These summer unit study ideas will keep kids of all ages having fun learning with topics they will be eager to study. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies.
Summer is a perfect time to get in some relaxed themed learning with unit studies.
You can make them hands-on with outdoor activities or beat the heat with a trip to an air-conditioned library to pick out the books you’ll need.
And if you pair a living book with a summer topic, you can have an easy summer learning activity.
Too, many homeschoolers prefer to start their homeschool year during the summer.
There are many advantages to beginning your homeschool year in the summer.
Advantages to Begin Your Year in Summer
For example, look at these advantages.
- There is a slower start to the year.
- You can cover one unit study for a few weeks before any other curriculum.
- Also there is more time to give 1:1 to each child.
- The day can be shorter to allow time for swimming and other fun summer activities.
- In addition, some subjects like science and geography are better done outside during the summer season.
Start with this ultimate list of A to Z Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas and let your imaginations run wild!
A
- Ants
- Apples. You can grab my Apples Unit Study and Lapbook.
Summer Unit Study Ideas
- Archaeology. You can grab my free What is History and What is Archaeology minibook here.
- Art
B
- Bears. Add my Daniel Boone Explorer Black Bear Unit Study and Fun Edible Bear Poop activity.
- Beaches. Add my Free Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook to your study.
- Berries. This strawberry unit study and lapbook is a fun start.
- Barbeque
- Bees. Fascinating and Fun Honey Bees Unit Study and Lapbook for Kids can be used to study bees.
- Butterflies. Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids is a hands-on activity to add along with Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft.
- Bats. Why Bats Are Not Birds Fun Homeschool Unit Study and Lapbook is a fun study in summer too.
- Birds. You can grab my free American Robin Unit Study and Lapbook here.
C
- Cats. Interesting Facts For Kids About Africa | Cute Handprint Cheetah.
- Cows
- Creek life
- Camping (National Parks or outdoor survival). How to Create a Fun Yosemite National Park Camping Curriculum | DIY Firestarter
- Character
- Clouds
Summer Themed Unit Study Topics
Next, add some of these fun living books to your summer day.
Summer Reading List for Kids
Add one or two of these books to your kid's summer reading list.
In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures
along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.
The last thing fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee expects to find while trekking through the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma is a tree full of monkeys. But then Jay learns from his grandpa that the monkeys have escaped from a traveling circus, and there’s a big reward for the person who finds and returns them.
His family could really use the money, so Jay sets off, determined to catch them. But by the end of the summer, Jay will have learned a lot more than he bargained for—and not just about monkeys.
From the beloved author of Where the Red Fern Grows comes another memorable adventure novel filled with heart, humor, and excitement.
The first book in the bestselling series that the New York Times Book Review hails as “delightful and heartwarming.”
The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It's practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are.
And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.
Ralph was eight years old in 1906 when his family moved from New Hampshire to a Colorado ranch. Through his eyes, the pleasures and perils of ranching in the early twentieth century are experienced... auctions and roundups, family picnics, irrigation wars, tornadoes and wind storms all give authentic color to Little Britches. So do wonderfully told adventures, which equip Ralph for the path his life will take.
When Jacob Armitage, a local verderer, hears that Parliamentary soldiers looking for King Charles I are planning to burn down the home of the Beverley orphans he saves the children and rears them as his own grandchildren in a small cottage in the woods. But can aristocratic children, used to being served, learn to survive as simple foresters?This story was one of the first historical novels written for younger readers and has endured until today. Its classic themes of chivalry and bravery and the examples the children set are sure to be enjoyed by readers of all ages.This edition features the gorgeous illustrations of Paul Hardy throughout to add extra charm to an already incredible tale.
For centuries, the world of Pern has faced a destructive force known as Thread. But now the number of magnificent dragons who have protected this world and the men and women who ride them are dwindling. As destruction falls from the sky, Menolly has only one dream: to sing, play, and weave the music that comes to her so easily—she wishes to become a Harper. But despite her great talents, her father believes that a young girl is unworthy of such a respected position and forbids her to pursue her dreams. So Menolly runs away, taking shelter in a cave by the sea. Miraculously, she happens upon nine fire lizards that could possibly save her world…and change her life forever.
It’s been five years since the Sweep disappeared. Orphaned and alone, 11-year-old Nan Sparrow had no other choice but to work for a ruthless chimney sweep named Wilkie Crudd. She spends her days sweeping out chimneys. The job is dangerous and thankless, but with her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. When Nan gets stuck in a chimney fire, she fears the end has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself unharmed in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature—a golem—made from soot and ash.
Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks.Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.
One of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.
