15 Fun and Educational Ways to Keep Your Child Busy during Summer
School breaks are every kid’s dream—and sometimes a challenge for parents. You want to do more than just turn on cartoons. Ideally, your child should have fun, relax, and also learn something new.
We’ve rounded up 15 creative and enriching activities that make school breaks exciting—through art, play, exploration, and even foreign languages. Yes, learning can still be fun in the summer, especially in a playful format and with real native-speaking teachers.
How to Keep Your Child Busy During Summer: 15 Ideas for Fun and Learning
🎨 1. Set Up a Home Art Studio
Bring out the paints, markers, and glue—and let your child’s imagination run wild! Encourage them to create greeting cards, comics, or superhero masks. Bonus: label everything in English!
🗺 2. Create a Language Treasure Hunt
Hide a “treasure” and write the clues in English:
📝 “Look behind the door” or “Find something red and soft.”
🎬 3. Take a World Tour Without Leaving Home
Pick a country, watch videos, listen to music, learn 5–7 new words, and cook a local dish. Show your child that language is not just about textbooks—it’s about life.
🧠 4. Start a Mini Language Challenge
Make it a game:
– One new word a day
– A short story by the end of the week
– Whoever remembers it all gets a prize!
🗣 5. Try a Free Lesson with a Native Speaker
Even shy kids love talking about their favorite toys, food, or hobbies with a friendly teacher.
🎁 Native Speakers Courses offers a free 1-on-1 starter lesson with a native speaker—no pressure, just fun conversation.
🎧 6. Start the Day with a Song
Play your child’s favorite English songs every morning. Let them sing, dance, and repeat the words. It’s fun—and way more effective than flashcards.
📖 7. Read (or Listen to) Fairy Tales in English
Look for simple, adapted books. Read together, listen to audiobooks, or even act them out. Stories + pictures = full engagement.
🎭 8. Host a Home Theater Show
Encourage your child to create a mini play in English. Make paper puppets, build a stage out of a box, and don’t forget to clap at the end!
🍳 9. Cook Together in English
Make a recipe and name the ingredients as you go:
🥣 “Milk, flour, eggs—what are we making today?”
🧪 10. Try Simple Science Experiments
Lava lamps, volcanoes, crystals—explain what’s happening in simple English:
🌋 “Wow! Look at the bubbles!”
🎥 11. Watch Cartoons with English Subtitles
Pick a fun animated movie in English (with subtitles if needed). Talk about the plot afterward—even in your native language, it still helps!
🧩 12. Play Board Games in English
Even familiar games like Memory, Uno, or Scrabble are a great excuse to speak, count, and read in English.
📸 13. Make a Photo Story or Comic Strip
Let your child invent a character, take pictures of their day, and write captions in English. A mix of creativity, writing, and language practice!
✍️ 14. Start a Vacation Journal
Write 1–2 simple sentences a day:
“Today I played with my dog.”
“We went to the park.”
A gentle way to build language skills without pressure.
💬 15. Connect with Kids from Other Countries
Find a language buddy or join an online session with a native-speaking teacher. Real conversation = real motivation ×10.
Bring out the paints, markers, and glue—and let your child’s imagination run wild! Encourage them to create greeting cards, comics, or superhero masks. Bonus: label everything in English!
🗺 2. Create a Language Treasure Hunt
Hide a “treasure” and write the clues in English:
📝 “Look behind the door” or “Find something red and soft.”
🎬 3. Take a World Tour Without Leaving Home
Pick a country, watch videos, listen to music, learn 5–7 new words, and cook a local dish. Show your child that language is not just about textbooks—it’s about life.
🧠 4. Start a Mini Language Challenge
Make it a game:
– One new word a day
– A short story by the end of the week
– Whoever remembers it all gets a prize!
🗣 5. Try a Free Lesson with a Native Speaker
Even shy kids love talking about their favorite toys, food, or hobbies with a friendly teacher.
🎁 Native Speakers Courses offers a free 1-on-1 starter lesson with a native speaker—no pressure, just fun conversation.
🎧 6. Start the Day with a Song
Play your child’s favorite English songs every morning. Let them sing, dance, and repeat the words. It’s fun—and way more effective than flashcards.
📖 7. Read (or Listen to) Fairy Tales in English
Look for simple, adapted books. Read together, listen to audiobooks, or even act them out. Stories + pictures = full engagement.
🎭 8. Host a Home Theater Show
Encourage your child to create a mini play in English. Make paper puppets, build a stage out of a box, and don’t forget to clap at the end!
🍳 9. Cook Together in English
Make a recipe and name the ingredients as you go:
🥣 “Milk, flour, eggs—what are we making today?”
🧪 10. Try Simple Science Experiments
Lava lamps, volcanoes, crystals—explain what’s happening in simple English:
🌋 “Wow! Look at the bubbles!”
🎥 11. Watch Cartoons with English Subtitles
Pick a fun animated movie in English (with subtitles if needed). Talk about the plot afterward—even in your native language, it still helps!
🧩 12. Play Board Games in English
Even familiar games like Memory, Uno, or Scrabble are a great excuse to speak, count, and read in English.
📸 13. Make a Photo Story or Comic Strip
Let your child invent a character, take pictures of their day, and write captions in English. A mix of creativity, writing, and language practice!
✍️ 14. Start a Vacation Journal
Write 1–2 simple sentences a day:
“Today I played with my dog.”
“We went to the park.”
A gentle way to build language skills without pressure.
💬 15. Connect with Kids from Other Countries
Find a language buddy or join an online session with a native-speaking teacher. Real conversation = real motivation ×10.
🌞 Summer Doesn’t Mean a Learning Break
Language isn’t just a “subject”—it’s a game, an adventure, and a bridge to the world. And summer is the perfect time to relax, play, and grow more confident speaking it.
🎁 Ready to give it a try?
Join Native Speakers Courses for a free trial lesson!
We’ll match your child with the perfect teacher based on their age, level, and interests.
💬 The first session isn’t “school”—it’s an exciting introduction that could spark a love for languages that lasts for years.
Book your free trial!
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