School’s out. That means plenty of chances for summer fun. It also means endless opportunities for screen time. If you’re wondering how you’re possibly going to manage your child’s screen time this summer, read on!
We’ve compiled 15 of the most fun activities to do at home with your kids that don’t involve screens.
1. Get in the kitchen. Give your kids a chance to mix up a batter for their favorite cookies. Or have them make pizza bagels or another fun snack. You don’t have to use a stove or oven either. There are plenty of no-bake recipes. Just be sure to supervise your children whenever they are cooking in the kitchen.
2. Put on a play. Bring down that box of old costumes, your old bridesmaids dresses, and fun props. Equip your kids with everything they need to put on a play – or a fashion show. They can even bring a favorite story to life.
3. Make a time capsule. A special way to mark the summer is to make a time capsule. Make sure to date it and include some timely items. Trace around your child’s hand for a handprint. Include packaging from your child’s favorite snack. Add an art project, an all-about-me page, photos, newspaper or magazine clipping, certificates, or anything else your child wants to add.
4. Camp in the backyard. Your backyard makes a great campground, and best of all, it’s near everything you need at home! Set up a tent, sleeping bags, and games. Prepare a picnic lunch or dinner. If you have a fire pit, try this project for natural bug bombs to keep the mosquitos away.
5. Do a backyard bug or scavenger hunt. Take an up-close look at the tiny critters in your backyard. Use this free printable bug hunt to guide you or make your own with other common items found in your backyard, like flowers or rocks. Your child can even bring a notebook and draw the bugs or objects that they see.
6. Create an obstacle course. Empty boxes, hula hoops, and even sidewalk chalk or masking tape create fun obstacle courses. Create one inside or outside using materials right at home. Jump, crawl, skip and navigate these fun courses according to your child’s rules, of course!
7. Make a weather station. Have a future meteorologist? Interest them in this craft project with a purpose. Guide them in making their own weather vane, windsock, rain gauge, and more, with materials you have right around the house.
8. Make bubbles. Sure, you could buy bubbles but it’s way more fun to make them! Try these bubble recipes. Save them for a nice day. Their sugary residue probably won’t do well indoors.
9. Learn to sew. Sewing is a skill that will help your child for years to come. If you feel your child can hold a needle safely, start them by sewing two pieces of fabric together. There also are children’s sewing projects available at craft stores.
10. Try blow art. This is a fun way to paint by blowing through straws. Start with tempera paint that is thinned with water in a bowl. Use plastic spoons or droppers to place a small drop of paint on the paper. Then have your child blow through the straw on the paint to create abstract art.
Pro Tip: To ensure young children don’t accidentally suck up paint through the straw, cut a little hole in the middle.
11. Leave chalk notes for your neighbors. Break out your favorite sidewalk chalk and get to drawing! Draw an obstacle course for dog-walkers to test out on the sidewalk or leave kind messages for you neighbors to see when they come outside.
12. Make a DIY bird feeder. You only need 4 items- cookie cutters, gelatin, bird seed, and yarn. And then kids can hang their homemade feeders in the backyard and spend the day bird watching.
13. Run a lemonade stand. Not only is a lemonade stand a fun activity, it’s a great one to learn about business. Help your child determine the costs to make the lemonade and get the cups. Then help him/her to figure out what to charge. Your child can use art skills to make a poster with prices. Your child may opt to keep the proceeds or donate to an organization in need.
Pro Tip: Check if your local community requires a permit to sell lemonade. The exact rules vary by location.
14. Rescue a frozen toy. This takes a little more preparation, but it’s something your child can help with. Choose small toys that fit into an ice cube tray. Cover them with water and then freeze them. When you’re looking to occupy your child for a few minutes, give them the frozen toy, a cup of hot water, and an eye dropper. Challenge them to rescue the frozen toy. Time them to see if they could beat their best time.
