Aug. 2, 2022

Sonlight Spotlight: Meet the Dyke Family

By Sonlight
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Each month the Sonlight team will choose a current family to highlight by sharing their #sonlightstories. If you'd like to shine a light on your family, apply here for a chance to be featured.

Meet the Dyke Family!

Brandi and Jon, with their four daughters, Emily (6), Morgan (8), Kylie (10), and Aubrey (13), homeschool on the road living in an RV full-time. About two years ago, they were strongly led by the Lord to sell their home, acreage, and chickens. As a family, they decided to follow that calling by sharing the Gospel and going where the Lord leads them. They have been working through Campers on Mission primarily and utilizing Sonlight for their curriculum. "We've been helping with hurricane relief, working at orphanages and youth camps, and we're just trying to be obedient to the Lord," tells Brandi.

During the Polar Vortex of 2019, schools were shut down for a month. The Dyke family took this time to trial homeschool curriculums while home from public school. It was during this time that their oldest accepted Christ. Through this, the Lord started planting the seeds of homeschooling and mission work.

Brandi's co-worker used Sonlight for her homeschool and raved about the curriculum. After trying three different homeschool curriculums, Sonlight became the clear winner for their family. The Dyke girls are avid readers, so literature-based was the way to go.

"One thing that Sonlight does really well is including the true stories of missionaries in the field. When we heard how whole villages were changed by receiving the Gospel, the Lord paved our hearts for mission work. Our entire family was changed by that and developed a passion for ministry." ~ Brandi Dyke

Change and Grace

The Dyke family experienced a lot of change like most families do when they begin homeschooling. They also added a layer of change by going on the road full-time with mission work while Jon continued to work full-time and Brandi was finishing her college degree. In all the changes, Brandi's best tip is to prepare, prepare, prepare, and be organized while remaining flexible. Sometimes you have to find another way, but the Lord always makes a way.

The Dyke family stays on a public school schedule to keep themselves accountable. To make combining their girls into the same History, Bible, Literature, and Science easier, they have created two classes. The butterfly class consists of the two older girls, and the honeybee class is made up of the two younger girls. Brandi does all the teaching first and then gives assignments. After finishing one class, she repeats the process with the other class and then works one-on-one as needed. They do all their read-aloud together, and then the girls watch their math videos and finish their assignments.

"We also do Science Saturdays. It's not perfectly consistent, but it is a fun way to get dad involved in our science experiments." ~ Brandi Dyke

Incentives, Organization, and Electives

To keep their girls motivated, Brandi started an incentive program they affectionately call 'Cider Mill Shack.' They earn play money for their school work and a chance to earn extra for reading. Cider Mill Shack is filled with dollar store knick-knacks and school supplies. The girls can purchase small items right away or save up for bigger items if they like.

Because they live in a small space, Brandi uses most of her cupboards. She utilizes mini totes and a label maker to keep it all organized. On their bookshelf, they keep their current curriculum books as well as some of their favorites. In totes, they keep last year's books to reference if needed or pull out a favorite to revisit. Adventures with Waffles is always on standby to experience again and again.

No matter where their travels take them, they sign up with and participate in what is happening at the local library. They have been able to utilize online resources to continue their music lessons. Campers on Mission has taught the girls how to quilt, sew, crochet, and knit. Items are always being worked on to be donated to pregnancy resource centers and veteran centers around the country. Also, if there is a local YMCA, they join to swim and participate in lessons.

"It's been great being there to see them learn new things and witness their excitement." ~ Jon Dyke

Brandi finishes with encouragement to all homeschoolers. She advises us to not give up and to reach out to the advisors and utilize the resources Sonlight offers. The advisors give inventive, new, and creative ways of doing school.

"Build off simplicity. Don't think you have to fit everything in all at once. The Lord will build off of a strong foundation in him," Brandi reminds us.  

While it is not always smooth sailing, the Dyke family worked with their girls and were able to see the results of their efforts. The Lord provided breakthroughs, and the girls' confidence soared. "Sonlight has been wonderful!"

