One of the nice things about homeschooling is that you never have to stop learning!  There are always different things we can do as we go about our daily lives that take advantage of real life learning opportunities.  Vacation is no exception.  In fact, the beach is a fabulous place to continue that education.  The possibilities are endless!  Here are a few different ways you can keep on learning during your beach vacation!

1. Free lapbooks –  Print these before you go, and whip them out when you want to work on them.  Be sure to toss in the glue, scissors, crayons, etc.

   Hello Ocean Lapbook from HomeschoolShare
   Ocean Lapbook Printables from Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool
   and another Ocean Lapbook from Layers of Learning
   Whales & Dolphins Lapbook from 1 Plus 1 plus 1 equals 1

2. Bring some Library Books – Take a look at this list, and request them from your library a few days before you leave.

   

   Science in Seconds at the Beach: Exciting Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
   
   Sandcastles Made Simple (Step-By-Step)

   Sea Shells, Crabs, and Sea Stars: Take Along Guide

   What Lives in a Shell? (Let’s Read and Find out Science)

   One Small Square – Seashore

   Florida Seashells: A Beachcomber’s Guide

   Smithsonian Handbook: Birds of Florida

   Florida’s Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber

3. Charlotte Mason Nature Study:

   Take a look at this free Beach Nature Study for some ideas!

4. Art Projects

   There are so many different art projects you can do at the beach.  Try to plan a few different ones during your trip.  You can even let the kiddos make them outside for a cool experience!

   Bubble Shell Painting

   DIY Foam Lighthouse

   Footprints in the Sand Beach Canvas

   16 Seashell Crafts for Kids to Make

   Jellyfish in a Bottle

   Coffee Filter Suncatchers

5. Start a Seashell Collection

   Head out to the beach early in the morning to have a nicer selection of seashells.  You can learn lots of technical information about starting a seashell collection here on ConchologistsOfAmerica.org.  You can also complete this DIY.org challenge – Start a Seashell Collection.

6. Sandcastle Architecture

   Pull out some scratch paper and a pencil to draw out a sketch of your sandcastle plan.  Then head out to the beach to get started on your masterpiece.

7. Learn about Tides

   – Learn about tides before you go.  Here is a great resource for learning about the ocean’s tides!  Also check out this free resource for learning about waves and tides.

   
   – Once you arrive have the kids keep a chart and journal of the tides twice a day during their trip.  Try to document the times of high tide and low tide as often as you can.  Have them draw pictures of their observations.

8. Make a Beach Sensory Bin

   Hands on learning is a fabulous way to involve younger ones in the educational activities.  You can make a really fun sensory bin made from materials you can find at the beach.  Check out these ideas for creating your own! Beach Sensory Bin by Here Come The Girls Blog

   Beach Themed Sensory Box by Buggy and Buddy

   Beach Sand Sensory Slime by Little Bins for Little Hands

   Sand Play Dough with Loose Parts by Mama Papa Bubba
   

9. Go Fishing

   Fishing, Educational?  Yes!  There are so many things that can be learned while fishing whether in fresh or saltwater.  Make it educational by learning about the differences between fresh and saltwater, Study the different types of fish you could catch.  Learn more about the fish you do catch.  If you are deep sea fishing you can learn more about the deep ocean.  Also, cleaning and cooking your catch is an educational experience all on it’s own!

10. Fly A Kite

    Kite Flying can lead to many different educational discussions.  Check out all the Free Kite Flying Learning resources you can find here.

Those are just a few of the ways you can make your beach trip educational.  Remember though, in the midst of all the learning, be sure to take some time to relax and just enjoy the view!