If you're going to homeschool during the summer....shake it up and make sure it's fun!
Here are a few tips to keep the learning going all summer long:
#1. USE FUN SUPPLEMENT WORKBOOKS
Let's face it, asking a kid to work through a 200 page Saxon Math Book when it's 80 degrees (and the outdoors are calling!), is not exactly a fun situation for anyone. When my kids were young, we did continue "some" schooling through the summer months. However, I made sure the workbooks were fun, colorful, with lots of graphics, and were not too many pages. My goal as mom and teacher was to keep the overwhelming factor to a minimal.
At the beginning of summer, I usually bought a variety of fun, supplement workbooks and let my kids choose which ones they wanted to work on first. This is a great way to engage children to feel like they have some "skin in the game" when it comes to their education. While this may not be ideal through the regular school months, it's a perfect time to try this approach during summer homeschooling.
#2. FOCUS ONLY ON SUBJECTS THEY NEED TO IMPROVE
Math is a another popular subject that homeschooling parents like to focus on during the summer months.Multiplication and division seem to be one of those dreaded math skills that often times kids do not fully master throughout the school year. Multiplication and division drill workbooks are one way to keep the math going through the summer.
If your child still hasn't conquered their multiplication tables, Times Tales is a fun, out-of-the-box way for children to finally get the times tables conquered.
Get Started Today!
#3. Incentivize Reading Books
Some parents find that summer is a perfect time to encourage their children to read books. For my kids, we had our own book reading program, where they earned 5 dollars for every book read. In addition to reading the book, they were also required to write a small one or two paragraph book report. I had one child that was a real go getter with this money incentive and read enough books to buy a bike! This again, is another way for kids to feel they have a stake and a say at what they're learning.
#4. JOURNALING
Since most families will be taking trips during the summer months, one great way to incorporate real-life learning is journaling. Before a trip, I would buy a blank hardcover book for each kid to journal for the day. They would add pictures or mementos to their journal books which makes these keep sakes even more special. Now that my children are grown, these journals are family keepsakes and a cherished glimpse into their youth.
If your children get stuck on what to write, you can give them 3 questions to answer for each journal entry they make.
Example of Journal Questions:
- Where did you go today?
- What did you see?
- What is your favorite thing you saw or did today?
The question to homeschool or to completely take a break from school is different for each family. Looking back as a homeschool mom of 4, I believe the summer offered new opportunities and different learning perspective than the regular school year. And what better time than summer homeschooling to show kids that learning can be fun!
✅ A Smarter Way to Learn the Times Tables Chart
Color-Coded Multiplication Chart
Traditional rote memorization doesn’t work for every student. Many learners get stuck on upper multiplication facts, even if they understand the concept of multiplication. That’s why thousands of families and classrooms have turned to the Color Guide Multiplication Chart Method, a system that breaks down the times table into 3 easy-to-master sections:
– Taught with skip counting and repeated addition
– Memorized through mnemonic stories
– Mastered with visual memory tricks
This approach helps students learn multiplication facts fast—and more importantly, helps them remember the answers long term.
#5. Practice Cursive Writing
Summer is the perfect time to introduce (or revisit) cursive handwriting! With fewer academic pressures, kids can focus on mastering this valuable skill at their own pace. By September, your child could confidently read and write in cursive — a skill many schools have stopped teaching but one that still boosts reading, spelling, and fine motor development.
Cursive doesn’t have to become a relic of the past. Keep it alive this summer with our fun, interactive online cursive course for kids! Students are guided through each letter with short video lessons, interactive quizzes, and even challenges that help them read cursive, not just write it.
Once they finish the course, keep their new skill fresh by writing short daily notes to your child — in cursive, of course!
Try out the Times Tales™ visual learning method with this free online course to learn 7x4 & 9x9.
Imagine your student mastering their times tables and having those facts stick for years to come.
With Times Tales™ it's possible!
CLICK to try the FREE Multiplication Mastery Mini-Course! In this course your child will learn how to use visual memory cues to memorize 7x4 and 9x9.
👉Multiplication Chart practice printables and flashcards included in FREE course.
A Smarter Way to Learn Multiplication
💬 Real Parent & Teacher Testimonials
“As a teacher, I’ve tried it all—flashcards, songs, games. Times Tales worked where everything else failed.”
—One Happy Teacher!
“My dyslexic son went from zero facts memorized to mastering the times table through 12 in just 3 weeks!”
—Lisa M., homeschool parent
“My daughter knew the concept of multiplication but couldn’t memorize the facts. With Times Tales, she was the first to finish her test—with 100%!”
—Haley S., proud mom
FREE 1-12 Multiplication Chart Printable with answer key.
CLICK HERE to download free printable.