 "Keep being obedient in what you are called to do. Be a teacher when you are called to be a teacher, and be a mom when you are called to be a mom." ~ Brandi Dyke

Dyke Family Favorites

Emily loves math, Morgan loves Science, Kylie loves math and art, and Aubrey loves Bible and Language Arts. They love that homeschooling with Sonlight is flexible, and you can go on vacation and homeschool at the same time. The Dyke girls' favorite book recommendations:

Adventures with Waffles

Sign of the Beaver

Boxcar Children

In Grandma's Attic

The Good News Must Go Out

Mary on Horseback

You can learn more about the Dyke family’s Sonlight experience by listening to their full interview on the Sonlight Connections podcast.

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Jul. 29, 2022

Tips for a New School Year

By Sarita
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With the new school year upon us, I'd like to offer a few tips that I learned over the years we homeschooled and afterward as I have listened to and talked with hundreds of other homeschool parents. May this encourage the many new Sonlighters and serve as a reminder for successful, long time Sonlighters.

Allow yourself some time to settle in.

Homeschoolers say it takes about a month to adjust for each year your child has been in a classroom school. That's just how long it seems to take ... to overcome old and establish new (and useful!) habits, behavior patterns and attitudes. May it be that your family beats the averages and you all settle in much more quickly. But if not, relax! You've got years ahead of you. Your children will not be harmed if you take a few extra months to get to know each other in a different way.

Grant yourself time to catch a rhythm of how to schedule your day and get everything done.

When my children were little, I'd set them to their seat work while I cleaned up breakfast dishes, made the bed and threw in a load of laundry. I always had the kids do their tough jobs first while they were fresh, so we did math in the morning. And, we read the Bible before we did the other fun Read Alouds. I found my kids were motivated to finish their tougher jobs to get to the more rewarding time of reading together.

Settle in on a schedule that works for your family.

For example, we did our reading aloud directly after our morning snack. Any work the children hadn't finished prior to that time, they had to complete before they could go and play in the afternoon. Remember, children who learn to tackle jobs quickly and work efficiently to finish tasks gain impressive life skills.

But, stay flexible.

If a good opportunity to do an outside activity comes up, grab it. You can always double up assignments on later dates. But to teach your children to be flexible is a terrific gift to them.

It takes time to understand your children's learning styles and work with them appropriately.

With my four children I had all four key learning styles. (Thankfully, reading aloud works for all of them.) One of my children was so easily distracted that I had to sit next to him while he did his math work ... simply to remind him to do his next problem. While the task made me feel crazy, I did believe that I was modeling how to do school work for a child who probably would have been medicated in a non-homeschool environment. We do have the joy and challenge of training our children in multiple areas of life.

Take some time for yourself.

If you can get out on a weekend, please do so. When I started homeschooling, we had dear friends who offered to watch our four children on the first four Friday nights of my homeschooling journey. John and I went out and ran errands and brought back pie to share. I found that particularly in the beginning of homeschooling, the challenge of being with my children 24/7 felt overwhelming. As my children (and I) grew used to the pattern and rhythm of schooling and my children learned to entertain themselves in the afternoons (this does not happen immediately), homeschooling became much easier. A long term benefit of being together as a family a lot (at least in my experience!) is that your children learn to get along with one another and, even, like one another.

I have had the great privilege the last several years of interviewing all the Sonlight scholarship winners. And all of them have mentioned that they like their siblings. In today's world, I find that a delightful statistic. And I believe it will be a reality in your home as well as you spend time with your children.

Don't worry about the work load as either being too much or too little.

Since homeschooling uses a tutorial model which includes one-on-one training (what every teacher recommends for struggling students!), teaching is much more efficient and effective. Although some students leaving the classroom can't read, I have never met a homeschooling mom who allowed that to happen.

According to an article on Breakpoint,

[H]omeschoolers tend to be more mature, happy, and better socialized than their peers.
They also boast better academic performance. Standardized test scores for homeschoolers are well above that of private and public school students. And in a survey of those homeschooled between the ages of 18 and 24 years old, 74 percent have taken college-level courses, compared with only 46 percent for the general U.S. population. Homeschoolers have also made a name for themselves in national spelling and geography contests.