15. Make a summer bucket list. Get your kids involved with what they’ll be doing this summer. Have them make lists of movies they want to watch, books they want to read, places they want to visit, and friends they want to see. Then use the list as a guide for summer fun that doesn’t involve screens.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Written by Casey Jeffers, Owner of Fair Winds Teaching & MSEA Second Grade Teacher
The hustle and bustle of the end of the school year is like no other. It comes so quickly; in March I think about all the awesome things I still want to accomplish for the school year. I think I have all the time in the world. Then in the flash of an eye, May is here and I am running around thinking I have no idea how I will be able to fit it all in.
My to-do list grows as the weeks shorten and for me, it’s very bittersweet. I want to be excited about summer and the things I can accomplish during my time off, but I also recognize that most of my students rely on their school home for a sense of security and aren’t very excited for summer to come. I try to calm their fears by letting them know it’s okay to be nervous and excited about summer all at the same time.
This is where I kick into gear! I want to give my students resources to make their summer as enjoyable as possible. Each year I try to think about the students in my class and what they enjoyed. This year my students were OBSESSED with my V.I.P. chair (which they could earn with completed work and outstanding behavior).
One of the highlights of this special seat was the access to limited edition school supplies. The multi-colored changing pen was by far the most popular. They thought it was cooler than sliced bread and this year’s class was full of artists! I knew this was the first thing I needed to buy them to kick off their summer at home. I knew I was sending home their leftover notebooks and sketchbooks so I knew this pen would make a great gift!
You can grab this colorful kid gift tag FREEBIE here and check a list of all my favorite end-of-the-year school gifts here!
Next up, the most popular thing in my room has been the morning STEAM bins! They couldn’t get enough of the building with these materials each morning. If you want to learn more about setting up your own Starting with STEAM bins, check out this blog post I did for California Casualty last summer. They engage your learners and allow them to be super creative. Most of them love the hashtag building blocks I got from Target the most! So when I saw them in little $1 personal tubes, I knew I needed to set them up with a little STEAM station at their houses.
I grabbed 4 x 6 plastic photo boxes, a mini play-doh, a pack of 8 fun glitter crayons, and hashtag building blocks and got to work. The mini play-doh fits perfectly into the plastic bin to close shut. I made these little labels to add a building challenge for them to complete. I told them my email address to take pictures of their creations and send them to me over the summer.
These personal-sized bins also make for a great stress reliever. My students know a lot of peace corner strategies and this is a great way to allow them a break if they are feeling blue.
My students have been very careful about washing their hands all year long and also love any type of yummy-smelling hand sanitizer! Berries, cookies, flowers, linen, and even fresh-cut grass! The kids would bring in the new smells they would find and use them all day long. You can never be too safe and clean. I found some yummy smelling mini kid-safe hand sanitizers that completed our end-of-the-year gifts.
Watching their excitement opening all three little gifts with their tags was sooo much fun! They knew I got things I knew they loved.
Each year it’s important to pick out gifts that reflect what they loved through the school year, it’s fun to stay current and trendy.
In years past, I have had students that were really into a certain read-aloud at school so I would see if it came available through Scholastic books at a discounted or class bundles rate. Then you can add this FREE summer bookmark and challenge your students to finish this Summer Reading Bingo challenge.
Other fun (out-of-the-box) gift ideas:
Local Coupon – Find a local fun kid-safe activity like an ice cream shop, bouncy house, arcade, theme park, painting class, etc., and ask their business if they have any coupons or would be willing to donate certificates for a free session. I always make sure it’s within walking distance or accessible by the local bus so I know my students and their families would be able to access the location.
Summer Meetup – Send out an email/letter to families telling them that you will be doing a summer meet-up at a fun kid movie that is playing at the theaters or a local outdoor movie, or pick a local (close to the school) park to have the kids play at. Anyone that comes, I treat some popcorn or icy pops. I make sure I wait until about mid-summer so the kids get to see their classmates and catch up.
