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Don't Snow on Summer

By Liza Sullivan, Director of Student and Educator Programs, Chicago Children's Museum

When I think about my own summer days growing up, the biggest decision I recall was whether to go to our town's beach or swimming pool. Afternoons I usually spent riding my bike around the neighborhood, playing with dolls in our screened-in back porch, or helping my mom in the kitchen. These summer memories seem particularly precious these days, because now I seldom have time to explore, discover, and just be.

Once I became a second grade teacher, I saw a different side to summer. I heard parents wonder what they were going to do with their children every day for ten weeks. I questioned if everything I'd taught the last school year would fade, and many parents shared my concern. As adults, we felt the responsibility both to make sure summer was fun, but also that children continued to learn and grow.

At Chicago Children's Museum, we are always looking for ways to connect learning to play-to find ways to reinforce and extend what kids know. Below are ideas for capturing some of the teachable moments that might happen along during the lazy days of summer.

Water Exploration: Whether it's the pool, the beach or a bottle of bubbles, water is always welcome when it's hot outside. In addition to learning how to swim, children can build an understanding of basic physics from water play, including such concepts as gravity, fluidity, and volume.

Lemonade Stand: There's nothing like starting your own business to give real-life meaning to math and reading skills. Let kids write their own list of supplies, create a sale sign, and track their expenses and profits.

Superheroes, Dolls and Make-Believe: While lending children the power to deal with some of the very real issues in their own lives, drama enhances children's understanding of story elements, including plot, characterization and setting. Role playing also provides an opportunity for groups of children to collaborate.

Family Game Nights: Just the nature of competition leads to counting. Most gamesóincluding board games, sports and cardsóinvolve numbers. Children can learn to count, recognize figures, add and subtract, estimate and begin to understand probability.

Mentor Time: Relationships with a variety of nurturing adults are invaluable to children as they grow. Grandparents, other relatives, and family friends can share a hobby or skill, including cooking, needlecrafts, fishing or stamp collecting.

Museum Visits: Chicago is full of museums that are open nearly every day during the summer, rain or shine. Go Figure!, CCMís inventive traveling exhibit, offers a variety of math and role-playing activities in a kid-sized world that brings popular children's literature to life.

Pleasure Reading: There's no time like summer for curling up with a good book and letting your imagination fly. Public libraries often run special programs, including read-alouds and read-a-thons. At CCM, we are celebrating reading with Word Fest, a literacy-based program that includes book discussions, crafts and a poetry slam.

Kitchen Time: Think of your kitchen as a learning laboratory. Cooking-with you!-allows children to practice fractions and measurement. Making ice cream might be the best way ever to understand the connection between salt, temperature and liquids.

Are We There Yet? Summer trips provide great learning opportunities, but time in a car, airport or bus can seem interminable to youngsters. Bring a stack of books, markers and paper. If you have the privacy of your own vehicle, sing-alongs and games can teach while entertaining. Challenge children to look for numbers on signs and license plates, count by 2s, 5s or 10s, or hunt for various geometric shapes, brown cows or red suitcases. Check out the following resources for ways to make summer fun, relaxing and meaningful.

Chicago Tour Books

Kids in the Loop: Chicago Adventures for Kids and Their Grown-Ups by Anne Basye

Kids Explore Chicago: The Very Best Kids' Activities Within an Easy Drive of Chicago by Susan D. Moffat

52 Adventures in Chicago by Lynn Gordon

Family Activity Books

Summer Smarts for Cool Kids: Over 150 Fantastic and Fun Learning Activities to Help Kids Beat the Summer Blahs by Penny Warner

The Best Summer Ever: A Parents' Guide by Joan M. Bergstrom

Family Funbook: More Than 400 Amazing, Amusing, and All-Around Awesome Activities for the Entire Family! by Joni Hilton Summertime

Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family by Sara Perry

© 2007 Chicago Children's Museum

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