As I mentioned above, each year I have the privilege of interviewing our twelve scholarship winners. They are articulate, sharp, committed to serving God, appreciative of their families, and they excel in the finest colleges. Homeschooling does work!

Keep the long view in mind.

Homeschooling provides the unique opportunity to grow in your love for your children, to see them develop and mature, to have daily input into their lives, to be present when they grasp new concepts and to bond together. As a mom whose youngest is in his senior year of college, may I encourage you to "stay the course." I like my kids, I'm proud of the people they have become, and I have many precious memories of our time together through the years. As opposed to much of the rest of the world, I didn't experience the "tough teen years." Rather, I had the privilege of seeing my children excel and shine.

May it be, that you, too, one day say, "I have no regrets." And, may God give extra grace during this busy, occasionally confusing, sometimes frustrating, and often challenging time. And, may your children rise up and call you blessed.

Blessings to you and yours,
Sarita

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Jul. 14, 2022

3 Ways to Create a Culture of Learning for Your Preschooler at Home

By Christy Jacob
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two preschoolers enjoy a book

When you have a preschooler, you begin to worry about when and how to start teaching them. As parents, we have the amazing responsibility to create an environment that helps our children grow. 

Luckily, a preschool education at home makes it easy to craft a culture of learning for your child. It begins with creating a lifestyle in which our children can learn—naturally. This is how homeschooling works!

When your home is full of wonderful learning opportunities, your children will naturally develop a love of learning.

Their innate curiosity is piqued, and they’ll be inspired to learn all they can about the world around them. Because you’ve created an environment rich in learning experiences, learning naturally happens.

Continue reading for three ways to create that culture of learning in your home.

1. Introduce Preschoolers to Quality Literature

One of the best ways to begin to create this lifestyle of learning is to share amazing literature with your preschooler. 

Imagine snuggling on the couch with your little one, reading beautiful picture books together. It’s an experience your child will want to repeat over and over. I can’t think of a better way to begin a love of books and reading. Plus, picture books are a great way to teach a variety of topics.

You can find a wonderful assortment of children’s picture books and treasuries of great literature in Sonlight’s Preschool curriculum. Sonlight chose favorite children’s book classics that you and your child will love to read together. Using this program helps you build your home library with quality literature and inspires a lifelong love of reading and learning through books.

When creating a culture of learning in your home, consider how you organize your home library:

  • Set up reading nooks with comfy furniture and good lighting.
  • Place books baskets or caddies throughout your house so your children have easy access.
  • Organize picture books on low shelves so preschoolers can browse when the mood strikes.

2. Add Real-Life Experiences to Your Culture of Learning 

Along with books, the experiences we have in our daily lives help us create a culture of learning at home. Allow your preschooler to join you in daily chores by following you around. They will learn simply through observation and helping you.

  • Let them add ingredients when you’re baking.
  • Have them match socks while doing laundry.
  • Let them water the plants or pick from the backyard garden.
  • Give children household chores such as setting the table or feeding a family pet.

Letting children pitch in in meaningful ways teaches them responsibility and provides a sense of pride for their accomplishments.

Learning doesn’t happen only within the four walls of your home or within the fence of your backyard. Occasionally, this culture of learning you’re creating will extend beyond the home, for example through travel, field trips, or even day-to-day errands.

  • Help your child learn more about the community through field trips to local places, including zoos, museums, and historic landmarks.
  • Take nature walks around nearby parks or visit a state park to teach children about plants and animals in our natural world.
  • Lastly, plan your vacations to locations that are inspired by your preschooler’s current interests or books.

3. Learn through Unstructured Play and Hands-On Activities

Never discount the importance of unstructured play. Time for truly child-led play is crucial for a preschooler’s development. Children appreciate a much deeper understanding of the world around them when they figure it out for themselves. 

Much of this play mimics real-life experiences your preschooler observes. For example, in my preschooler loves to head to his small play kitchen while I make meals. We don’t hide toys like these away in a playroom. We set them in high traffic areas so our children will see them as invitations to play and learn.