Virtual Yearbook – If you didn’t have time before school ended to do anything, you still have time! If you are a teacher that takes pictures throughout the school year, you can create a virtual yearbook and email out the finished product to your families. It is something they will cherish for a long time. See an example and grab it here. If you weren’t able to take any pictures this school year, bookmark this to think about next year! It is so fun to start at the beginning of the year and add to it slowly as events happen.
Class Gift – My last favorite idea for end-of-the-year gifts is a class gift for your room to share for years to come. If you don’t like the idea of spending money on smaller items for your students that you don’t think they will love for the long haul, think about spending the same amount of money on a class gift.
You can save $3 per kid (upwards of $75) on smaller stuff and spend less on some good-quality classroom materials. I have done class sets of clipboards, new reading group bags, indoor recess board games, a collection of books, and much more.
Then I created a little golden paper plaque label to place on the item and show the classes years after them that this classroom material is donated in their name. The book boxes of their favorite books with the plaque are so adorable. They are proud and tell the students below them that this is a gift to them.
I make sure I show them that the indoor recess games they play with were donated by kids that are now in 8th grade, they get so excited. As teachers, we spend so much in our classroom, this is a great way to make gifts meaningful and useful for years to come.
Whatever you decide to do for your students, they know they are loved and that they were in good hands this school year. Thank you for doing everything you can to keep them safe and happy. You are an incredible educator!
Casey Jeffers is a second-grade teacher at Butterfly Ridge Elementary in Frederick County, Maryland. She was recently recognized as the national winner of the NEA Foundation’s 2021 Teaching in Excellence Award. Casey is the proud owner of the Education Resource Blog, Fair Winds Teaching, and loves to connect with her education community through her TeacherPayTeacher’s business.
No flights. No long travel days. No hefty price tag. More and more people are trading in their vacations for staycations- vacations at home or close to home.
For teachers, taking time to relax and recharge is important, and a staycation offers the same benefits as a traditional vacation with less stress and at less cost! Intrigued? Let’s get started planning your perfect staycation.
Choose your staycation style.
Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff, a hiker, or a spa-goer, you can find the activities that you enjoy close to home. You might even try something you’ve always wanted to do but never made time for, or opted out due to cost. Now is the time to consider it. When you plan your itinerary locally, you can feel good that you’re supporting local businesses. Following are some thought starters to help you plan.
Pro Tip: Ask about local discounts or during-the-week specials. Many hotels and attractions offer them.
Be a local tourist.
Discover the beauty of your city and region. Book all of the tours and experiences you might enjoy if you were traveling here as a tourist. From museums and cultural experiences to nightlife and entertainment, your local area likely offers plenty of options. You’ll have the added advantage of being a local, and knowing all the good spots to eat.
Indulge in a gourmet adventure.
On a traditional vacation, you’d be eating out. Plan to eat out as much as your budget allows—or else create your own special meals at home. Picnic in the park. Book an afternoon tea. Try that new gourmet place or find a food truck festival. The options are endless and delicious!
Hit the beach or pool.
If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach, that’s a natural destination. But if not, consider a staycation at a local hotel or lodging with a pool (or even a jacuzzi tub!). Bring your swimsuit, grab a favorite beach read and soak up those rays.
Relax at the spa.
There’s nothing like a spa day to relax and unwind. Go ahead and get that facial and massage. Spend some time in the hot tub or sauna. Many spas let you spend the day if you book a service, and some offer food and other amenities.
Take a hike.
Put on your hiking shoes. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll enjoy exploring your local trails and other outdoor adventures. Spending time in nature is great for your mental health, and the exercise is great for your physical health. Not to mention that the scenery is definitely photo-worthy!
Take a course.
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to make pottery or you love to get your hands dirty in the garden, chances are that there’s a course you can take to explore this interest. Find out what’s offered in your local region. Check your local community college and township recreation schedule. Airbnb also has many local experiences that you could book for an hour or more.
