Hello, everyone! I'm Norma Jean, founder of Time to Shine Teaching, and I'm thrilled to share an exciting topic with you today: incorporating outdoor learning activities into your summer break. We all know about those traditional summer reading programs that schools recommend, but let's explore a more engaging and holistic approach to learning while connecting with nature. Get ready for some fun and inspiring ideas!
The Shortcomings of Traditional Summer Reading Programs: While traditional summer reading programs have good intentions, they often fall short. Many of these programs rely on the same methods used in classrooms throughout the year, which may not work for every child. Additionally, being sent back to a hot classroom during the summer can make children feel punished and resentful, hindering their learning experience.
Here's where outdoor learning comes to the rescue! By incorporating outdoor activities, we can provide children with a more enjoyable and holistic learning experience during the summer while ensuring they connect with nature. Let's dive into a few exciting ideas:
Storytelling Sessions: Find a cozy spot outdoors, such as under a tree or by a campfire, and gather children for storytelling sessions. They can take turns reading aloud or sharing their favorite stories, including folktales, myths, or their own creative writing. Another really fun way to incorporate story telling is to have a round robin story. Start off with a fun and interesting opening sentence and then go around the group having each child add one sentence to the story. Consider recording the sessions to create stories they can read, illustrate, and enjoy later. Don't forget to spark their creativity with imaginative storytelling prompts!
Garden Reading Corner: Create a cozy reading nook in a garden or outdoor space. Set up comfortable seating, like blankets or cushions, and establish a mini-library with books related to nature, gardening, or adventure. Children can immerse themselves in reading surrounded by plants and the refreshing outdoor environment.
Alphabet Scavenger Hunt: For younger children, an Alphabet Scavenger Hunt is both fun and educational. Assign each child a specific letter, and they must find natural objects that begin with that letter. For example, "A" for apples or acorns, "B" for butterfly, bee or bush. This activity reinforces literacy skills while encouraging observation and exploration.
Outdoor Book Club: Start an outdoor book club for children and their friends or neighborhood peers. Choose a book to read together during the summer and schedule regular meetups in a local park or outdoor setting. Children can discuss the book, share their thoughts, and engage in related activities like role-playing or creating artwork inspired by the story.
Introducing the REL Method: I'm also thrilled to share the REL Method or the Ripple Effect Learning Method with you! It's a phonics-based reading, spelling, and printing program for early learners. The REL Method is designed to have a positive ripple effect on children's confidence and happiness by making them proficient readers and spellers. This program engages multiple senses to enhance the learning experience and will be launching soon, just in time for summer tutoring and teaching! You can download the first 5 letter for free with this link! And don't worry, every letter comes with a full video tutorial demonstrating exactly how to teach it!
Free Toolkit on How We Learn: Don't forget to check out my free toolkit on "How We Learn". This valuable resource will help parents and teachers better understand how children's brains learn and the best ways to support their learning journey. It includes a complete lesson on teaching children about their super brains. Download it for free and take a step towards ensuring every child's success.
I hope these ideas have inspired you to make learning fun and engaging while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Remember to adapt these activities based on the age group and interests of the children involved. Let's foster a love for reading and learning that lasts a lifetime.
If you have any questions or want to share your own experiences with outdoor learning, please leave me a comment. Until next time, keep shining and enjoy the wonders of education!
Happy Teaching!
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