Plans for the summer?

[MissRubyandKen]

I'm interested in hearing what everyone else has planned for the summer. Are you schooling, taking vacation, some mix of the two? We've schooled through summer before with lots of days off. Last summer we took off completely from school. They had friends who were over pretty much daily and lots of staying overnight, so doing schooling wouldn't have worked out anyway, lol.

This year I'm not sure what I'd like to plan. I'm thinking about just taking a complete vacation from school. We've started a garden (Yay! We finally have our own yard.) and everyone is helping with that some. We're still unpacking from our move and this house still needs some tlc to get it how we want it. Then there's the pool, walks to the library and parks, picnics, and our zoo membership. Dd 10 has started a nature journal of her own accord and is very enthusiastic about it. All three kids have been observing bugs, birds, blooms, and our garden which is fun to see.

One thing is ds 8 did express that he would like to do some math over the summer so that he doesn't 'forget' math and have it be harder when he starts up again after summer. I'd love to start the Miquon math I've got with him, but I haven't been able to order the cusenaire rods yet and probably won't have the money for a couple of months. I'm thinking I will encourage some hands on math and games with the manipulatives we have and with the chalkboard I'm making right now.

Oh, and dd wants to learn Spanish, so of course ds does too. So I guess I need to figure out what to do about that. I got a Spanish dictionary from the library and dd has been carrying it around with the two year old close on her heels trying to imitate the Spanish words she's learning. Too cute!

So, what's everyone else plan to do?

[elizawill]

my daughter will still do math & reading. we're trying to work through CLE 2 math, so that we can get into the 3rd grade level by fall. as for reading, she can read whatever she wants.

for my son, i'll continue to do handwriting with him. he'll only write a short sentence from copywork or something. we'll also finish up hooked on phonics grade k.

i'm so glad to take a break though and have no records to keep, attendance, portfolios. i'm looking forward to that break for myself! we'll start school back in mid august.

[kittie313]

We're still going to do phonics and math with the big kids, and read lots of great stuff with all of them. Some of the reading we're going to do I am considering lapbooking just to keep us into the swing of doing schoolwork, but other than that I'm just going to relax and enjoy our summer. We are planning a trip to the Ohio Caverns next month, and are going to wer out our zoo membership as well over the summer. But other than that we really don't have too many big plans.

[phathui5]

The first weekend in June, we're going camping at Niagara Falls.

The kids and I will be going to summer camp from June 20-25th. http://camphebron.org/ I'm excited because we've never done the Moms and Tots camp before. It's for moms and kids ages 7 and under. 9yods will be in the cabin with the boys his age.

Aside from that, it'll be academics as usual. We homeschool year round.

[limette]

We're going to be moving across the country and then I'll be giving birth...lol.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

[zjande]

Just our daily spanish lesson. Otherwise, no schooling for us! I love the break of summer. We'll be going to lots of homeschool group park days & other activities. My 12 yo ds reads voraciously on his own. I look forward to reading some fluff of my own instead of homeschool stuff. Plus we do tons of canning, gardening, & going to u-picks over the summer.

Now if only it would stop raining & actually BE summer!!

[ChinaDoll]

We're doing some very light 'summer school' - mostly just to stave off boredom. Mine are only finishing K/1st grades, so we're keeping it simple. I set up a schedule blocking out times to

play outside
play inside together
play alone quietly in their rooms
do chores
and a couple of blocks for electronic time (xbox, wii, leapster, tv or computer - pick one - having it scheduled means they quit asking 'how about now? how about NOW? )

I keep up with Bible and read-alouds through the summer, allowing art, crafts, board games, Rosetta Stone etc as desired.

As far as 'school' I'm just requiring one academic subject per day, so our schooling is more to stave off boredom than to truly keep up with schoolwork. We do:

Mon - spelling/phonics
Tu - math
Wed - handwriting
Th - grammar/writing
Fri - science


Our 'summer school' will only be 6 weeks, plus 2 more weeks at Grandma's house (4 wks summer school - 2 wks Grandma's - 2 weeks summer school) and then we'll start back in mid-July while it's oppressively hot here. That way we can be out of school next April or May.

And of course, all this is subject to change if we decide we'd rather go swimming or to the zoo or whatever

[meetoo]

We will be doing a ton of outdoor nature study! My oldest DD will read through Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1, and various library readers. My son will finish HOP K and just read a book a night. We will be reading the rest of the Chronicles of Narania out loud. For math we will just play games or answer random math facts in the car. My DD hates handwriting but needs practice, so I need to come up with some fun ways to keep her writing this summer......

[gothnurse3]

Originally Posted by limette

We're going to be moving across the country and then I'll be giving birth...lol.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

[jlpumkin]

Originally Posted by limette

We're going to be moving across the country and then I'll be giving birth...lol.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

WOW!

Our summer plan - the kids and I driving 14 hours to visit my family Otherwise I hope we will either be at the library or the pool. DD will still work Math a couple of days per week. Both children are participating in the library story time. And lots of just hands on life - cooking, gardening, sewing and we hope to learn to can in July! Last year we started school July 1st. I think we'll push it back to Aug 1st this year though.

[ohiomommy1122]

we do 6 weeks on 1 week off year round but are more laid back in the summer months as we have lots of fun events and stuff to do.

Lots of messy projects are done in the summer because they can be done outside!