While not strictly a staycation, you can carve out time during break to redecorate a room or spot in your home. Do-it-yourself makeovers can be plenty of fun. Just keep them manageable, and plan some time away from the work to create a relaxing staycation feel.
Try virtual tourism.
You may not be able to travel the world but you can bring the world to you with some virtual tourism activities. Expedia offers some online tours and activities from cooking classes to video chats with locals, and museum tours.
The point of a staycation is to get away. That’s a little harder to do when you are home and tempted by housework or work. (That’s especially true since our homes have doubled as workspaces over the past several years.) Here are some tips to help you fully disconnect.
Set boundaries. If school is in session, plan work coverage. Make sure everyone who is part of your staycation plans coverage, too.
Hire a dog walker. If you have fur babies at home but you’ll be out and about, make arrangements for their care.
Unplug. Turn off your phone notifications and email. Make sure that work and family obligations do not interrupt your time off. (However, give family a way to reach you in the event of an emergency.)
Plan each day fully so there’s no downtime to worry about day-to-day responsibilities. Note the time, upon your return, when you will address these.
Remember that you don’t have to stay home during a staycation. Consider one or two nights at a local hotel or other lodging. And be sure to ask for local discounts!
Get that hot tub you’ve always wanted, create your dream kitchen, turn your backyard into an oasis, add a media room the whole family can enjoy. Or just take the money and do what YOU want. The possibilities are endless!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Educators and parents agree: summer reading is important. Not only does recreational reading help students maintain their language arts skills, but it may also be the difference between a struggling reader and a successful one.
Luckily, there are lots of summer reading programs out there to entice kids to pick up a book. Some even include incentives like pizza and movie tickets!
Here’s a list of some educator and parent favorites. Share this list as part of your summer work and help your students discover the joy of reading for fun.
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal(students in grades 1-6)
Students may read any 8 books and record them in a summer reading journal. They bring the completed journal in to a Barnes & Noble store between July 1 and August 31 and may choose one free book from a specified selection by grade level.
Books a Million Summer Reading Adventure(students up to about age 12)
Author Shannon Messenger is the Reading Ambassador for the 2022 Summer Reading Adventure at Books a Million (BAM). Participants choose four books from a special section in the store. They bring their completed logbook into a participating BAM location to receive their prize, a pencil case inspired by Shannon Messenger’s “Keepers of the Lost Cities” series. Prizes are only available while supplies last, so complete this one early.
Chuck E. Cheese’s Summer Reading Program(PreK through age 12)
Chuck E. Cheese has a Reading Rewards Calendar where kids mark off every day that they read. When they read for 2 weeks straight, they earn 10 free play points with any food purchase at a Chuck E. Cheese location.
Half-price Books Reading Camp(students in PreK through teens)
Starting June 1, parents can download materials including book recommendations, craft and activity ideas, coloring sheets and reward stickers related to reading. If you live in the vicinity of a Half-price Books location, you can pick up a copy of a camper’s reward map and information on how to earn $5 in Bookworm Bucks in June and July.
H-E-Buddy Summer Reading Club(children ages 3-12 who are Texas residents)
The H-E-B. grocery stores’ summer reading club provides a form to log 10 books. One book must be a specified selection at H-E-B. An adult has to initial each book once read. Then the form is mailed in, and a “cool prize” is sent to the child.
Junie B. Jones Reading Club(children ages 5-8)
Junie B. is a perennial favorite of young readers, and this club is sure to be a hit. Not only do students get a printable membership card, they get to read funny quotes and write their own in a reading log. They can also draw pictures and write their own stories. Finally, they can enter for a chance to win a Stupid Smelly Bus visit to their school.
Pizza Hut Camp Book-It Reading Program(children ages 4-12)
This is a parent-led digital reading program. Track your children’s reading on Pizza Hut’s digital dashboard in June, July and August. Books, magazines and eBooks all count toward your child’s monthly reading goal. When they reach their goal, children will receive a certificate for a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza.
