At Weaver Child Development Center (CDC), we believe that learning doesn’t stop when the school year ends. Summer is the perfect time to slow down, get outside, and embrace learning through play. Children continue to grow through hands-on experiences, outdoor learning, and meaningful interactions with the world around them.
The Reggio Emilia approach encourages kids to follow their curiosity and learn through discovery. Whether you’re looking for easy summer crafts or nature-based adventures, these Reggio inspired activities help bring learning home.
Why Learning During Summer Vacation is Important
The Reggio Emilia approach considers the environment the third teacher. Children learn best when they can explore and interact with their surroundings. Summer provides countless opportunities for outdoor learning that support cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development.
Simple summer activities for kids like observing insects, creating art with natural materials, or splashing through puddles encourage children to think critically, solve problems, and engage with their senses. These experiences also strengthen family connections while helping children maintain a love of learning during summer break.
With that in mind, here are six fun activities to do this summer vacation.
1. Playing in the Sprinkler
Few things feel more like summer than playing in the sprinkler. It is a simple activity that combines movement, sensory exploration, and plenty of laughter. Parents also appreciate that playing in the sprinkler can cool kids off while watering the lawn at the same time. Plus, it is a great alternative to going to a neighborhood pool.
Steps:
- Clear the area of rocks, sticks, toys, and other tripping hazards
- Put on swimsuits and lather on a water-resistant sunblock
- Set towels in a dry area nearby
- Attach a sprinkler to a garden hose, we like this one, and set in the grass
- Turn on the water
- Start running, jumping, and splashing through the spray
Pro Tip: Make up games while playing in the sprinkler. Try freeze dance, limbo under the water stream, sprinkler tag, or seeing who can jump through the highest spray.
2. Go on a Bug Hunt
A bug hunt is a wonderful way to encourage observation skills and scientific thinking. Children become entomologists for the day while exploring their backyard, neighborhood park, or local nature preserve.
During this outdoor learning adventure, children can find ants, ladybugs, roly-polies, worms, butterflies, spiders, and other critters. Encourage them to look under rocks, near flowers, around tree trunks, and in damp soil where insects gather.
Steps:
- Grab a magnifying glass, notebook, and pencil or pen
- Choose a safe outdoor location
- Search for insects in different habitats
- Observe colors, sizes, wings, legs, movements, and other characteristics
- Document those observations in the journal
- Draw pictures of different bugs
Pro Tip: Make a list of all the bugs you want to find ahead of time with some help from books at the library.
3. Make a Nature Suncatcher
One of our favorite summer crafts is creating a nature suncatcher. This simple project combines art and nature while helping children slow down and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors.
A nature suncatcher displays flowers, leaves, and other treasures that kids pick up and appreciate during their outdoor adventures.
Steps:
- Gather flowers, leaves, and other flat natural materials
- Find contact paper, construction paper, scissors, tape, and a pencil
- Draw a sun shape with a large circle in the center on the construction paper, or use this printable nature suncatcher template
- Cut out the sun and center opening
- Cut a piece of contact paper slightly larger than the center of the paper sun
- Place the contact paper over the suncatcher sticky-side up
- Gently arrange the flowers and natural materials on the surface
- Tape your finished creation to a sunny window
Pro Tip: Add a second circle of contact paper to seal your nature suncatcher and help preserve the flowers!
4. Build a Fairy House in the Garden
A fairy house in the garden is a magical project that encourages creativity, storytelling, and imaginative play. A fairy house is a miniature structure built from natural or craft materials. They range from extravagant mini mansions to a simple door propped up against a tree. Overall, they serve as pretend homes for fairies and other woodland friends.
Creating a fairy house in the garden helps children connect with nature while stretching their imaginations. There is no right or wrong way to design a fairy home, which makes it one of our favorite summer crafts.
Steps:
- Choose the perfect location for your fairy house
- Gather your materials, either from yard debris, crafting supplies, or a DIY kit
- Build and decorate your woodland wonderland
- Add small details such as pathways, furniture, or tiny gardens
- Place something shiny nearby to attract fairy visitors such as glitter, buttons, or spare change to let them know their house is ready
- Watch for signs of magical activity
Pro Tip: Decorate empty paper towel rolls and recycled materials to create an entire woodland village around your fairy house in the garden.
5. Puddle Jumping in the Rain
Sometimes the best adventures happen when the weather changes. Playing in the rain can be a memorable moment where children experience nature in a whole new way. Just make sure kids have proper supervision and play in safe conditions.
While playing in the rain, children can watch leaves float along puddles, see changing cloud patterns, and observe how water moves through their environment.
Steps:
- Wait for a rainy day without thunder or lightning
- Gather rain boots, a raincoat, and towels
- Dress appropriately for the weather
- Find puddles and splash safely
- Watch leaves float through puddles and streams
- Notice how the wind and rain feel on your face
- Watch the whirlpools in the grates
- Kick up puddles and skip through the water on the pavement
Pro Tip: Keep a towel by the door. Children can immediately dry off after playing in the rain and keep water off the floors.
6. Play in a Sandbox
For many parents, the original sensory bin was the classic Little Tikes turtle sandbox. Today, children still love opportunities to play in a sandbox! It encourages creativity, problem-solving, and sensory exploration.
When children play in a sandbox, they can build castles, dig tunnels, create moats, and invent imaginative worlds. It’s one of the simplest forms of outdoor learning and open-ended play.
Steps:
- Purchase or build a sandbox
- Place it in a safe area of the yard
- Go to the local home and garden center and buy a few bags of clean play sand
- Fill the sandbox with fresh sand each year
- Add buckets, shovels, molds, and other toys both new and thrifted
- Encourage kids to dig, build, explore, and have fun
Pro Tip: Have a lid for your sandbox to keep out critters and other debris when not in use.
Bring Reggio Inspired Summer Activities for Kids Home This Break
The Reggio Emilia approach encourages children to learn, explore, and be creative in every situation. These summer activities for kids create opportunities for curiosity and connection long after the school year ends.
Whether your child is playing in the sprinkler, going on a bug hunt, making a nature suncatcher, building a fairy house in the garden, playing in the rain, or choosing to play in a sandbox, each activity supports the kinds of hands-on learning that Weaver CDC values.
These experiences remind us that learning can happen anywhere. Through outdoor learning and open-ended exploration, children continue developing important skills while making lasting memories.
Share Your Summer Adventures with Weaver CDC
We’d love to see how your family brings Reggio inspired learning to life this summer break! Try these summer crafts, take photos of adventures, and share your experiences on social media. Tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can celebrate your learning journey with you!
For even more fun Reggio crafts, check out our 5 Reggio Inspired Spring Break Activities blog!