Learning practical life skills is also important for preschoolers. These may include learning to cut a banana, wash a bowl, and transfer beans from bowl to pot. A great way to include practice for these skills is through a Montessori approach of self-directed, hands-on learning. Sonlight Preschool shares many ways to easily include these activities in the included Instructor’s Guide.

In conclusion, a homeschool preschool education is so much more than a curriculum or a list of hands-on activities.

Every part of a preschooler’s day contributes to an environment of learning.

This includes read-alouds, hands-on activities, chores, and even family travels. All of these aspects work together to foster a culture of learning throughout your preschooler’s life. To help you craft this special environment, Sonlight's Preschool Package provide a wealth of books, hands-on materials, and a detailed Instructor's Guide. It's a fantastic starting point for the culture of learning you long to foster in your home.

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Jun. 29, 2022

Sonlight Spotlight - Smith Family

By Sonlight
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Each month the Sonlight team will choose a current family to highlight by sharing their #sonlightstories. If you’d like to shine a light on your family, apply here for a chance to be featured.

Meet the Smith Family!

Andy and Jillian homeschool their three children, daughter Harper (10), and sons Finley (7), and PK (6), in Oklahoma City. They were homeschooled themselves and met in a homeschool co-op at ages 9 & 11. Both ended up in traditional high schools, so they had a contrasting view of homeschooling and traditional school.  They really preferred homeschooling. Jillian says "When you’re having to pick curriculum or research learning theories, stuff that I didn’t have to do as a student, it was all new and maybe just as scary as starting without any experience. Andy was a big proponent and thought that we could do this."

Andy chimed in, “I really liked the freedom of learning at your pace, learning on your own and with your parents, and we wanted to cultivate that.  We thought we’d start it and take it year-by-year, and see what happens. We’ve really enjoyed it so far!” 

As Christians, the Smiths wanted to make sure during those formative years of their children’s lives, they were as involved and engaged as they could be to better shape and present their faith to them in different ways.  With parents who love reading and learning, they enjoy building memories around learning together. Some of Jillian's fondest memories are from the read-aloud books her mom ordered from Sonlight. Her mom still has these books and Jillian has gone back to read them again and again.

"I really wanted to give the kids time to learn to love to read, to learn, and to find the things they’re interested in. They’re not going to love every moment of it, but I wanted to give time for that." ~ Jillian Smith

Smith's daughter reading a book.

Field Trip Extreme

Something else the Smiths have enjoyed is taking their studies to the next level.  After finishing Red Sails to Capri, Jillian told the kids that the Blue Grotto is a real place. They turned to YouTube to see what it was like, and they realized they all wanted to go there!  The family thoroughly researched how they could travel there and was able to go in April of 2022.  They went to Rome for the first part of the week seeing some of the things they learned about in HBL B, and then took a train to Naples and a ferry to Capri to see the Blue Grotto. 

"It was pretty amazing to connect a place that we read about with a real place we could visit.  It was really wonderful!  The kids made connections between what they’re learning, real life, and other cultures.  I’m trying to make the argument that we need to go to England in preparation for D next year." ~ Jillian Smith

Flexibility

Thanks to the flexibility homeschooling offers, the Smiths have been able to travel when most kids would be in school. It took them a few years to realize that, but now they’re fully leveraging it. Upon realizing they have a finite number of summers with their children at home, they decided to travel more. Both Andy and Jillian came from military families and were able to travel as children, so they travel around in their RV and overseas.

Jillian says, “It’s still a process of trying to think outside the box, which is not as easy as you might think. You still fall back into thinking you need to take school breaks in the summer, but we are really trying to figure out what’s going to work for us.”

This summer is the first time they’re doing some school work when most children are taking a break. They are anticipating this will make getting back to school easier since they’re doing light math and reading right now.

Father's Role

With Andy working from home, he is in a unique position. Jillian still does the majority of the teaching, but he supports her and is excited about the opportunities that are coming. They already get to share Read-aloud times, and the kids do presentations for him.  

