I am so so so excited about this summer. I found a woman on Pinterest that created an at home summer camp for her children. It's Genius! I don't know why I never thought about it. Last summer we followed the Monday make something day, Tuesday time to read day, Wednesday what's cooking day, Thursday Thanks day, and Friday fun day. It was fun, but I felt like we were doing the same stuff over and over again. The at home summer camp idea has a new theme for every week which means new stuff to do and see- no more repeating! Well, we won't be repeating as much. The Science Spectrum is the boys' favorite, so we often go there, plus, we have a yearly pass there.
I used this blog for the general weekly themes (though I added the Space week). I also added my own crafts and field trips that are Lubbock friendly. Every week I plan on going to the library and getting books that meet each theme as well and we'll add them to our nightly book reading routine.
Here's my 11 week Nuffer family AT HOME summer camp: (Seriously, I am so stoked about this, I can't wait until summer camp starts!)
Week 1, June 3-7 SPACE
Monday- Planets video; planets craft (one from this site), and make a rocket (this or this)
Tuesday- Visit the Planetarium and the TTU museum (the planetarium doesn't do a star show, more a laser light show, so I put in a request to visit the TTU observatory one night instead)
Wednesday- Make constellation cards and make a constellation craft
Thursday- Make and play with galaxy dough
Friday- Create moon phases with Oreos, and make macaroni moon craft
*We might look at the stars one night or make this rocket, create a space picture with shapes, and possibly watch Wall-E or some other space centered cartoon
Week 2, June 10-14 WILDLIFE EXPLORERS
Monday- Watch Madagascar, make animal masks (I already have the mask kit), and make an elephant
Tuesday- Visit prairie dog town and Pets Smart (SOOO frustrated that Lubbock still does not have a zoo)
Wednesday- Do a Camouflage science experiment and play a wild animal activity on YouTube
Thursday- Make bird seed feeders and hang them outside
Friday- Have an animal and nature scavenger hunt- you can use my list, let me know if you'd like a copy
Week 3, June 17-21 CASTLES AND DRAGONS
Monday- Watch Tangled and make lanterns like the movie
Tuesday- Play at Legacy Play Village because it's castle like
Wednesday- Make magic wands (using straws and paper) and a swab bow and arrows
Thursday- Build castles with Duplos, blocks, and foam shapes
Friday- Build a tissue box castle with TP roll people
Week 4, June 24-28 PIRATES, AAARR, Matey!
Monday- Make a pirate hate with newspaper and paint it with a telescope and eyepatch
Tuesday- Look over a pirate picture dictionary of pirate words and make a marshmallow pirate ship
Wednesday- Make a sailing boat and play with it in the bath
Thursday- Make a treasure chest (get a paper or wooden box and let the boys paint and decorate it)
Friday- Let the boys go on a real treasure hunt that I will create in the front yard. (Jim is super excited to make the treasure map)
*Other activities: play with their pirate water table, Little People pirate ship, and maybe watch Peter Pan
Week 5, July 1-5 AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL
Monday- Make 4th of July wind socks, 4th necklaces (made with stars instead of flowers), 4th streamers
Tuesday- Firework crafts with Fruit Loops (similar to this)
Wednesday- Make and decorate 4th cupcakes or sugar cookies
Thursday- Fireworks show and sparklers in the backyard
Friday- Make (with paint and stickers) a REAL flag (13 stripes, 50 stars for math skills)
Week 6, July 8-12 THE EARTH
Monday- Watch Ice Age Continental drift and create a chart for the boys to graph the weather temps for the week
Tuesday- Learn about recycling by separating our recycling, take this pledge, and make TP roll binoculars
Wednesday- Watch The Lorax and plant something.
Thursday- Make Earth sun-catchers with contact paper and tissue paper and go on a nature walk and make a collage with stuff we find outside
Friday- Go to the Science Spectrum and check out all of their Earth displays
Week 7, July 15-19 TRAINS
Monday- Watch a train show (Mr Rogers or Thomas) and play with some train math
Tuesday- Make a TP roll train and make candy or cookie trains (nix the pink and red)
Wednesday- Make an egg carton train
Thursday- Make a giant train track set-up all over our house (we have A LOT of tracks)
Friday- Go visit the train at the Ranching and Heritage center and maybe go see the miniature train village at the Science Spectrum
Week 8, July 22-26 UP IN THE AIR
Monday- Make paper rockets and play!
