Our 14 Favorite Free Activities for Homeschoolers in Need of Late Spring Crafts for Preschoolers

For many of us, the homeschool year is starting to wind down. Many homeschoolers school year-round and are looking for fun, engaging activities to incorporate in late spring and early summer. Keeping boredom from creeping in is important, and the good news is that some of the best learning happens outside. Here are 14 of our top ideas to inspire a love of learning all year long.

🌿 What Montessori says about outdoor and nature-based learning: Maria Montessori was a passionate advocate for connecting children to the natural world. She wrote that nature is the child's first and most important teacher, and she designed her curriculum to move fluidly between the prepared indoor environment and the living outdoor world. Research on nature-based learning (Kuo and Taylor, 2004, American Journal of Public Health) found that children who spend time in natural settings show significant improvements in attention, self-regulation, and academic engagement. A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology confirmed that outdoor learning experiences produce measurable gains in curiosity, creativity, and intrinsic motivation, all core Montessori outcomes.

Free spring and summer homeschool activities

14 Free and Low-Cost Spring and Summer Activities

🌿 Our favorite ideas for late spring and early summer

Nature Journal. Grab a plain notebook and some high-quality colored pencils and head to a beautiful spot to let your children loose to study. You will be amazed at how much they enjoy observing the world around them.
Phenology Wheel. A phenology wheel is a wonderful way to document milestones, moon phases, or the seasonal changes in the trees and plants in your area. A great ongoing project for any time of year.
Water Play and Sink or Float. What child does not love to play in water? Set up a few buckets and let children make predictions about whether items will sink or float. Simple, free, and genuinely scientific.
Flower Color Walks. Grab paint sample strips in each color and head on a walk or to the local botanic gardens. Encourage children to match the colors of the flowers to a color on their paint strip.
Farmer's Market. A trip to the farmer's market is a wonderful place to work on social skills, learn about farming, discover new foods, and practice counting money.
Garage Sale or Lemonade Stand. Holding a garage sale or lemonade stand is an incredibly educational experience. From advertising to organizing, handling payment, and everything in between, a yard sale is a rich learning opportunity.
Free Events at the Library. The local library usually has all kinds of great opportunities, especially once the local public schools let out for summer. Check the calendar regularly.
Summer Camp at a Local School. This one is not always free, but it is worth noting. Some local schools allow homeschoolers to participate in summer camp or sports programs.
Nature Sensory Basket. Sensory baskets are a classic part of a Montessori education. Give your child a basket or bag and let them fill it with items from nature they find interesting. Keep it available at home so they can return to it whenever they like.
Foraging Walks. Herb foraging and urban foraging are gaining popularity. Local herbal apothecaries often offer free or low-cost herb walks where you can learn about local edible plants and how to prepare them.
Sidewalk Chalk. Practice handwriting and math facts under the sun. Simple, free, and endlessly adaptable.
Learn About the Water Cycle. Spring showers are the perfect starting point for studying the water cycle. Grab rain gear and head outside to observe and learn firsthand.
Stargazing. Send the children to bed early, then surprise them with a star-watching trip by waking them up and heading out together. Download a stargazing app to help identify what you are viewing.
Visit a Petting Zoo or Local Farm. Spring is the perfect time to learn about animals and see baby animals and plants in bloom.

What are some of your favorite activities for spring? We would love to see what you are doing to bring spring into your homeschool routine. Share pictures on Instagram and tag us with your favorite activities.