Are you ready to think about Back to School? I have resources and ideas to stop summer slide.
As I look back on the summer learning that I did with my three children, a few things stand out that, now in hindsight, have greatly impacted my kids’ learning experiences.
The first is doing math supplementation during the summer. I wanted my kids to get a more intuitive sense of math, and doing math word problems as a summer activity really helped with that. I gave my kids incentives to complete the workbook, with both short-term small rewards and a big one for finishing the workbook. In 6th grade, my son had a long-term concussion, in which he missed most of his classes. He ended up acing his math final that tested the year’s concepts. I credit his summer math workbook for teaching him the year’s math curriculum.
The second is reading. We made time for reading, both at bedtime and by visiting the library, bookstores, and author events in our area. I used book lists from my local library and our state to find great books. We also did book club events with their friends. Summer is a great time to slow down and pick up a book.
We also explored STEM through experiments and projects. These hands-on activities really made STEM fun. I did more STEM activities with my son, who is my youngest, and if I had to do it over, I would have spent more time doing more STEM experiments with his older sisters/
Finally, because we live in Boston, we especially enjoy summer outdoor time. Some of the most memorable moments include “hydroengineering” in a local stream, playing with sticks, and creating toys out of sticks. I also created a nature scavenger hunt.
I hope these ideas are helpful getting ready for back to school to enjoy the last days of summer!
Picture Books for Starting Kindergarten or Preschool
If your kiddo is having starting school anxiety (or not), try these picture books.
22 Diverse Starting School Picture Books
24 Starting School Picture Books
26 Perfect Read Alouds for Kindergarten
Rising Kindergarten Summer Reading List
30 Books for Kindergarten & 1st Grade
Getting Kids Ready for Kindergarten
I created this free printable book as both a keepsake and for an academic review for starting Kindergarten.
Kindergarten Readiness FREE Printable Book: My Book About Me
Connecting Reading with Writing in Kindergarten
Activities with Fine Motor Manipulatives
Pre-kindergartners benefit from experiences that support the development of fine motor skills in the hands and fingers. Children should have strength and dexterity in their hands and fingers before being asked to manipulate a pencil on paper. Working on dexterity and strength first can eliminate the development of an inappropriate pencil grasp, which is becoming more commonplace as young children are engaged in writing experiences before their hands are ready. The following activities involve the use of manipulatives, which will support young children’s fine motor development and will help to build the strength and dexterity necessary to hold a pencil appropriately.
Fine Motor Activities
If you want to make your own playdough, I have a recipe here: Make Your Own Playdough Recipe.
- Molding and rolling playdough into balls – using the palms of the hands facing each other and with fingers curled slightly towards the palm.
- Rolling playdough into tiny balls (peas) using only the fingertips.
- Using pegs or toothpicks to make designs in playdough.
- Cutting playdough with a plastic knife or with a pizza wheel by holding the implement in a diagonal volar grasp. (see attached diagram)
- Tearing newspaper into strips and then crumpling them into balls. Use to stuff scarecrows or other art creations.
- Scrunching up 1 sheet of newspaper in one hand. This is a super strength builder.
- Using a plant sprayer to spray plants (indoors, outdoors), to spray snow (mix food coloring with water so that the snow can be painted), or to melt “monsters”. (Draw monster pictures with markers, and the colors will run when sprayed.)
- Picking up objects using large tweezers, such as those found in the “Bedbugs” game. This can be adapted by picking up Cheerios, small cubes, small marshmallows, pennies, etc., in counting games.
- Shaking dice by cupping the hands together, forming an empty air space between the palms.
- Using small-sized screwdrivers like those found in an erector set.
- Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads, Cheerios, macaroni, etc.
- Using eye droppers to “pick up” colored water for color mixing or to make artistic designs on paper.
- Rolling small balls out of tissue paper, then gluing the balls onto construction paper to form pictures or designs.
- Turning over cards, coins, checkers, or buttons, without bringing them to the edge of the table.
- Making pictures using stickers or self-sticking paper reinforcements.
- Playing games with the “puppet fingers” -the thumb, index, and middle fingers. At circle time, have each child’s puppet fingers tell about what happened over the weekend, or use them in songs and fingerplays.
