Summer is often seen as a time to goof off and get silly. Kids, parents, and teachers alike look forward to being able to take a break from their stringent school routines to engage more heavily in their favorite leisure activities.

Summertime learning activities don't have to be dull. Do away with "drill and kill" typing practice and say "sayonara" writing out the same sentence over and over! Provide your students with engaging activities so they can learn while they expand their communication skills.

Instead of removing enjoyable, seasonal activities, try combining them with valuable, educational moments. We’re giving you a head start!

The activities below can be used to reinforce handwriting, spelling, and keyboarding material learned during the school year. Each exercise is a dictation activity, which help students memorize important concepts through repetition. With these activities, foundation skills become automatic and second nature to students.

Each activity has a fun, goofy theme to match your students’ fun, goofy summer moods. Enjoy!

Silly Spelling Test

Say a few summer-themed words aloud and have students draw pictures of each with their eyes closed or blindfolded. When the student finishes, hold up one word at the time and have students spell out the word on paper. Here is a list of summer-themed words you can use. Be sure to tailor your list to your child’s developmental status and grade level.

Sun

Waterslide

Tent

Campfire

Beach

Backpack

Picnic

Rollercoaster

Fireworks

Ice Cream

Funny Keyboarding Dictation Poem

Have your students type these poems as you read them aloud:

                    Summer Fun

I smile when I see the sun in the summertime.

That’s a tongue-twister, but it doesn’t rhyme.

Swimming, biking, and camping are some of my favorite things to do.

I’m ready for a day of summer fun.

How about you?

Let’s start with swimming.

One jump! Two jumps! Three jumps! Four!

I love to jump off the diving board.

Fish love to swim and people love to fish.

Type it with me quickly.

Splish! Splash! Splish! Splash! Splish!

                 Riding Bikes

I grab my bike from over by the tree.

Then, I call for my friends Dan and Zuri.   

We fasten our helmets and pack our lunchboxes,

Off for a day of camping.

I wonder if we’ll see foxes,

Or maybe a bear or a bird or a bee.

Buzz! Buzz!

Look over there,

That one is making honey.

After a fun summer day, the sun has gone in.

We sit down and wave goodbye to our bright yellow friend.