7 Hands-On Ways to Avoid the Summer Slump

When school lets out and summer rolls in, it can be tempting to let routines slide. But keeping your kids learning doesn’t mean keeping them in the classroom. With a few creative, hands-on activities, you can help your child avoid the dreaded "summer slump"—while having a whole lot of fun together! 😎📚

Here are 7 playful, screen-free learning ideas to keep your kids reading, thinking, and creating all summer long:

1. Cook the Story 🍲+ 📖Turn storytime into snack time! Choose a children’s book that features food or a mealtime moment, then recreate a recipe inspired by the tale. Even better? Sign up for a Tasty Tales Cooking subscription and get a new picture book, themed recipe, and hands-on activities delivered to your door each month. It’s a delicious way to build literacy, spark creativity, and enjoy screen-free fun in the kitchen.

2. Host a Backyard Book Club 🌿Bring the neighborhood together for weekly outdoor story sessions. Set up blankets, pass around snacks, and let each child bring their favorite book to share. Follow up with a simple craft, recipe, or pretend play adventure inspired by the story. It’s a great way to keep kids engaged with reading all summer long.

3. Turn Math Into Movement ✖️️🏃♂️Skip the worksheets and bring math to life! Practice measuring while cooking, use sidewalk chalk for number games, or organize a scavenger hunt to count and sort nature items. These interactive activities build number sense, problem-solving, and confidence.

4. Start a Story Journal 📚🎨Encourage your child to become the author of their own summer stories. They can write and illustrate adventures based on their daily experiences, favorite foods, or creative twists on classic fairy tales. Not a writer yet? No problem—kids can dictate while you write and illustrate together. This boosts writing, vocabulary, and storytelling skills.

5. Make Art From the Pantry 🎨🥜Food and creativity go hand-in-hand. Use natural ingredients like turmeric, beet juice, or blueberries to make homemade paint. Build pasta sculptures or design snack art with fruits and veggies. It’s a fun, messy way to blend art, science, and sensory play.

6. Science in a Jar 🧳️⚛️Simple kitchen experiments spark big curiosity. Make sun tea and track the color changes, plant a seed in a clear cup to watch roots grow, or build a layered salad to explore density. Ask questions, observe changes, and let kids take the lead. These activities support STEM learning in fun, hands-on ways.

7. Read + Cook with Tasty Tales 🌟Want to make it easy? Tasty Tales Cooking is a monthly subscription box that pairs a high-quality children’s book with a themed, kid-friendly recipe and literacy activities. Each box encourages curiosity, confidence in the kitchen, and a lifelong love of reading—without any screens. It’s the perfect summer adventure for curious kids and parents looking for educational, creative play.

Ready to stir up some learning this summer? 🌞Visit Tasty Tales Cooking and grab your first box FREE. Because when stories meet snacks, the possibilities are endless!

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