Summer is full of trips, camps, and parties, but if you have kids, it’s important to squeeze in a little learning too. To avoid the “summer brain drain,” follow these influencers for fun yet educational ideas to keep your child’s brain active this summer.
Pull educational inspiration from these teachers and educators
Sheryl Cooper
Sheryl is a seasoned preschool educator who shares her experience with play-based teaching and learning. As a mid-tier Instagram influencer, Sheryl shares a summer-themed art activity to accompany a classic read and a gardening activity tutorial perfect for boosting science learning all summer long.
Amy Louise — learningthroughplay8
Amy is a British educator who believes in nourishing children’s brains through play-based educational opportunities. For her 294.9K TikTok followers, who know her best as learningthroughplay8, she shares water-based art activities and fizzy sensory science experiments that make great educational summer fun for all ages.
@learningthroughplay8 Episode 4 - Sensory Fizzing Science ✨🌈 #ideasforkids #ourplay2day #kidsactivities #learningthroughplay #funforkids #simpleplayideas #parentsoftiktok #earlyyearsideas #eyfs #funforkids2022 #kidsactivityideas #ks1 #ks2 #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #artforkids #craftsforkids #earlyyearsfun #prek #sciencefun #kidsdiy #preschoolteacher #preschoolactivities #preschoolathome #kidsactivity #getkidscrafting #wintercraftsforkids #earlylearning #invitationtoplay #playmatters #toddleractivities #earlychildhoodeducation #playathome #finemotorskills #playideas #nova9SEBeTheStar ♬ LA LA LAND (Part 1) - Official Sound Studio
Rebecca Mannis
Based in New York, Rebecca provides customized instruction and educational care. On Twitter, where she’s known to her followers as ivypreplearning, the learning specialist shares tips for avoiding the summer slide, particularly for students with dyslexia and dysgraphia, as well as resources for summer enrichment.
Is your child feeling the effects of the summer slide? 🌞✏️ Today at 4:15PM EST, our own Dr. Rebecca Mannis will be joining @PIX11News to shed light on this important topic! #SummerSlideSolutions #Education #TuneIn #LearningSpecialist #summerslide #dyslexia #dysgraphia #NYC pic.twitter.com/KifqLdpVvS
— Rebecca Mannis, PhD - Ivy Prep Learning (@ivypreplearning) June 27, 2023
Cari Denny — kindergartenbusybees
Cari is a San Diego kindergarten teacher who believes in keeping their brains and bodies busy. For her 15.8K Instagram followers, who know her best as kindergartenbusybees, she shares summer academic ‘craftivities’ and a sight word treasure hunt to keep students on their toes all summer.
Karen Patricia Nespoli — drkarenn
Karen is a children’s literature author and self-professed avid literacy educator in New York. For her Twitter followers, who know her best as drkarenn, she posts free picture book activities to boost literacy skills and summer reading suggestions for parents to share with their children from preschool through middle grades.
I love little free libraries. What a great opportunity to share your books or read a new one. I just dropped my books off at our #littlefreelibrary I 💕sharing books. How about you? #twowinsforwiley #gertiesavestheday #booksforkids #booksbooksbooks #picturebooks #summerreading pic.twitter.com/u937eUdQ9p
— Karen Patricia Nespoli (@drkarenn) June 26, 2023
Susie Allison
Susie is an educational author and former teacher specializing in filling kids’ days with meaningful learning activities. As a mega Instagram influencer, where she’s best known as busytoddler, she shares summer-friendly outdoor activities like making a potion station to teach kids about chemical reactions and how to make a pom pom water table to boost skills like sorting, creative thinking, and fine motor skills.
Michelle
Michelle is a mom who thrives on doling out parent-friendly educational activities that have kept her children motivated and engaged with learning. For her 1.4 million TikTok followers, to whom she’s known as 7daysofplay, Michelle shares ready-made summer STEAM activities and a low-prep science experiment you can whip up with items already in your kitchen.
@7daysofplay Keep your kids engaged, learning, and having a blast this summer with @KiwiCo activity boxes. From crystal gardens to dissecting “frogs" and mind-blowing capillary action, they'll be too busy exploring to even think about screens! 🌈🌱 Let their imaginations run wild and make this summer unforgettable. 🚀#kiwicopartner #kiwico #summeractivities #handsonlearning #stemkids ♬ Waterdrop - Chris Alan Lee
Tera Sumpter
Tera is an accomplished executive functioning specialist, speech pathologist, author, mom, and international speaker on educational topics. As a mid-tier Instagram influencer, Tera shares a summer learning executive functioning plan for parents to use with upper-elementary students in reading and writing, as well as an executive functioning therapy activity that’s perfect to try out during the summer.
Corey Abrams
Corey is a self-proclaimed “uncle extraordinaire” and proud Philly resident specializing in matching digital solutions with curriculum needs. On Twitter, Corey shares 10 tips to keep students of all ages learning over the summer and engaging early animal encyclopedias that make great summer reading selections.
Keep your students learning all summer long with these 10 tips: https://t.co/PpqWmglivE #PaLibChat #SummerReading #TLChat pic.twitter.com/LzW62j2FTt
— Corey Abrams (@cjabrams) June 29, 2023
Rach Jamison
Rach is a 5th-grade teacher, creator, and writer. On Instagram, where she’s a mid-tier influencer known as fifthismyjam, she shares math-based summer practice activities and number conversion coloring tasks that promote calm while reinforcing mathematical thinking for upper-elementary students.