RIF Reading Road Trip(children up to about age 9)
As the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit, Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is on a mission to insure all children have the ability to read and succeed. RIF’s Reading Road Trip includes books set all over the U.S. Through books, children spend their summer visiting new and exciting destinations.
Scholastic Summer Reading(all ages)
Scholastic has set up Home Base online, where students can read and record their hours. The more they read, the more fun they “unlock” with online activities. The site also offers events such live author meetups, trivia games and fan art. By creating a Reading Streak, kids can help unlock a donation of books to children in rural America with limited access to libraries.
Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesdays(children up until age 12)
Showcase Cinemas (located in select states in the northeastern U.S.) have a summer reading program, where kids can earn movie tickets. In the program, children present a book report to participating locations and earn free admission to a select children’s film on Wednesdays. Accompanying parents and children under six are admitted free of charge.
Sonlight Summer Reading Challenge(all ages)
This home school curriculum company has put together a free downloadable Summer Reading Challenge Kit with reading-related games and activities. There are suggestions for family movie night centering around books that your children are reading, templates for bookmarks, awards, reading Bingo, and more.
Sync audiobooks(teens age 13 and older)
Teens may enjoy 16 weeks of free audiobooks. Each week, they may check out two thematically paired books. The books are delivered via the Sora student reading app.
Other Resources
Many local libraries offer summer reading programs with special themes or incentives. In addition, if you’re looking for books for your children, consider these sources:
Do you have a favorite summer reading program that’s not on the list? Share with us in the comments!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It’s the end of the year and you’re feeling burnt out. You have no motivation to teach. At this point, you may be numb and simply just going through the motions, day in and day out. There’s a name for what you’re feeling. It’s called languishing, and you’re not the only one feeling it…
What is ‘languishing’?
Languishing is the opposite of flourishing. It’s a combination of apathy, restlessness, and an overall lack of interest in things that ordinarily would bring you joy. Languishing is not a mental illness; it’s a mental state of low energy.
What causes languishing?
For many people, languishing was brought on by the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s as if we’ve been on high alert for two years and we’re simply running out of mental energy. It’s a feeling not limited to teachers or to U.S. citizens. An international study
of nearly 10,000 people in 78 countries found at least 10 percent were languishing.
Are you languishing?
Maybe. See if you share any of these common signs and symptoms:
Isolating yourself from friends and family
Going through the motions
Struggling with basic tasks
A feeling of numbness
A lack of self-worth
A feeling of restlessness but not knowing what to do
A tendency to miss work lately
If you are susceptible to anxiety and depression, you might be more prone to languishing.
Is languishing the same as depression?
No. Languishing and depression share many of the same characteristics but they are not the same. Depression is a mental illness. With depression, you may experience fatigue. You may sleep too much or too little, and have negative emotions and suicidal thoughts.
Languishing is not a mental illness; neither is it a description of mental health. It’s somewhere in between. With languishing, you experience negative emotions. You feel as if you’re not in control of your life. You may feel empty. For some people, languishing could be a risk factor for a mental illness like depression.
What can you do about languishing?
No one wants to feel empty and numb. It’s exhausting and not good for your quality of life. That’s why it’s important to recognize your feelings and do something about them. Fortunately, there are simple self-care strategies that you can take to recharge your emotional batteries and restore your spark. Here is a sampling.
Take time off. You probably work a lot, after school, evenings and weekends. Give yourself a break. If you can’t take a couple of personal days, then at least give yourself weekends off. Take the time to recharge so that you can come back reenergized.
Find your happy place. Spend time doing what makes you happy, not what should make you happy. Carve out some time each week for a favorite hobby, a coffee date with a dear friend, or simply some precious alone time with a favorite book. Choose something that you look forward to doing, and that will be the right thing for you.
