Homeschooling: What to do When Summer Break Drains the Brain? Sneak in Fun Learning Opportunities

Does Summer Break Drain the Brain? Try Sneaking in Educational Experiences Kids Enjoy

School is coming to a close, but learning shouldn't come to an end. We are just finishing up our first year of homeschooling.  After all the hard work, I'd hate to see it slip away this summer.  We've got plans to supplement with summer learning field trips, outdoor nature journaling, riding and music lessons, and 4H club. I'll also offer Friday day camps for friends of The Play Connection, Inc.

Outdoor Games for Summer Camp

The beginning of every school year is filled with review from the previous year.  Summer heat shouldn't melt our kids brains.  Summer Camp programs are great for socialization, pe activities, and becoming one with nature.  Opportunities to improve reading are everywhere. Playing the Alphabet Game on a long trip encourages billboard and street sign reading. Library trips offer a sneaky way to cool off, relax, and enjoy a new book. Do you read bedtime stories? Here's a fun summer reading list. 

Busy summers lend themselves to lazy days near the poolside or under a favorite tree curled up with a good book. Funny, kids never seem to curl up with a good math problem.  

Don't forget to practice math this summer.  
Leap ahead of the pack with daily lessons.

Do you practice math in the summer?  Keeping track of allowances, shopping for items at the Dollar Tree, or having your child watch the clock for break time, chore time, and lunchtime are easy ways to implement mathematics into your lazy summer days.  If you are worried about summer brain drain and the summer learning slide, you might like a more structured math program. 

Summer Brain Drain? Try this.

LeapAhead! is an easy, affordable, and flexible summer online math program. Keep your child engaged with math worksheets aligned with the common core standards. The program offers a fun math worksheet creator for members. I love the Challenge Math for gifted and talented students. The online summer math program is great for kids who need a little extra help too. This program works for both homeschoolers and brick and mortar students. 

PE GAMES

Let your computer act as a summer tutor while you enhance the online learning with fun math games and activities. You can make math a fun, summer activity too!



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Leprechaun or Santa Placemat Papercraft Tangram Game

Tangram Template Pattern for Santa's Hat Game

This holiday homeschool math lesson for first grade, is a fun learning game for tangrams. What's in Santa's hat? Tangrams! And, yes... I realize tangram is misspelled on some of the images and printables. Who knew? Everyone here says, "TanAgrams". So, if you do too, now you know the correct spelling is T-A-N-G-R-A-M. Enjoy!

What's in Santa's Hat? Tangram game for elementary!

Shh, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. In March, Santa is a leprechaun. That's right, he just changes his clothes to green and dyes his hair and beard red. You can do it too! 

When you make our placemat papercraft free printable template, just cut green and orange to make Lucky the Leprechaun for this tangram placemat papercraft game for kids. 

It makes the perfect classroom activity for sitting quietly at your desk, or use it at the dinner table to keep the kids busy while you finish preparing dinner. 

Click on the images below for printable templates or right click and save to computer to print. The latter way might not come out the right size- it is best to click to our MediaFire storage. 

Then, trace and cut out all shapes. When sewing or gluing, leave the top of the hat band open to insert the hat/napkin. I also used the face (just glued the sides) to make the storage space larger.

Santa printable traceable pattern .

Click the image for Santa Template to download.

So, oops I misspelled tangram on my printables. Don't make the same mistake!

Tangram Pattern, that's right tangram. Watch your spelling.

Santa Math Game for First Graders.

Tip: If you are really crafty, use felt or laminate the paper to make it last longer!

Tangram Shapes 
Printable Hat 
Template Santa's Face Template


Recommended Reading:


Homeschool Lessons by Grade

Santa's Hat Companion Book Idea Ad*









ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

First Grade Math Activity Games using Tens and Ones

First grade game for math activity center involving tens and ones counting

You can make this game activity at home, and print a free printable tens and ones chart to play it. Playing with dice makes learning tens and ones counting fun for first graders. Enjoy!

Visit the link above to print these charts.

Printable Hundreds Chart.

Help your early elementary or preschooler learn 
about tens and ones with this game.

You will need  12 mini cups, 2 dice, and macaroni. 
We used Phineas and Ferb Macaroni.

Mark six of your cups with the number 10 and six with the number 1.

Take turns rolling the dice and building numbers. Child chooses which number to build. For example, the roll shown above can be played as 46 or 64.

Place the dice in the squares on the free printable playing chart. Use the Hundreds chart to help count to 64. 

Then, build the numbers in the cups. For sixty four, place 10 pieces of macaroni in six cups (60) and one macaroni in four number one cups (4).

Once cups are filled, count to find out how many tens and ones. 64 = 6 Tens, Four ones. Mark this on your playing chart. Under the appropriate heading.

For further understanding, use the free printable hundreds chart to check your work. If macaroni adds up to the number rolled score 5 points. First one to 20 points wins.


Recommended Reading:

Using Ten Frames to Teach Number Sense, Grades K-1*

Online Lessons for Homeschooling











ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Valentine's Day Ladybug Activity for Preschoolers: Tic-Tac Toe Game

Cute Ladybug Craft for Valentine's Day for Preschoolers

This adorable ladybug paper craft was made by Mama Mia (she no longer blogs). It is a fun paper project to make with preschoolers or a buggy Valentine to make for your little ones. Get them involved in the process for some hands on learning and fine motor skills. Enjoy!

Ladybug Valentine Paper Craft for Preschool Kindergarten.

Companion Lesson

Draw one heart and one square to use as a template. Have preschoolers trace squares and hearts and then let them cut them out. This focuses on hand eye coordination and fine motor skills.

As the children glue the legs on, discuss the differences between spiders and insects. How many legs does a ladybug have?

How to Make Ladybug Tic Tac Toe Game

2 large sheets of red construction paper (or craft foam).
1 large sheet of black construction paper (or craft foam).
1 scrap or half sheet of pink construction paper (or craft foam).
2 googly eyes
1 glue stick

Cut 2 tiny hearts for  the antennae
Cut 5 pink and 5 red hearts for game pieces
Cut 6 long strips of black for legs. Cut these straight and then fold as shown above.
Cut 2 long strips of black for the antennae.
Cut 9 Squares for game board.
Cut 1 half moon from black paper for head.


Recommended Reading:

Ladybug Girl Party Ideas

Preschool Circle Time Ideas

The Grouchy Ladybug*

Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons*













ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)