mom or visiting the Book Mobile when @ my dad's.

[PrincessFiona]

We will be doing german schooling for 1.5 hours/morning 4 days/week...and each of the kids has a math book that they are having to work through...Also...nazi mom that I am...they have to read a minimum of 30 minutes/day. With Aidan, I'm working on german vocab and letter recognition....

I don't homeschool during the year...so we do it in the summer.

kris

[samssugarmomma]

Did any of you have to do school type work over summer break growing up???

We didn't -our summers were like yours - for playing and being a kid. We did the summer reading programs at the library because we wanted to - there was a pizza party or something at the end of the summer for those that completed it and that was our only motivation/driving force - free pizza!


Mine is only 2 so don't know.....Do you have to do school work over the summer so that the kids can keep up with each other? IE - so that the kids of "normal" parents can keep up the kids of parents that push them too hard?

Suz, that list is mostly for my almost 7 yo. I just wouldn't want the break to be a break from reading so she keeps up. She is in love with books right now so that isn't too big a deal. She likes math too but it doesn't come as easily as reading. That is mostly to keep it fresh. I think playing outside sounds great. She is also doing a nature camp, girl scout camp, and one other I can't remember. The local parks dept does drop-in camps for free that have art and gimp and that sort of stuff.

[Phoebe]

We are working with the oldest on letters and phonic as they fit in. We have a couple workbooks she likes working on.

Both girls are taking gymnastics, swimming lessons and will attend VBS at our church. DD#1 is taking a week of art camp with her friend.

[Vanquisher]

We are pretty much having fun. The kids will take swimming lessons and Ryan just finished baseball camp. We'll be at the pool, the beach, outside, playing, and having fun in the sun.

Some books will be read, but for the most part any "formal" education will not take place. I have, in the past, had Ryan do a lot of summer reading. He reads so far above his grade level at this point and is so far ahead of his peers that I don't care if he "loses a little." I assume he will finish the Lord of the Rings series, and I might teach him a little more domesticism. A man needs to learn how to clean, cook, and be a gentleman, and since his dad is never here, it's up to me!

[rainbabies]

we're playing outside, swiming in the kiddie pool, riding bikes, running, playing ball, weeding gardens, doing some arts and crafts stuff...but mostly hanging out being little kids. i don't believe in edumacation

oh, ds starts pre-school again this september....dd, still not sure if they have a slot for her.

[Flynn]

we're playing outside, swiming in the kiddie pool, riding bikes, running, playing ball, weeding gardens, doing some arts and crafts stuff...but mostly hanging out being little kids. i don't believe in edumacation

oh, ds starts pre-school again this september....dd, still not sure if they have a slot for her.

This is pretty much me as well.
DD is a sponge -- she's learning every day in leaps in bounds despite what I do and DS is 2.5 years old....plenty of time for "school."

[Rapunzel]

We're going to the beach, Baby!!



Seriously, our plans this summer include all of the fun New England childhood experiences: berry picking, visiting the beach (often), going up to the mountains (NH), whale watching, visiting the Newport mansions, going on the merry-go-round on Hyannis' Main Street, etc. I suppose that most of these experiences are also educational - but I'm going to pretend that we're just doing them for fun's sake.

Otherwise, the older three kids will be doing math through the summer. And, we're all going to the library once a week.

[PrincessFiona]

I think a 3 1/2 month summer is too long and that there is too much forgetting going on....We do the german with songs/games/reading and each kid has a single workbook...It's not that bad.

They alternate evenings with math work ... but there are lots and lots of hours in the day for fun, fun, fun...

We take a weekly field trip on Fridays to the Zoo, park, Laura Ingall's park, N orthern MN etc...and...on other days, they get to swim, play with friends, have sleepovers....