Tuesday- Make airplane magnets
Wednesday- Make paper airplanes and play the airplane target game
Thursday- Watch Up and play the balloon ping pong game
Friday- Go visit the The Silent Wings Museum
Week 9, July 29- August 2 OCEAN WONDERS
Monday- Watch the Little Mermaid and make some jellyfish
Tuesday- Play a fishing math game and go swimming for ABC's in the bathtub (using a pole with a magnet and refrigerator magnets)
Wednesday- Go swimming or play in the sprinkler and with water toys
Thursday- Watch Nemo and make an Octapus
Friday- Go to the Science Spectrum and visit the aquariums there. Maybe Pets Plus as well.
Week 10, August 5-9 BUILDING AND CREATING
Monday- Build the wooden car kits (that I already have on hand)
Tuesday- Create and play with an obstacle course
Wednesday- Build with Duplos, blocks, and marshmallows with toothpicks, then ask the boys which they liked best and why
Thursday- BOYS CHOICE! Let the boys choose a craft they want to create
Friday- Visit the preschool room at the Science Spectrum
Week 11, August 12-16 IT'S A SMALL WORLD
Monday- Asia: learn some origami and make candy sushi; also try real sushi
Tuesday- Mexico: make paper plate maracas and let the boys make their own tostadas
Wednesday- Africa: make Kwanzaa place mat and a rainstick, and make/eat an African fruit salad
Thursday- Australia: make an Aboriginal bolo tie and make/eat banana pops (an Australian treat)
Friday- All about me and where I live/do: fill out me worksheet and make a world craft (something like this or this)
*I will be using their globe all week as well to point out different countries. This site has A TON of crafts from other countries that we might also do
Of course, everything is subject to change as stuff comes up or something, but I wanted to get our summer at-home camp up and ready before I started summer school- you know, one less thing to worry about during the semester. I have almost everything I need at home already sitting in my craft closet, so supplies aren't a huge expense. I am super excited to get started! I will also be creating a scrapbook of their summer o'fun as we go on all our adventures. I can't wait!
I used this blog for the general weekly themes (though I added the Space week). I also added my own crafts and field trips that are Lubbock friendly. Every week I plan on going to the library and getting books that meet each theme as well and we'll add them to our nightly book reading routine.
Here's my 11 week Nuffer family AT HOME summer camp: (Seriously, I am so stoked about this, I can't wait until summer camp starts!)
Week 1, June 3-7 SPACE
Monday- Planets video; planets craft (one from this site), and make a rocket (this or this)
Tuesday- Visit the Planetarium and the TTU museum (the planetarium doesn't do a star show, more a laser light show, so I put in a request to visit the TTU observatory one night instead)
Wednesday- Make constellation cards and make a constellation craft
Thursday- Make and play with galaxy dough
Friday- Create moon phases with Oreos, and make macaroni moon craft
*We might look at the stars one night or make this rocket, create a space picture with shapes, and possibly watch Wall-E or some other space centered cartoon
Week 2, June 10-14 WILDLIFE EXPLORERS
Monday- Watch Madagascar, make animal masks (I already have the mask kit), and make an elephant
Tuesday- Visit prairie dog town and Pets Smart (SOOO frustrated that Lubbock still does not have a zoo)
Wednesday- Do a Camouflage science experiment and play a wild animal activity on YouTube
Thursday- Make bird seed feeders and hang them outside
Friday- Have an animal and nature scavenger hunt- you can use my list, let me know if you'd like a copy
Week 3, June 17-21 CASTLES AND DRAGONS
Monday- Watch Tangled and make lanterns like the movie
Tuesday- Play at Legacy Play Village because it's castle like
Wednesday- Make magic wands (using straws and paper) and a swab bow and arrows
Thursday- Build castles with Duplos, blocks, and foam shapes
Friday- Build a tissue box castle with TP roll people
Week 4, June 24-28 PIRATES, AAARR, Matey!
