As summer kicks off and, in honor of National Children's Day (June 9), right now is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the joys of childhood.

Looking for more than just teaching tips and ideas for activities?
At AIR Childcare Training Solutions, our team is dedicated to empowering teachers with top-notch professional development courses for early childhood educators. 

For parents and early childhood educators alike, keeping kids engaged while school is out can feel daunting. But this break offers a chance to nurture young minds through playful, multi-sensory learning experiences that awaken their innate curiosity.

Check out our ideas for fun lessons and exercises for summer or any time of year -- including some suggestions for parents/guardians of your students for ways to incorporate learning at home.

Simple Summer Sensory Play

What's more delightful than getting a bit messy while exercising developing senses? Try these simple sensory bins with materials you likely have around the house:

• Dry Pasta/Rice Bin - Bury small toys or objects inside for scooping and exploration. Add measuring cups, tongs, and funnels for motor skills practice.

• Oobleck (Cornstarch & Water) - This gooey, fluid mixture endlessly fascinates as it transforms from solid to liquid with pressure.

• Shaving Cream Art - Apply splashes of shaving cream to plastic trays and let creativity blossom through color mixing and patterns.

Budget STEM Challenges

Spark those budding scientific and engineering minds; All you need are common household items!

• Marshmallow & Spaghetti Towers - See who can build the tallest freestanding structure!
• Paper Airplane Contest - Whose aerodynamic design can fly the farthest?
• Recycled Robots - Get creative repurposing bottles, boxes, and other recycling into robot creations.
• Solar Oven S'mores - Build miniature ovens from pizza boxes and make tasty sun-powered snacks.

Backyard Summer Camp

You don't have to go far to spark a sense of wonder and adventure! Families can turn their backyards into a summer camp experience:

• Under the Night Sky -Set up a mini "campsite" with tents, a safety campfire pit, and a trail of string lights.
• Nurturing a Love of Nature - Do classic camp activities like scavenger hunts, nature journaling, and wilderness-inspired crafts.
• Scouting 101 - Work on survival skills by practicing knot tying, building shelters, and identifying plants/wildlife.
• Musical Memories Made Easy - At night, cozy up for spooky stories and harmonica-led singalongs.

Rounding Out Reading Skills

While a break from formal schooling is important for recharging, sprinkling in literacy activities over the summer is ideal for:

• Stop the Summer Slide - Preventing the "summer slide" loss of skills. Encourage families to ask children questions about what they are learning to try the above activities at home.
• Books, Books & More Books - Help kids maintain enthusiasm around reading. Local libraries often have additional programs and events in the summer to support families. Teachers can also create a summer reading list.
• Wonder About Words - Summer is a great time for kids todevelop richer vocabulary and comprehension abilities. Vacations, road trips, airline flights, and shifting summer schedules offer glossaries of new words to learn and practice.

Let's celebrate little ones by nurturing their remarkable ability to learn through play, discovery, and firsthand experiences. With a bit of creativity and care, you can awaken their joy of learning all summer long.

Need More Inspiration? We've Got You Covered!

AIR Childcare Training Solutions offers top professional development courses for early childhood educators and administrators. Our teaching tips blog is an amazing free resource stocked with hundreds of fresh activity ideas, tips, and inspiration. Browse through for more ways to celebrate children all summer!

Sara Naff is an early childhood education professional who has taught in the preschool classroom as well as adult learner environments. She is Director of Operations at AIR Childcare Training Solutions.