_edited.jpg)
Summer, Learning, and Simple Ways to Nurture Faith at Home
- hollifry
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Summer has definitely made its appearance here in South Texas. The humidity is high and the temperatures are soaring.
My husband and I took our daily bicycle ride earlier than usual this morning on the peaceful country road near our house and were so blessed by the singing of the mockingbirds, bobwhites, and mourning doves, as well as so many others I could not identify--a glorious choral presentation in perfect harmony just for us.
We've had quite a bit of rain recently, and the vegetation is lush and green along the sides of the road. Wild flowers peek out at us from the depths of the high grass, and the cows in the fields could not be more content as their eyes follow us with calm curiosity.
This season of the year is a wonderful time, even in Texas where the heat can get intense. For many people, it's a time for diverging from the normal routine. School children get a break, and teachers do as well. Even parents whose jobs are not related to the school calendar tend to take their yearly vacations during the summer. It's a time for family reunions and trips to the river, public pool, or splash pad. Backyard barbecues, camping adventures, visits with grandparents, and evenings spent watching fireflies all become part of the memories we make during these special months. Many of our most treasured family memories are made during this season, and along the way, children learn far more than they often realize.
Simple Ways to Keep Kids Learning this Summer
Even during the years that I homeschooled my children, I allowed summer to be unique and special. I believe all of life is a classroom and there are lessons to be learned in every activity we undertake, regardless of whether it's "book-learning" or something entirely different. So, really, learning never stops; we just change up the routine a bit.
With this in mind, here are some suggestions to keep the learning process going for your children this summer:
Provide lots of freedom for your children to explore and learn on their own. This does not mean allowing them to sit around the house and be inactive all day. Rather, encourage them to go outside. Promote observation of things in nature. Ask lots of questions and, by your enthusiasm, inspire them to ask you questions about the things they see.
Don't stay at home too much. Trips to the splash pad or pool, parks, and museums are great summer activities.
Go to the library weekly, and encourage participation in the available summer activities there. Then, upon arriving home from the library, while the kids are enthusiastic about their new books, take time to enjoy these with them, reading to the younger ones and exploring the choices of your older children through discussion.
While you may take a break from the normal school routine, don't take a break from daily family Bible time. Evenings should include Bible story time with Mom, Dad, and the kids, always followed by prayer.
A Free Summer Gift for Your Family
In my last newsletter, I talked about the weekly summer newsletter that my mother subscribed to for my siblings and me when I was a child. We were so thrilled when our age-appropriate newsletters arrived each week. While this may seem like school work, these were designed to be especially fun, just for summertime. We thoroughly enjoyed the puzzles, games, drawing and coloring pages, and interesting facts to learn.
I've prepared a little gift just for you, in the hopes that this may help you get started with making summer special and fun for your children while still encouraging the learning process, especially learning about God and His Word. This is yours for FREE, and you may download it and print as many copies as you would like. Use these with your own children, share them with your friends, and use them for your Sunday School class. Just click on the image at rightto get your FREE download:
These activities may be enjoyed by themselves but will be especially meaningful when used along with my Rhyming WORD Series Bible story books, which retell true Bible events, using lively rhyming verse to bring these stories to life for kids.
A Note About My Bible Story Books
My Rhyming WORD Series books are available on Amazon in paperback format, and you can also find them through my website:
Hardback editions will also be released on Amazon in the coming weeks. If you enjoy the books or would like to follow updates, I share occasional announcements and resources through my newsletter,which you can subscribe to at the following link: https://www.hollifrybooks.com/about.
I'd love to hear from you and find out how your summer is going. Do you have any tips for my readers about how to make summer both productive and fun? I respond to all emails and might even share some of your suggestions in a future newsletter!
Until then...
Grace and peace to you,
Holli Fry
Comments