Andy adds, “These little tidbits when I grab a cup of coffee and I get to say hi. These are the moments I’m engaging with them. I think in years to come, we’ll learn even more about how much that really means to us.”

For Jillian, Andy’s support keeps her going when things get tough.  She’s not homeschooling alone because he is there and encouraging her and the kids.

 “This is a small amount of time that your kids are at home in the grand scheme of your life. Helping them learn and grow and being a part of their education is really priceless. We didn’t realize it while we were being homeschooled, but in high school and college, we had a way to learn and a different view of learning. It’s work, but it’s worthwhile for sure.” ~ Andy Smith

Smith Family in Italy

Smith Favorite Books

The Smith children have a lot of favorites, but these were the most memorable.

Red Sails to Capri

Captain Nobody

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

About Average

Encyclopedia Brown

You can learn more about the Buckler family’s Sonlight experience by listening to their full interview on the Sonlight Connections podcast.

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Jun. 23, 2022

Winners of the 2022 Sonlight Photo Contest

By Sonlight
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Winners of Sonlight's 2022 Annual Photo Contest

You may not already know that we only feature real photos and stories from our customers in our marketing materials—in our homeschool catalog, online, on social media, and at homeschool conventions. So thank you to all of the families who participated in this year's photo contest and for sharing your #sonlightstories. Congratulations to the three winners featured below!

WINNER: The M Family, Sonlighters from Bartlett, TN

Sonlight's 2022 Annual Photo Contest Winner: The M Family, Sonlighters from Bartlett, TN
In this picture, the M Family children are reading at the library.

"We love starting our day by reading the children’s Bible provided in the curriculum and praying together. The rest of our day is centered around snuggling together and reading, which is an amazing way to bond with both of my children! I love that the curriculum is so thorough, and that both of my kids are learning science and history through the books and stories,” admits mom, Miranda.

"Our son was diagnosed with dyslexia this year, and it should have been a hard hit, but it wasn’t because we’ve been reading and sharing Sonlight books since he was a baby. Our son isn’t deterred by the dyslexia and is thriving!"

-The M family, Sonlighters from Bartlett, TN

WINNER: The C Family, Sonlighters from Ray City, GA

Sonlight's 2022 Annual Photo Contest Winner: The C Family, Sonlighters from Ray City, GA
Sonlight walks alongside of us as we joyfully disciple our children.

“Sonlight's curriculum has an honest approach to history that is wholistic and well-rounded at an age appropriate level. Throughout my education, I don't remember learning much history about men and women of other races or backgrounds. I am grateful that Sonlight is the type of program that any child that comes to our home can pull from our bookshelf and see a little boy or little girl just like them. They can read about a hero in history that made a difference, served others, and advanced the kingdom of God, and it just so happens that the hero they read about has their same eye color or skin tone or same textured hair.

The beautiful diversity of the Lord's creation is interwoven through Sonlight.

With Sonlight, our children can step into cultures and times in history while snuggled up next to the fire or at the kitchen table or while on a picnic.

As a family, we are thankful for Sonlight’s flexibility in our schedule to learn, explore, and discover something new. Our children ask us hard questions and wrestle through tough topics in human history. We parents get the privilege and honor to show them the goodness of God even in the midst of a broken, hurting world. Thanks, Sonlight!”  

The C Family, Sonlighters from Ray City, GA

WINNER: The C Family, Sonlighters from Selmer, TN

Sonlight's 2022 Annual Photo Contest Winner: The C Family, Sonlighters from Selmer, TN
Sonlight keeps the joy of learning alive in our home!

“We have used Sonlight from the start and fall more in love with it every year,” confesses Anna C of Selmer, TN. “As the years go by, we’ve made many memories, experienced sweet connections, created inside jokes, and have learned so much together, side by side, reading these beautiful books.

Because of Sonlight, our children love books, love history, love learning, and most importantly, are learning to love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The C Family, Sonlighters from Selmer, TN

Thanks again for making this year's photo contest a success. Keep sharing your #sonlightstories year-round! We love your Box Day photos, your day-to-day experiences, and the end-of-the-year #sonlightstack shots of all you've accomplished.