Tonya Ellis
Tonya is a kid lit author, diversity advocate, and book nerd. On TikTok, she shares a free bingo game to keep kids reading over the summer and a workbook filled with engaging educational and creative activities to help beat the summer slide.
@tonyaellisbooks School's out, but it’s important for kids to read while they are off to avoid "summer slide," or loss of academic gains. This FREE bingo game is a great way to keep children excited about reading! 😎 Offer a prize or incentive after they complete a row or finish all the activities to make it extra fun! Download for FREE at tonyaduncanellis.com under the Printables section with this link: https://tonyaduncanellis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/thumbnail_IMG_4693.jpg Happy Reading! 🤗📚❤️ . . . . . #summerslide #stopsummerslide #summerlearning #summerlearningloss #diversitymatters #homeschoolmoms #ownvoices #blackgirlmagic #diversebooksforkids #blackparents #teachersfollowteachers #blackhomeschoolers #middlegradereads #middlegrademagic #childrensauthor #childrensbooks #middlegradebooks #literacy #literacymatters #readingrocks #scbwi #elementaryteacher #elementarylibrarian #schoolibrarian #blacklibrarians #teacherswhoreads #summerreading #readingbingo #booktok #booktoker #kidsactivities #kidsbooktook ♬ original sound - tonyaellisbooks
Alissa — heartmindedmama
Alissa is a mom and second-grade teacher who loves sharing her creative ideas with the masses. On TikTok, where she’s better known as heartmindedmama, Alissa shares a summer bucket list she made with her own children to encourage brainstorming, spelling, and fine motor skills, as well as a compilation of three educational learning activities parents can implement to keep their kids’ reading comprehension and math skills sharp over the summer.
@heartmindedmama Part 2 of easy, low-prep activities for summertime coming soon! ☀️ Reading Comprehension Cubes and Teddy Bear Counters are from @Learning Resources 💕 #teachermom #preschoolactivities #preschool #prekteacher #homeschool #learningthroughplay #learningresourcespartner #learningresources #elementaryteacher #earlychildhoodeducation ♬ Firework - Katy Perry
Melissa — happyhandsonlearning
Melissa is a mom and special education teacher. On TikTok, where she’s better known as happyhandsonlearning, Melissa treats her 22.2K followers to summer sensory bags for babies and an alphabet water balloon blast that promotes hand-eye coordination and letter recognition for early learners.
@happyhandsonlearning Summer Sensory Bags for Babies☀️ #sensoryplay #summeractivities #sensorybag #babyactivities #montessori #diy #craftymoms #newmom #newdad #momtobe #dadtobe ♬ Clarity - Zedd
Laynah Rose
Laynah is a homeschooling mom who loves finding new ways to teach her little ones. As a mid-tier TikTok influencer, she shares summer learning fun like an ice cream math game and a rock art STEM activity perfect for all elementary ages.
@laynahrose I think my kids enjoyed the element of danger in this activity haha! One rule: Only touch the rocks with crayons, not hands! #satisfying #rockart #natureathome #natureart #artforkids #processart #stemtok #stemactivities #meltedcrayonart #kidsactivities #summerfun #naturewalk ♬ Riptide (Instrumental Version) - Soft Background Music & Guitar Tribute Players
Jessica Waldock
Jessica is a homeschooling mom who, along with her husband, Kevin, shares educational tips, tricks, and resources all parents and educators can use. On YouTube, where she’s known to her subscribers as thewaldockway, she shares a compilation of her summer learning plan resources and must-have resources for teaching your kids at home and on the road during vacations.
April Karl
April is an educator who provides online tutoring services and teaching resources. For her YouTube subscribers, April shares advice for parents to get their kids excited about summer reading and her favorite tools for teaching kids to read.
Lori Anzalone Savage
Lori is a middle school literacy teacher in New Jersey. On Twitter, Lori shares free resources across content areas to celebrate national summer learning week, as well as digital learning tools to combat the summer slide.
Get ready for #SummerLearningWeek July 10-14, 2023 by reviewing this year's themes:
— summerlearning (@summerlearning) June 26, 2023
📚 Love of #Literacy & #Learning
🎨 Amazing #Arts
🏃♂️ Wonders of #Wellness, #Health & #Sports
🔬 #STEM
👥 #Community & #Leadership
Find more resources to celebrate here: https://t.co/evLG4si3oL pic.twitter.com/H4ELOB2SSO
Studyfairyy
Studyfairyy is a recent high-school graduate who gained notoriety on TikTok by sharing tips and resources on note-taking and organization. For her 1.3 million followers, she shares tips for what you should do during the summer as a high schooler and DIY summer journaling.
@studyfairyy hope this helps!
♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show
Jessica Farmer
Jessica is a reading teacher who is passionate about literacy, the science of reading, and phonemic awareness. As a mid-tier Instagram influencer, where she’s better known as farmerlovesphonics, she shares free resources for parents and teachers to promote summer learning, including summer-themed decodable texts and an alphabet song activity to boost knowledge of letter names, sounds, and recognition.
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