[Bluegoat]

As far as school we'll keep practicing a little reading, and dd is going to do some nature study with her dad, who will be home for the summer. They are going to do a lot of fishing and maybe go camping (and fishing) too.

[craft_media_hero]

We are playing it by ear. DD gets GRUMPY if she has nothing to do, so I think that planning a little bit of activity is better for her than just expecting her to "go play" and entertain herself.

I think we will try and make a routine of hitting the bookstore morning story times, getting an AM swim class, and maybe sign her up for art camp, or the UU church is having earth camp.

Although we're pretty much officially "done" with first grade, I think we will keep doing a little bit of math here and there, and I will probably ask her to read to me. I also think that we'll focus more on daily art activities, for the same reason above--my girl needs a little direction and some available choices.

I'm hoping for lots of outside time.

We're moving in a few weeks and having a baby a few weeks after that . . . and I'm teaching an art class and starting a new job. So we may do not a darned thing beyond the bare minimum and hang out in our yard all summer. That would be okay, too.

Also, I signed up for the "fruit bounty" with our local CSA, so I'm hoping that our family will be doing some serious freezing/canning of the harvest season goodies. I think that's enough with all our "real life" stuff happening.

[kittywitty]

We are going to finish up some reading lessons (5 yo) and the rest of the 1st SOTW book, but otherwise are taking it easy. I want to get started early as I'm due in November, so that way we can have an easy and lazy end of the year.

[crunchy_mama]

We have been slowly working on integrating various things into "school" time and will continue to do so during the summer as I just don't want to start a bunch of new things at once. We will really be focusing on nature studies though, the kids are going to take swim lessons and who knows what else. Officially start date for next year is going to be Aug 1.

[chrissy]

We could all use a break.

My rising 3rd grader reads like crazy, so I will have plenty of good books around for him to read.

And, I'll read to all of them every day before our afternoon quiet time (3yo picks his own book, I'm finishing up the Little House series with the oldest 2).

We'll work on our garden, play outside and swim a ton. Also, we'll get together with our co-op friends weekly to play in a creek in the woods!

[momtokea]

We are leaving on June 1 for London, England. We will spend two days in Dover, then sailing up to the Baltic Sea and visiting St. Petersburg, Estonia, Helsinki, Stolkholm, Berlin, and Copenhagen. We have spent the past few months learning about all the places we will visit.

When we return my 12 year old will be attending an international Girl Guide camp in July for 9 days. My 10 year old will attend a Shakespeare drama camp with her friend for a week, and in August all three kids will spend a week at science camp. We will also be spending a week camping in the mountains, and another week camping at a nearby lake.

We will still be taking along our reading-for-pleasure books and I always continue our read-alouds all year long.

[pauletoy]

Originally Posted by momtokea

We are leaving on June 1 for London, England. We will spend two days in Dover, then sailing up to the Baltic Sea and visiting St. Petersburg, Estonia, Helsinki, Stolkholm, Berlin, and Copenhagen. We have spent the past few months learning about all the places we will visit.

When we return my 12 year old will be attending an international Girl Guide camp in July for 9 days. My 10 year old will attend a Shakespeare drama camp with her friend for a week, and in August all three kids will spend a week at science camp. We will also be spending a week camping in the mountains, and another week camping at a nearby lake.

We will still be taking along our reading-for-pleasure books and I always continue our read-alouds all year long.

I want to spend the summer with you!
Posted via Mobile Device

[AAK]

Nothing fancy for us this year (that trip to London sounds awesome though!). We are really sticking to our "debt reduction plan" for once and making great progress. So, for summer, the kids will take swim lessons and some riding lessons. We will be skipping the camps. We take a two month break from piano which my kids really need.

We have three camping trips planned that should be a ton of fun, we will garden, swim at my mom's, and bike often. We will do lots of art, random science experiments, and cook. We will restock our freezer of jam and applesauce, and our shelves with canned peaches, pears, beans, etc. I will complete a sprint distance triathlon (second time, though I hope to be in shape this time).

We have started a mother/daughter book club which I hope goes well. I really want it to.

Academically speaking, my 7 yr old will continue reading lessons with me throughout the summer. I have also ordered AAS level one. I may start that this summer too--mostly as a reinforcement of the reading, but I also ordered a couple of their readers hoping to get more things dd can read around. She is finally making progress (slow but steady) and I really don't want it to slide back. For math, I plan on having her make change whenever possible (she struggles with counting money) but I won't "work on it" with her. I will just take life opportunities. The girls normally pick out a fun workbook type thing for the summer that they do when bored. All in all, I won't take more than 30 min/day for the reading lessons.

My oldest will also continue to read throughout the summer. Thankfully, she has always read well and loves to read. I will be "stacking the deck" a bit and hoping to help her branch out a bit on what she reads. I will do this simply by making sure the books are around. She will do a bit of "quickie math" (where I put five problems on a paper for her--strictly review) just to keep her from sliding back too far during the break.

My four year old always wants to "do school" so I will have stuff available upon request. And of course, we all read to her often.

Other than that, we will have lots of playdates and play in the backyard a lot. Hopefully have a chance to do "nothing" as well.

Amy

[DaughterOfKali]

I wouldn't call it schooling (what I plan on doing) because it's not going to be on a schedule or as often.

I just want my son to do a little work each week so that he doesn't regress or forget.