Thank you for sharing your #sonlightstories

Keep sharing your #sonlightstories

You don't need to wait for the annual photo contest to encourage other families with your everyday homeschool stories.

We love your #sonlightboxday photos, your day-to-day experiences, and the end-of-the-year #sonlightstack shots of all you've accomplished—all year long! You never know when something you submitted may appear in a catalog, on our homepage, or on the Sonlight blog.

We invite you to share your pictures directly on the Sonlight website or on your favorite social media platform all year long. If sharing on social media, tag us (@sonlightcurriculum and @sonlight) and be sure to include hashtags #sonlightstories, #sonlightstack, or #sonlightboxday.

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Jun. 7, 2022

Sonlight Spotlight - Buckler Family

By Sonlight
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Each month the Sonlight team will choose a current family to highlight by sharing their #sonlightstories. If you’d like to shine a light on your family, apply here for a chance to be featured.

Meet the Buckler Family!

Andrew and Sierra homeschool their three children, Matthew (6), Hunter (4), and Lana (2), in California. They are first-year homeschoolers. While researching her curriculum choices, her neighbor shared that they kept coming back to Sonlight after trying other options. Sierra loved the Sonlight philosophy and that it was fully planned for them. As a first-time homeschool family, she felt comfort in knowing that everything needed was in one place. She was also excited that it was a Christ-centered curriculum, and Sierra loved that it was literature-based.

Sierra is aware that many families try a lot of different curriculums before finding what works best for their family. She is so thankful to her friend for introducing her to Sonlight because it is perfect, and they love it.

I feel so lucky and blessed that I found Sonlight so early in our homeschooling journey. We hit the homeschool jackpot because we found what works so perfectly for our family.  ~ Sierra Buckler

Homeschool Discovery

Sierra was blessed to get to stay home with their children since they were born and has always enjoyed teaching them. Sierra began to feel it was her calling to be raising my children and nourishing their little hearts and minds. 

"I think back then I had this hidden desire to homeschool, but I was unfamiliar with it. I didn’t know anyone who had done it before. I’ll admit I had some wrong preconceived notions about homeschooled kids. Since I was unfamiliar with it, I definitely lacked confidence within myself." Sierra Buckler

Sierra never lost that feeling, that desire, that little spark inside. All during this time, her mom would mention how she thought Sierra could homeschool and how great she thought Sierra and her husband would be at it. Circumstances began to line up that the subject of homeschooling kept arising making it evident that God was working through her because she would just continue to mention it and plant that little seed that started to build Sierra's confidence that, “Hey, maybe I could do this!”

“I was unsure and not fully confident yet, but we decided to take a direct involvement in their education. We discovered Sonlight and embarked on this beautiful journey all together.” ~ Sierra Buckler

Homeschool Desires

The Bucker family started to seriously consider homeschooling when their oldest son was four.  They didn’t want their children to spend so much time away from home. They didn’t think the kids needed to be away from home for 6+ hours to receive the best education and maybe be influenced by worldviews that didn’t necessarily align with the Christian beliefs the Buckler family holds. They wanted their children to develop a great love for learning. Sierra and Andrew wanted more quality time with their children and to create a family that would grow and thrive together.  The Buckler kids could play, be creative, be outdoors playing, and get lost in their imaginations. They knew homeschooling would give them the opportunity to do all those things. When schools closed down in person due to COVID, it was the final nudge the Bucklers needed to make that decision to homeschool. They're really thankful for how it worked out because it wasn’t their vision at the very start.

"We wanted our children above all else to know God and love God, and we wanted to inspire them to honor him every day.” ~ Sierra Buckler

Homeschool Devotion

Because this is their first year of homeschooling, they know they still have a ton to learn. The Bucklers discovered that teaching is natural because as parents we are the first teachers to our children in life. There will be flaws in your homeschool, just as there would be in school anywhere. The family feels that they have grown closer together and you need to surrender the idea of what the ideal homeschool day is. There will be unanticipated situations that will arise. The Bucklers try to remember that the true way to live is to enjoy every moment that passes and the true beauty of life is in those little, everyday things around them.