Monday- Make a pirate hate with newspaper and paint it with a telescope and eyepatch
Tuesday- Look over a pirate picture dictionary of pirate words and make a marshmallow pirate ship
Wednesday- Make a sailing boat and play with it in the bath
Thursday- Make a treasure chest (get a paper or wooden box and let the boys paint and decorate it)
Friday- Let the boys go on a real treasure hunt that I will create in the front yard. (Jim is super excited to make the treasure map)
*Other activities: play with their pirate water table, Little People pirate ship, and maybe watch Peter Pan
Week 5, July 1-5 AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL
Monday- Make 4th of July wind socks, 4th necklaces (made with stars instead of flowers), 4th streamers
Tuesday- Firework crafts with Fruit Loops (similar to this)
Wednesday- Make and decorate 4th cupcakes or sugar cookies
Thursday- Fireworks show and sparklers in the backyard
Friday- Make (with paint and stickers) a REAL flag (13 stripes, 50 stars for math skills)
Week 6, July 8-12 THE EARTH
Monday- Watch Ice Age Continental drift and create a chart for the boys to graph the weather temps for the week
Tuesday- Learn about recycling by separating our recycling, take this pledge, and make TP roll binoculars
Wednesday- Watch The Lorax and plant something.
Thursday- Make Earth sun-catchers with contact paper and tissue paper and go on a nature walk and make a collage with stuff we find outside
Friday- Go to the Science Spectrum and check out all of their Earth displays
Week 7, July 15-19 TRAINS
Monday- Watch a train show (Mr Rogers or Thomas) and play with some train math
Tuesday- Make a TP roll train and make candy or cookie trains (nix the pink and red)
Wednesday- Make an egg carton train
Thursday- Make a giant train track set-up all over our house (we have A LOT of tracks)
Friday- Go visit the train at the Ranching and Heritage center and maybe go see the miniature train village at the Science Spectrum
Week 8, July 22-26 UP IN THE AIR
Monday- Make paper rockets and play!
Tuesday- Make airplane magnets
Wednesday- Make paper airplanes and play the airplane target game
Thursday- Watch Up and play the balloon ping pong game
Friday- Go visit the The Silent Wings Museum
Week 9, July 29- August 2 OCEAN WONDERS
Monday- Watch the Little Mermaid and make some jellyfish
Tuesday- Play a fishing math game and go swimming for ABC's in the bathtub (using a pole with a magnet and refrigerator magnets)
Wednesday- Go swimming or play in the sprinkler and with water toys
Thursday- Watch Nemo and make an Octapus
Friday- Go to the Science Spectrum and visit the aquariums there. Maybe Pets Plus as well.
Week 10, August 5-9 BUILDING AND CREATING
Monday- Build the wooden car kits (that I already have on hand)
Tuesday- Create and play with an obstacle course
Wednesday- Build with Duplos, blocks, and marshmallows with toothpicks, then ask the boys which they liked best and why
Thursday- BOYS CHOICE! Let the boys choose a craft they want to create
Friday- Visit the preschool room at the Science Spectrum
Week 11, August 12-16 IT'S A SMALL WORLD
Monday- Asia: learn some origami and make candy sushi; also try real sushi
Tuesday- Mexico: make paper plate maracas and let the boys make their own tostadas
Wednesday- Africa: make Kwanzaa place mat and a rainstick, and make/eat an African fruit salad
Thursday- Australia: make an Aboriginal bolo tie and make/eat banana pops (an Australian treat)
Friday- All about me and where I live/do: fill out me worksheet and make a world craft (something like this or this)
*I will be using their globe all week as well to point out different countries. This site has A TON of crafts from other countries that we might also do
Of course, everything is subject to change as stuff comes up or something, but I wanted to get our summer at-home camp up and ready before I started summer school- you know, one less thing to worry about during the semester. I have almost everything I need at home already sitting in my craft closet, so supplies aren't a huge expense. I am super excited to get started! I will also be creating a scrapbook of their summer o'fun as we go on all our adventures. I can't wait!
Wow you are so organized and energetic. I would love to say I would do something like this but I never see it happening! You are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Megan! It seems a little much, but it's really just an activity or two every day, so I hope we get to everything.
ReplyDelete