Fun Summer Math Supplementation
Best Summer Math Supplementation Workbooks and More
Summer Math Ideas for Elementary and Middle School
29 Picture Books That Teach Math Concepts
Math Fun for Kids: Math in Spirals
Free & DIY Math Games
Subtraction and Adding to Ten Math Facts Games
Skip Counting Songs for Multiplication and Division Facts
Mastering Multiplication Math Facts
More Multiplication Tricks: Strategies from Kids and Teachers That Work!
DIY Multiplication Math Game: Busted
DIY Math Games Invented by Kids (2nd-5th grade)
STEM Activities
Newton’s Laws and Grammar Rules Set to Rock
Great STEM Picture Books paired with Fun Activities
Fun Activities to Teach Kids About Weather
DIY Bee House STEM Project for Kids
Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion for Kids Using Soccer
Newton’s Laws and Grammar Rules Set to Rock
Pollination: Video and Ideas for Summer Learning
Best Science Apps for Kids (ages 4-21)
STEM Videos
Really Fun Videos of STEM Experiments for Kids
More Really Cool Science and Art Videos for Kids
Really Cool Science Videos for Your Kids Curated by My Son
Amazing Time Lapse Nature Videos
Cool Inspirational Videos to Watch With Your Kids
Very Short Science Videos for Kids
Astounding Videos for Kids with a Science Twist
More Fun and Educational Videos for Kids
My Son’s Educational Video Picks
Best Fun and Educational Videos for Kids
The Kid Should Really See This Part II
The Kid Really Should See This Videos!
DIY STEM Maker Activities
DIY Lush Bath Bombs and the Science Behind the Fizz
Brush Bots: DIY Toothbrush Robots
DIY STEM Paper Circuits: Light Up Cards
Fun STEM Project: Make an Easy Pop-Up Card
7th Grade Model of Cell Science Project
Homopolar Motor: Clean Energy Science Project for 5th Grade
Create a Protective Device for an Egg Experiment for Kids
My Book List of Lists by Category
Each booklist below is a list of lists. There are 300+ book lists for kids and teens that I’ve made, cross-categorized. Click on the blue text to see the list.
Summer Reading Lists
20 Great Books For Kids of All Ages Set During the Summer
Best Middle School Books for Summer Reading
Read Aloud Book Lists By Grade
Find the Right Level of Book
Book Lists for Reluctant Readers
Book Lists for Advanced Young Readers
By Genre
Easy Reader & Early Chapter Book Lists
Mythology & Folk Tale Book Lists
Diverse, Multicultural, and Inclusive Book Lists for Kids and Teens
Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
African American Book Lists for Kids
Hispanic American Book Lists for Kids
Arab American Book Lists for Kids
Native American Book Lists For Kids
Asian American Book Lists for Kids
- Asian American
- Korean American
- Japanese American
- Chinese American
- South Asian American
Miscellaneous Book Lists
Art Projects and Books for Creative Kids
Book Lists for a Particular Location
- Florida
- Chicago
- Boston
- Rainforest
- Immigrating
- Undocumented Immigrant
- Poland
- Africa
- China
- Japan
- Vietnam
- Sri Lanka
- Laos
- Bangladesh
Book Lists Around a Particular Animal
- Dragon
- Duck
- Dinosaur
- Hamster & Guinea Pig
- Crocodile
- Zoo
- Pokémon
- Cat & Dog
Book Lists for Difficult Situations
- Birds and Bees Talk
- Poverty
- Best Friend Moves Away
- Afraid of the Dark
- Inappropriate Touch
- Living in Alcoholic Home
- Domestic Violence
- Bullying
- Loss of Pet
- Cancer
- Incarcerated Parents
- Grief and Loss
- Homelessness
Book Lists to Teach Kids Compassion
Book Lists with Science and Math
Civil Rights Movement Book Lists for Kids
Books to Teach Kids Something Specific
- Being Responsible
- Presidential Election
- Money and Personal Finance
- Personal Space
- Veterans Day
- Shakespeare for Kids
- Women’s History Month
- Memorial Day
- Young Activists
- Word Concepts
- Medieval Times
- Back To School
- Courage
- Environmental
- Endangered Animals
- Growth Mindset
- #NeverForget
Sports Specific Book Lists for Kids
Predicting the Caldecott & Newbery Book Lists
To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.
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My books:
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
- ⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
- Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026
Free and downloadable guide:
Barbed Wire Between Us Teacher’s Guide
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
- Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
