Summer homeschooling shouldn’t feel like lugging a workbook to the pool. It’s my favorite season to lean into curiosity, relationships, and all the sunshine God so generously provides. These seven principles steer our family once the “regular” school year clocks out—maybe they’ll spark ideas for yours, too.
Start with a Tiny Daily Anchor
I’m not a fan of rigid summer schedules, but we do need a gentle nudge that says, “Okay, day—let’s begin.” For us that’s a morning devotional: a prayer, scripture study, and summer read-aloud. After that, everyone dives into a self-chosen project for about an hour. Timer goes off, and—boom—summer can wander any direction it wants.
Default to the Great Outdoors
Standing rule: if it can be eaten, read, painted, or prayed outside, that’s where it happens. Dinner on the deck, novels on a blanket in the yard, math facts in sidewalk chalk. Fresh air resets attitudes faster than any color-coded chore chart I’ve ever tried.
Let Curiosity Pick the Destination
Instead of a bullet-point lesson plan, we crowd-source ideas at the beginning of our summer and then revisit possibilities at the beginning of the week. Each person names something they’d love to explore —a swimming hole, a local museum, a service project, you name it. We jot the ideas on sticky notes and slide them onto the fridge calendar wherever they fit. When kids help set the agenda, they show up eager and stay engaged longer.
Lean into Relationship-Rich Moments
Kids remember the together stuff. A few non-negotiable outings anchor our whole summer: Lagoon Day, Grandma Day, Homeschool Swim Camp, a musical-theater night, a night at the drive-inn, and a star-sleepover on the trampoline. Everything else flexes around those dates. Whether we are screaming down a roller coaster or singing show tunes on the drive home, hearts are knitting—math facts can wait.
Plant “Memory Poles,” Skip Busywork
We aim for experiences that naturally bundle subjects—astronomy camp-out (science + mythology), berry-picking and jam-making (botany + chemistry), or a DIY history stroll through the next town (geography + storytelling). Fewer events, deeper roots.
Hide Academics in Plain Sight
Learning is everywhere if I look for it. Garden measurements turn into graphing; bird calls morph into scientific notation; budgeting for the August road trip becomes real-world math.
Ready to Try It?
- Pick a daily anchor.
- Eat and read outside whenever weather (and mosquitoes) allow.
- Gather everyone’s curiosity ideas and pencil them straight onto the calendar.
- Choose a handful of memory-making events and guard them fiercely.
- Trade worksheets for multi-sensory adventures when you can.
- Learn organically as you enjoy the summer — leave breathing room and celebrate what actually happened.
Blend these principles with your family’s passions and summer turns into a living textbook—overflowing with sunshine, laughter, and the kind of memories that last long after August waves goodbye. Happy adventuring, friends!