Practice self-care. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Taking care of your body will help put you in the right place to support your mental wellbeing.
Change your scenery. Take a walk in the park. Stroll along a body of water. Find a quiet place to enjoy nature. Just getting away from your normal daily scene can do wonders to perk up your thoughts. Bring a friend and you can enjoy wonderful social connections, too.
Perform acts of kindness. Make someone a cup of coffee. Help a work colleague. Pay the toll for a stranger. Volunteer in your community. The simple act of doing things for others will boost your spirits.
Practice gratitude. Remember that you have a lot for which you are thankful. Make a list. Include your thanks for the physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of your life. Do this daily, and you’ll start to see a difference in how you view your life.
Try something new. Get yourself out of the languishing rut by working on a new skill. Seek out a new interest. Invite a friend to join you, and you’ll get the added bonus of time spent together.
Consult a therapist. If you cannot shake the feeling of languishing on your own, ask for help. A licensed therapist is there to help you navigate through this mental state and emerge on the other side more confident, energized, and in the perfect mindset to flourish.
It may be hard to push through right now, but the end of the school year is in sight. And if there is anything we have learned over the past two years, it’s that teachers can do anything they set their minds to. Go on! You’ve got this!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It’s the first Friday in May, which means it’s National School Lunch Hero Day!
School nutrition professionals play a vital role in your students’ well-being. They provide healthy meal choices to hundreds of students each school day. They have to be aware of food allergies, know children’s preferences, and serve it all up with a smile. Our school lunch heroes are definitely someone to celebrate.
As educators, this day is a chance to encourage creativity among your students, teach gratitude, and tie into curriculum areas from language arts to art, music, science, and mathematics. Here are just some ideas.
– Say thank you with a card: Unleash your students’ creativity with food-themed thank you cards. Make a pizza or a hamburger card. Then have students write personal notes of appreciation, thanking their lunch heroes for their dedication.
– Blast it with a banner: Make a class banner to display in the cafeteria. “Hands down, we’ve got the best lunch heroes” could feature handprints from your class. Or take it to the next level with a submarine sandwich banner. There’s no limit to your creativity!
– Voice it with a video: Create a video of your students sharing what they like most about lunch at school, and of course thanking their school lunch heroes for making it possible!
– Say it with a song: Have your class learn a song to sing to the lunch staff. Consider writing a parody from a song like “Still the One” or try this favorite nursery rhyme, “I’ve Got Something in My Lunch Box.”
– Plant it with a flower: Decorate empty milk cartons from lunch and plant flowers in them as special gifts for your school lunch heroes. You can even pair this with a science lesson on plants or growing food.
– Print out a certificate: Create a certificate of appreciation from your class and frame it. As a social studies project, you can even have them write a proclamation similar to what government officials provide.
– Write a poem: Unleash student creativity with an acrostic class poem about school lunch heroes. Use the words “School Lunch Heroes” or expand on them so that every student in your class can come up with a word. Consider displaying the poem on a poster for the cafeteria.
– Count it up: Give a math challenge to your students to calculate how many lunches are served in a week to how many students. Vary the challenge by grade level. Then have students make a graph to illustrate their calculations. Title the graph with a big thank you and “We count on you!” headline.
– Hold a book buffet: Invite your school lunch heroes to read a book in your classroom. They can share a favorite book of theirs or choose one in the class. Follow it with a class reception prepared by students (with the help of parents) so that you treat lunch heroes to a healthy snack.
– Share on social media: Include the hashtag #NationalSchoolLunchHeroDay and people will see it all over the world. You can also use that hashtag to search for ways that schools are celebrating.
National School Lunch Hero Day is a partnership with the School Nutrition Association and author Jarrett J. Krosoczka, who wrote the Lunch Lady book series. To learn more, and get downloadable materials and ideas for activities, visit http://www.schoollunchheroday.com/.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