Lucy Maude Montgomery's classic tale, the first in her "Emily" series of novels, about an orphan girl on Prince Edward Island. In contrast to Montgomery's other famous series that began with "Anne of Green Gables," Montgomery wrote the character of Emily to be closer to her own personality, and elements of the narrative are autobiographical. The story introduces us to Emily Byrd Starr, who is orphaned after her father dies of tuberculosis. Moving to New Moon Farm to live with her aunts and cousin, Emily meets new friends and engages in adventures as she grows. "Emily of New Moon" was followed by two sequels: "Emily Climbs" and "Emily's Quest".
Strawberries—big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. "Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un!" her father tells her.
Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud. The land was theirs, but so were its hardships.
Teachers, grandparents, and homeschooling families continue to reach for Lois Lenski's Strawberry Girl.
As one fan commented, a reason for its continued success is that it's "a touching, realistic tale of the power of neighborly love and kindness."
"The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald is a classic fairy tale novel first published in 1872. The story takes place in a medieval kingdom and follows the adventures of Princess Irene, the only daughter of a queen, who lives in a castle on a mountain top. One day, Princess Irene begins to see goblins lurking in the shadows who want to capture her and take her to their underground kingdom. She eventually meets Curdie, a miner's son, who helps her to overcome the dangerous creatures. Throughout their journey, Princess Irene and Curdie face various challenges and magical events that test their courage and friendship. They encounter a wise old woman who gives them important advice, a magical thread that guides them through the darkness of the underground tunnels, and a cunning goblin king who wants to keep Princess Irene captive in his kingdom.
This collection of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga includes all four novels in hardcover: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North! Or Be Eaten, The Monster in the Hollows, and The Warden and the Wolf King.Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.
D
- Dogs
- Dragonflies. 8 Insect Fun Facts About Texas For Kids | Easy Dragonfly Craft
E
- Elephants
- Eggs. Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet.
- Exercises
- Earthworms
More Summer Learning Activities
- 20 Fun Summer Learning Activities And Make A Rock Sundial
- A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
- 25 Summer Homeschool Ideas To Keep The Learning Spark Alive
- 30+ Summer Activities for Middle School Kids
- 11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schooler
F
- Frogs. You can grab my free Loads of Toads and Frogs Unit Study and Lapbook here.
- Fish
- Fossils. Fun Facts About Mold Fossils & 4 Types of Fossil Activities For Kids
- Fireworks
- Fishing
- Fireflies
- Fire (how to build, science behind it). Look at Lewis and Clark: Hands-on History. Make a Char Cloth.
- Firefighters/dispatchers
G
- Garden studies. You can grab my free Feasting and Foraging Unit Study and Lapbook here.
- Grass
- Grasshoppers
H
- Hurricanes
- Horses. Free Horse Unit Study for Your Horse Loving Kids
- Hogs
- Hiking
- Hygiene
More Summer Learning Activities
- Hydration/heat
- Herb garden
I
- Insects. You can grab my free Amber Unit Study and Lapbook here.
- Ice cream
J
- Jewelry making. How to Make a Civil War Style Upcycled Necklace | 7 Little Women Book Facts
- Juice, jelly, and jam making. Fun American Civil War Crafts for Kids and Make Raspberry Jam
K
- Kites
- Knots
L
- At the lake
- Lighthouses. 5 Cool Lighthouse Facts and Make a Chip Can Lighthouse
M
- Mountains. Look at How Does the Power of Ice Shape Mountains here.
- Mice
- Moon
- Mammals
N
- Nocturnal creatures
- Night study (astronomy). Start your study with Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages.
O
- Ocean studies. You can grab my free Ocean Unit Study and Lapbook here.
- Outdoor movie theater
- Ocean animals
- Otters
P
- Pizza. How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model.
- Peninsulas
- Popcorn. Popcorn Science Mini Unit Study Which Brand Pops the Best
- Picasso. Grab free Art Study Curriculum and Notebooking pages here.
- Precipitation
- Police
- Pond life. Above & Below: Pond Unit Study, Hands-on Ideas, & Lapbook is a way to include all ages.
- Picnics
- Punctuation
Q
- Qatar
- Queens in history. Grab my free Famous Pharaohs and Queens lapbook here.
R
- Rivers
- Reptiles
- Rainforest. Grab my free Amazon Rain Forest Unit Study and Lapbooks here.
S
- Sea shells. Check out my post How to Dissolve a Seashell – Beach Hands-on Fun Activity
- Shores
- Sailboats
- S’mores
And we always love nature walks anytime of the year and love this series of nature books!
- Stars
- Sun/sunscreen
- Spiders
T
- Turtles vs tortoises. Grab my free From Egg to Sea Turtle Unit Study and Lapbook here.
- Tortillas
- Trees
U
- Underwater creatures
- Underneath the ground
- Underwear (history)
V
- Vision
W
- Water sports
- Water crafts
- Waves
- Watermelon. How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning
- Whales
X
Y
- Yaks
Z
- Zebras
- Zoology
- Zoos
- Zip lining
You’ll love these other ideas:
I hope this list of 100 ideas will get you thinking about hands-on A to Z summer unit study fun!
This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.