"One thing that was big for me, an encouraging word for anyone considering homeschooling. You can do it! God gave you these children, made you their parent, you’ve already taught them so much, you are more than capable of doing it." ~ Sierra Buckler

There is always an opportunity to learn, and Sierra tries her best to guide her kids with grace when they’re not getting it, frustrated or overwhelmed. There are days she needs to take a break and show them love. The way she interacts with her children is more important than keeping up with a schedule. The Buckler children’s hearts and minds are more valuable than the checklist.  Sierra offers "For anyone considering or thinking about homeschooling, you will never regret this time you have with your children watching them grow and learn at their own pace. Being able to see their strengths and help strengthen their weaknesses is priceless. Give yourself grace. It is a beautiful journey that is worth taking!"

Buckler First Year Favorites

In their first year of Sonlight Matthew and Hunter selected these as their favorite readers. They also say science is their favorite subject.

The Silver Balloons

The World According to Humphrey

Ecosystems, Meteorology, Physics, and Engineering Design Science K

You can learn more about the Buckler family’s Sonlight experience by listening to their full interview on the Sonlight Connections podcast.

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Jun. 6, 2022

Summer Camp at Home: A DIY Guide for Homeschoolers

By Laura Booz
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Summer Camp at Home: a DIY Guide for Homeschoolers

Do you want to enrich and refresh your child this summer? Many families in my hometown turn to day camps—from Computer Programming Camp to Ninja Warrior Camp—as a way to fill their children’s summer days with fun and learning. I’ve signed my children up for 2 weeks of incredible day camps, but after a while, those day camps get expensive! Not to mention that packing lunches, applying sunscreen, and getting out the door by 8:30 every morning can make summer feel frazzled and hectic instead of slow and restful.

When it comes to summer, I prefer most of our days to be spent lolling about at home, exploring, day-dreaming, playing, and reading. Of course, the lazy days of summer have their beauty, but they also have their chaos.

Choose a Theme for Your DIY Summer Camp at Home

Even in the summer, my kids need a bit of direction, and I want to guide them toward constructive activities. So I’ve been brainstorming themes for DIY summer camps at home to add just enough structure to make summer, enriching, refreshing, and affordable.

1. Camp Fun, Fun, Fun!

I happen to believe that knowing how to create good, clean fun is a life skill. I want my children to be well-exercised in the pleasant and generous art of play.  In this summer camp at home, explore activities, skits, juggling, jokes, and magic tricks. Check out these resources:

2. Creative Cooking Camp

Just because it’s called camp doesn’t mean the food has to taste like a day-old brown bag lunch. Don your aprons and get cooking together with this DIY summer camp theme. A cookbook like Good Housekeeping Kids Cook! will help your child prepare mac n’ cheese, lasagna, salads, smoothies, burgers, cakes, and more! (Bonus idea: If you allow screen time, consider watching Chopped Junior or Food Network Star Kids.)

Be sure to check out these award-winning cookbooks for kids too:

3. On Your Mark, Get Set, Go Camp

Plan a week full of fitness games that will strengthen your bodies as well as your friendships with this P.E.-based camp theme. In Homeschool Family Fitness, you’ll learn games like Speedy Soccer, Frisbee Football, Deck Tennis, Cops and Robbers, and dozens more. You’ll also learn the correct techniques for walking and running, rhythm activities, basketball free throws, and football punts.

4. Build It Camp

Pull out a different building toy each day of Build It Camp:

You’ll be stimulating your child’s brain with STEM skills all while having fun. In the afternoon, snuggle up the couch and read a chapter in Engineer Academy for more inspiration!

5. Awesome Artist Camp

For one full week, keep the art supplies in sight and don’t worry about cleaning up at the end of the day. Each morning, explore an art project with your child. Take a look at these goodies:

6. Simply Sewing Camp

If you have a child who is interested in textiles, sewing, or crafting, The Usborne Children’s Sewing Kit is just the thing for your Simply Sewing Camp. It has everything you need to sew, stuff and decorate 7 adorable felt animals: all the sewing, stuffing, and decorating, the felt shapes, along with pins and needles, buttons and thread. The accompanying 32-page book provides simple, step-by-step instructions, along with video clips with sewing tips and techniques for additional support. Your kids will end the week with completed crafts and a valuable life skill, too!

