Getting Healthy and Fit with Summer School

Yay! Summer is here. As a homeschool parent, I’m sure you are excited to take a break from thinking about homeschool for a while. What if I told you that summer is the perfect time to get in some homeschool activities? In fact, some of these activities can only be done in summer. The best part is that your kids will never even know that they are learning.

Summer brings to mind images of vacations and fireworks, beaches and watermelon. Coincidentally, these latter two images represent for us two of the easiest and most fun ways to fit some health and fitness into our summer homeschool.

Going to The Beach

Going to the beach…ahhh! Who doesn’t love lazy beach days, hanging out under a beach umbrella and watching the kids build sandcastles while you get the perfect tan?

Recently, my kids have discovered an excellent way to incorporate some fitness into our summer, although they just think that they are having fun. It’s called boogie boarding. Also, know as a bodyboard, boogie boards are small fabric-covered Styrofoam boards that are easy to take along and easy to use. They are inexpensive; ours were around $40 each. You just lie on your stomach in the water and paddle until you catch a wave. This is a really safe and fun activity that we have been enjoying this summer.

Boogie boarding may sound effortless, but it is quite challenging and takes a lot of energy. We have found it fun for all ages. It is an excellent way to sneak some fun and fitness into your homeschool summer without your kids knowing it.

Another summer activity that my kids look forward to every year is the trampoline. I think that trampolines are an awesome asset to homeschoolers. I could never count the hours my middle school kids have spent on our trampoline. It is the first thing they want to do when we go out to play in the backyard. If you have never had the privilege of bouncing around on a big trampoline, I can tell you this: They are a real workout! Anything that can tire out my four-year-old is a wonder, and it does. I do recommend the kind with the safety net all the way around. The net zips closed, so I even feel comfortable letting my toddlers on to bounce around for a while. Although they aren’t expensive, you can usually find great sales on them during Black Friday.

Health and Fitness at the Park

We try to visit our local park every chance we get. They have some great play equipment and a long walking path. We take advantage of it the most, though, in the summer. A lot of states have implemented a program that I love for kids during the summer. It is called the Summer Food Service Program.

The program begins when summer break starts for the public schools. At our local park, they set up a food tent that cooks and provides free lunches for kids up to 18 years of age. They serve delicious and healthy lunches and there is no registration required. Just show up and get in line. As for us adults, well, they will give you a plate as well, for a small fee of around $3. The lunches will vary by location, but our choices were a cheeseburger, chips, apple, orange, juice box, milk, broccoli, and a roasted pepper.

Our park also has a fitness course. It is a series of equipment that you run through and stop at each one to do a set of exercises. During the summer, we take day trips to the park and get a lunch, play on the equipment, and do the fitness course. I love the fact that my kids get a healthy meal and some fun exercise and, again, they never know it. They are just being kids. Check out your local newspapers to see if your state has this program and the locations they are doing it. Then find a great park and enjoy a fun fitness day with your family.

The Local Farmer’s Market

Now back to the watermelon…

Now, while I love watermelon, it is not the only fresh produce that I love in the summertime. There are a variety of fruits and vegetables that my family enjoys while they are in season and at their best. One fun thing we do in summer is to visit our local farmer’s market.

Each Saturday in summer, the people in our town gather around the town square to sell and buy all sorts of fresh produce and other goods including local honey and nuts. We have visited the market and not only is it a great place to find healthy foods, but it is also a great learning experience.

The folks who sell at the farmer’s market are a special sort of people. We have found them to be very friendly and eager to share with others many of the processes that it took to get the goods to the market that day. We listen as they tell all about planting and harvesting, beekeeping and canning. My children have learned a lot from the sellers at our local farmer’s market, and we always come home with a basket of beautiful peppers, squash, and tomatoes. Oh yes, and one huge watermelon.

Getting Healthy and Fit with Summer School

So, are you ready to do some school? When you think about all of these ideas and the great ways that you and your children can get healthy and fit this summer, it doesn’t really sound like school at all, does it? That’s the point. There is not work for you, only fun, and no work for your children. This summer can be educational and fun, and you and your kids can start school this fall with some great memories of summer.