Summer camp is really expensive. Maybe not where you live, but in our area, sending one kid to camp costs thousands of dollars. I'd love to be able to tell my kids to keep themselves busy with free play 24/7 for 2 and half months, but then there is a lot of sibling fighting, and.... well, ugh. Thank goodness for diy ideas like our this home summer math camp.
Best of all, my fellow blogger, Megan, and I did all your thinking for you! We created 6 weeks of a super budget friendly easy and fun do-it-yourself summer math camp program and that includes lesson plan activities and ideas for all ages and covers a variety of math topics in creative and engaging ways. Math camp was never so much fun! (Pssst. Be sure to check out our DIY science camp, too!)
Summer Math Camp Activities
Week 1: Counting and Numbers
- Counting Down Game (Includes a video) This game is based on the classic game of nim, and helps kids with counting, but also with strategy skills.
- DIY Abacus. Combine math, crafts and social studies. Kids will learn about a math tool used in other cultures.
Week 2: Simple Calculations
- Magic Squares (Includes a printable). This brain teasing math game will get kids thinking about number in a new light.
- Shake and Roll math game. Calculations made during a game are stress-free.
Week 3: Shapes and Geometry
- T Puzzle brain teaser. (Includes a video and printable) This is a classic puzzle that kids can solve and then stump the grown-ups in their lives!
- Grape shapes. Learn about 3D shapes while having a healthy snack.
Week 4: Patterns
- Spirolaterals. (Includes a video) Spirolaterals are not just pretty patterns they will help kids learn skip counting and their multiplication tables.
- Patterns in nature. Summer means nature and nature means math discoveries!
Week 5: Fractions
- Printable fraction games. (Includes printable) Fractions can be tricky, but not if you turn them into a game.
- Fraction sandwiches. Who doesn't love a tasty math snack?
Week 6: Games
- Cooperative dice games. Cooperating instead of competing always makes things much less stressful for my kids!
- Card games. Card games sneak in lots and lots of math learning. Invite the neighborhood friends over for a tournament. Don't forget the fraction sandwiches!
Both Megan and I have loads of math activities for additional summer math camp ideas:
More summer camp ideas:
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Think Through Math says
Fun and interactive math games such as these are a great way to reduce the dreaded summer slide. Thanks for sharing! It's so important that parents and educators encourage kids, particularly those without access to summer learning programs or online resources as you said, to participate in activities that keep them thinking mathematically while out of school. Research suggests that kids - particularly those in low-income areas - lose 2.5 to 3 full months of grade level math equivalency over summer break. Scary statistics, but it's great to see things like this being shared to help reduce the impact of learning decay. Thanks again! Keep up the great work.
P.S. We love the fraction sandwich idea!