This was originally posted at my personal blog, but it’s something I think The Homeschool Classroom readers will like to try!
I came across this idea on a blog and I LOVED it! You can read about adventure boxes on Blog, She Wrote. I like the idea of sneaking in learning when we’re not actually doing school, and we’ve already had great fun with these boxes. I’ve done things like this before, but never under the label of Adventure Box…and it just seems more fun this way. (And more adventurous, too!)
Last year, I asked the girls what they might like to explore over the summer and Coco chose Little House on the Prairie. Soleil said Insects. I spent a couple weeks shopping and finding little things to fill their boxes. I really built them up, talking about them and hiding them until we officially started our summer. They could hardly wait!
I have put these boxes (or basket in one case) on a table in our living room and have not had any kind of structure towards them. They are there for fun whenever the mood strikes.
So here they are:
Little House on the Prairie Box: I used a patchwork-printed hatbox I already owned.
Because I anticipated both girls wanting to enjoy activities from each other’s boxes, I got two of some items.
In the Little House box:
- 3 yards of calico fabric, various colors
- 4 little house books: Little House on the Prairie, Little Town on the Prairie, The First Four Years , and The Long Winter
- Little House cookbook
- Little house sewing book
- Little House crafts book
- Little House paper dolls book
- 2 mini slate boards
- 2 stagecoach model kits
Insect box: I used a basket lined with green gingham fabric that I already owned.
Everything in this box (except the butterfly treehouse) came from the $1 bin at Target, a used book sale, or my shelves!
- Creature peeper
- Books: Butterflies, Christian Liberty Nature Reader 3 , Simon and Schuster Insects, Pop-Up Icky Bug Adventure, Handbook of Nature Study
- Insect Sticker pack
- My First Sticker Encyclopedia: Insects
- 2 Butterfly-print clipboards
- 2 butterfly foam craft kits
- Butterfly and Insect Toob (plastic insects)
- Live Butterfly treehouse (With mail-delivered caterpillars)
Will you try Summer Adventure Boxes?
When she’s not busy dreaming up more projects than she can ever possibly complete, Angela can be found writing at Homegrown Mom.
I love this idea and your boxes really look like a lot of fun! I think these would also make great gifts! Thanks for sharing. :)
.-= Tonya´s last blog ..What if She Was Your Child? =-.
I love this idea. What a wonderful way to inspire learning!
Thanks for sharing… I love this idea. I’ve been thinking about summer and what I want to do and how I want to go to a more unschool approach. This will help a TON.
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What a great idea! I’m going to have to give this some thought for my kiddos.
.-= Kris´s last blog ..Guest Post: Lee Binz (Part 2) =-.
LOVE this idea! I, too, will have to ponder how to do something like this for my kids!
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Weekly Wrap-Up =-.
Love this idea.
What a great idea, thank you for sharing! Even though we are going to try school all year round this year, we will be a little more laid back over the summer, so I think I will try something like this.
.-= Kami´s last blog ..A weekend picnic =-.
This is a great idea! I’m going to have to ask the kids what they would like in their boxes.
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