The Importance of Summer Learning: 3 Tips for Curious Kids

When June hits and school is out for break, we all take a collective sigh as we settle in for the slower days of summer. Summer has a rhythm all its own - there’s more room to breathe, play, and change up the routine. This is a much-needed break for kids and families, and we encourage you to embrace the spirit of this season entirely. 

At SYV Family School, we also understand that learning doesn’t stop when the school year ends. Some of the most lasting and joyful learning experiences happen outside the classroom — especially in summer, when there’s space to explore passions, try new things, and connect with the world in a hands-on way. 

Research shows that summer learning and engaging a child’s brain during long periods out of school are essential to maintaining the progress made during the previous school year. If you’re wondering how to keep your child’s brain engaged without resorting to workbooks or screens, here are three simple tips to make learning part of your summer fun.

Turn Reading Into an Adventure

Summer reading doesn’t have to feel like homework — in fact, it shouldn’t. This is the time to let reading be playful, self-directed, and wildly creative. Think comic books under a tree, audiobooks on a road trip, or poetry read aloud around a campfire.

Start by creating a cozy ritual around reading. Whether it’s curling up in a hammock with a snack, reading together before bed, or letting your kids stay up late with a flashlight and a book, the magic is in the invitation, not the assignment. Let your child choose their books — even if it’s the same series for the tenth time or a picture book well past their reading level. Ownership matters.

Another fun idea? Create a simple family book club. Pick a book to read together, or each choose your own and set aside time to share what you’re reading over dinner. You can even invite cousins, neighbors, or grandparents to join in, creating connections across generations.

And don’t forget — reading shows up everywhere. Recipes, trail signs, DIY instructions, graphic novels, how-to guides for building forts or identifying constellations — all of it counts. If it sparks interest, it's valuable.

At SYV Family School, we know that learning thrives when it’s driven by curiosity. Summer reading is a perfect chance to let that curiosity take the lead.

Let Nature Be the Classroom

If you’ve ever watched your child dig in the dirt or chase a butterfly, you already know that nature is one of the best teachers. Luckily, we live in a place that makes exploring the outdoors easy and inspiring.

This summer, invite your child(ren)to become a nature detective. Bring a notebook, a sketchpad, or a magnifying glass on your next walk. What do they notice? What do they hear, smell, or feel? Can they name any birds, trees, or bugs? Can they draw them? Do they have questions? That’s where the learning begins. 

You might also explore local trails, riverbeds, beaches, or even your backyard. Use a free app like Seek or Merlin to identify plants and animals — or go old-school with a field guide and let kids look it up themselves.

Turn those nature adventures into art projects, science experiments, or storytelling sessions. Collect leaves and press them. Build fairy houses out of found objects. Write poems about a favorite tree. These simple, tactile experiences help children slow down, observe deeply, and begin to understand the interconnectedness of the world around them.

Our students practice these skills throughout the year on our All-School Hikes, so your students should be well-practiced in this type of learning.

Try Something New

Summer offers something we don’t often get during the school year: room to try things just because they look fun—no assignments, no pressure — just pure exploration.

Your child may want to bake a cake, learn to sew, start a garden, or build a birdhouse. They may want to try guitar, pick up skateboarding, learn to fish, or write a story. Let them follow their impulses, even if they don’t stick with it. The goal isn’t mastery — it’s experimentation.

And don’t worry if you hear “I’m bored.” That’s where creativity often kicks in. Give your child time and space to invent, create, and explore without an agenda. Sometimes boredom is just the pause before inspiration.

At SYV Family School, we talk a lot about cultivating a growth mindset — the idea that trying something new builds confidence, even when it’s hard or messy. That mindset doesn’t take a break in the summer –  it thrives!

Summer Goes Quick!

While summer has a lot of momentum at the beginning, it can start to drag in the middle and by the end feel endless. These ideas are designed to inspire and make the summer enjoyable and pass quickly. 

Summer doesn’t have to be a break from learning — it can be a continuation of everything your child is already discovering about themselves and the world. By encouraging reading for fun, spending time in nature, and exploring new interests, you’re supporting their development in all the right ways, while still letting them be kids.

Get dirty. Be curious. Try something new, and trust that the learning is happening, even when it doesn’t look like “school.”

Here’s to a joyful, curious, adventure-filled summer!