Learn at Home – July Theme of All Things Summer!

With a new month, I’m changing my focus with our learning at home. It’s easy to get overloaded with Pinterest ideas and researching curriculums. This summer, I’m keeping it simple with monthly themes! Why not start with one of my favorite interests? SUMMER!

I grew up near the beach in Virginia so it is a huge part of who I am to love the sun, the sand, and all things summer. We live near Lake Erie now, which isn’t quite the same as the ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, but I am still happy to have the peacefulness of water around.

I’ve gathered some activities and ideas to explore my love of summer with my 3-year-old and we’re excited to share with you too.

Print the PDF version of my July: Learn at Home Preschool activities to get started today!

Books

Of course, we include books in our learning – every day, sometimes all day. Here are the books I’m using to bring summer to our month.

 

Monsters at the Beach – This is a highly illustrated novel, so I thought it’d be perfect as an introductory read-aloud for the month. Billy was just an ordinary boy until one night he found fie mini monsters living in his sock drawer. In this book, Billy’s family is off to the beach and the Mini Monsters are very excited to be going too. Soon they’re building sandcastles and enjoying their picnic. It’s all going so well… until one of the mini monsters, Trumpet, is stolen by a seagull! How is Billy EVER going to get him back?

Seashore – I love the Usborne Young Beginners for nonfiction learning! They are informative and exciting books for ages three and up, with simple text that is broken up among soft, warm illustrations for children to easily understand. In this little book, we’re going to explore the Seashore!

1,2,3…By the Sea – a cute rhyming picture book that makes counting fun by incorporating it into the story. We have owned this book for a long time and I always love when my daughter chooses it from the shelf! It’s fun to read – what will a day at the sea be filled with to eat, play, watch, and do?

Secrets of the Seashore – this is one of our Shine-a-Light books, which are a perfect way to combine learning and fun! They are all nonfiction, but have surprises to discover on every page. Shine a flashlight behind the page or hold it to the light to reveal what is hidden in and around different places and things. In Secrets of the Seashore, we’re going to spot the tiny shrimps hiding in the sand, see a shy crab underneath a rock, watch a jewel-like anemone open its tentacles in this beautiful book of nature’s hidden habitats, and so much more!

Math

Write Numbers in the Sand – I always see this activity, but haven’t given it a try yet. I plan to use a baking sheet and fill it with a thin layer of sand. Then I’m going to use my Number Cards to show one number at a time for my daughter to imitate.

Count Seashells – I plan to combine this with the sand sensory bin one day. We have a bag of seashells, I’ll bury them in the bin with sand and make it into a hunt and counting activity all in one using my sheets with numbers 1-10 and 11-12.

Cooking

Homemade Ice Cream – who doesn’t love ice cream?! We want to try this No-Churn Ice Cream recipe this month!

Make some beach and/or picnic themed food. When you think of a day at the beach, what comes to mind? I thought it could be fun to recreate some Boardwalk Foods!

Make Fresh Lemonade – Can you believe I’ve never made it before? Have you?

Activities

Sand Sensory Bin – We’re definitely doing our seashell counting activity with sand, but I think this is a great month for some more sand play ideas!

Water Sensory Bin – I love filling a bin with water to take outside and let my littles go to town with measuring cups, spoons, shapes, and whatever else we throw in.

For some more ideas, check out my Sensory Bins Pinterest board.

Little Stickers Seashore – I love the UBAM Little Stickers book for little fingers! They don’t rip easily like other stickers and kids can have fun decorating different scenes. I always keep one in my bag for on the go.

Art

Paper Popsicles

Cupcake Liner Fireworks

Paper Plate Watermelons

Science

Ice Cream in a Bag

How wet does sand need to be to build a sandcastle? We’ll either do this project at the beach or in the backyard with some play sand. I’m planning to use different measuring spoons and cups to discuss amounts too.

Extras

July 4th – here are 7 ways to explain the holiday to kids

Outings

Beach

Picnic

I hope these ideas help you enjoy some preschool learning at home. I can’t wait to include our thoughts and photos throughout the month in this post. What activity are you most excited to do first?

Get your printable version of my July: Learn at Home Preschool activities!