Usborne's Embroidery Kit: Flamingo is another comprehensive kit with step-by-step instructions. Kids will love learning the joy of embroidery and have a lovely piece of artwork to display when they are finished!

7. Chess Club Camp

My kids would love a camp in which we played chess each day. Maybe we could make a tournament bracket, have lunch with an expert chess player, and maybe even watch a tournament game. Sonlight recommends No Stress Chess to get us suited up with the rules of the game and strategy.

Finally finish your Science curriculum by holding a summer science camp at home.

8. Science Wonders Camp

Did you know that many Sonlight families save a couple of Science experiments for summer? (Or, as in my case, we’re actually catching-up on what we didn’t complete during the school year.) Why not batch the experiments together into a one-week Science Wonders Camp? At the beginning of the week, head to the library to check out books on relevant topics and enjoy afternoon science reading!  

9. Computer Coding Camp

Do you have a child who is interested in computer programming? Sonlight recommends Get Coding! for students who are 9+. Here’s what you can anticipate: “Get Coding! is the essential book for teaching coding to kids from the expert coding community Young Rewired State. Computer coding is a key skill and is now part of the National Curriculum for children aged 5+. This fun and exciting book teaches you how to code using the three most important programming languages in the world: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.”

A Relaxed DIY Summer Camp Schedule

A DIY summer camp at home will look different for each of us. Some of us will plan full day of thematic wonders with hands-on experiences, field trips, snacks, guest speakers, music, and themed t-shirts. Others will be happy with one simple activity each day.

Here’s a bare-bones schedule that keeps things simple. It includes enrichment while still prioritizing summer’s glorious free time. From here, you could take things in a million directions. The sky’s the limit!

  • After breakfast (approximately 1 hour): Explore the week’s theme with a hands-on experience. Take your time and allow yourselves to ask questions, relax, and create.
  • After lunch (approximately 30 minutes): Snuggle up on the couch to read a couple of books that relate to the week’s theme.
  • Once per week: Take an afternoon field trip or meet up with a fellow homeschooling family for a combined learning experience.

Practical DIY Summer Camp Structure

Think about how to structure your DIY summer camp for maximum enjoyment. You know your kids best. Consider these aspects:

1. Create Stations

If you have multiple children, you may want to create stations so that each child can play and learn independently. This approach may bring peace to sibling rivalry or competition. Choose a couple of activities that are related to your theme and allow each child to explore that station for 15-20 minutes before everyone rotates.

For example, if you have three children doing an art camp, create three stations:

  1. one with watercolor paint
  2. one that provides materials for cutting and pasting
  3. another that provides sidewalk chalk on the front stoop

Each child will enjoy having his or her own space and opportunity to explore the medium. Of course, if you can’t think of three art-related activities each day, feel free to include a physical activity like jumping on the trampoline or splashing in the baby pool.

2. Foster Teamwork

When you prepare the day’s activity, imagine what it will look like for you and your children to explore the theme together. Will you and your two children be cooking together? Plan to divvy up the steps in the recipe. Or, allow one child to read the recipe while the other follows the steps. Switch roles the following day.

3. Inspire Exploration

Perhaps you’d rather provide the materials and books so that your child creates and explores on her own. All you have to do is to gather the resources and create a space for this to happen! Could you designate a spare table for science experiments? Or a sand table for an art-themed sensory bin? By changing the theme each week, you’ll provide a helpful amount of variety for your child and you’ll nudge them toward fun and enrichment.

I would love to hear about your ideas for summer camp at home this year! Share your DIY summer camp plans the comments.

Of course, no matter what you choose to do with your summer days, you’ll want to stock the bookshelves with lots of great summer reads. Check out Sonlight’s super-fun Summer Readers. There’s something there for everyone.

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