I received an email from CWIST, a free website for parents and kids, and was intrigued by their idea:
- Challenges or “cwists” are crowd-sourced from parents, educators, mom bloggers and experts and posted in the cwist library.
- The cwists can be anything from organizing a community clean-up, researching fun facts for an upcoming family trip, completing a summer reading list or mastering good manners over time.
- Upon successful completion of a cwist, kids choose parent-approved rewards which can range from a sleepover, day trip, toy or gadget they have wanted or something completely unique and original.
- This seems like the perfect source for summer learning activities for kids!
Music and Science Fun for Kids
I was pretty impressed by the featured CWIST that was emailed to me. It’s a DIY craft CWIST with a science and music twist.
The first part is making your own musical instrument using household items such as a pitcher, water, wooden spoon, hand towel, 8 identical glass containers. You can probably guess what we’ll be making! But there’s more. A lot more!
Next, there is a link to a virtual keyboard with instructions on how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb. Then, there is a video on the science of sound. It’s also a snappy song. I really like the science element and my kids will watch videos all day long. I find that science concepts are more “sticky” when they get to apply it to something they are actually doing with their hands.
Combine these elements to make the water jar instrument and your child can now learn to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on it. Fun, huh? I’m sure your kids, like mine, will go “off road” with this new musical toy. You can have them make this outside too to avoid any water spills
I will be using this site to find summer learning activities for my kids this summer. We have a lot of unstructured weeks ahead of us! Where are you finding ideas for summer fun for your kids? Please share!
I am a blog ambassador for CWIST and this is a sponsored post. My opinions are my own.
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BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
I’m always a fan of free fun learning activities for kids!
Hi MaryAnne,
Me too! I’m looking forward to trying a few this summer!
Thank you so much for sharing this great activity! I can’t wait to share it with my early learners at school this summer. BTW, totally fell in love with my new vocab word, “sticky!”
Hi Pamela,
I’m glad you liked it! Please let me know what your early learners thought.
What an amazing resource. And I cannot believe it is free.. Thank you so much for bring this to our notice 🙂
Hi Veens,
I know!! I’m excited to explore the CWISTS too this summer! And it is wonderful that it’s a free resource for parents and kids!
Hmm, sounds interesting, I’ll have to check it out!
Hi Ann,
And you can also add in your own CWISTs since you have such awesome stuff on your blog. I’m still figuring that part out.
Hi Pragmatic – as a new reader of your blog I though I’d just jump in and leave a quick comment here to say I’ve been enjoying it a whole lot. Cheers! Shaun
Thanks so much for your kinds words Shaun!
When I went to sign up, I was put on a waiting list. But the site said that I could request an invitation from someone who is already a member. Could you invite me?
Thanks so much!
Hi Sherry,
Let me try to invite you. Going there right now.
Hi Sherry,
Just requested an invitation for you. Please let me know if that worked.
I was browsing the web for good summer activity ideas, and I am so happy I found your blog! Another fun suggestion is creating cool riddles with the kids to keep their little minds at work during their vacation from the books. Take a look at this clever riddle and see if you can solve it!
Hi Brooke,
Riddles are such fun! What a great idea!