Alphabet Summer Suggestions A to Z

The following is an A to Z list of fun ideas to do with your child(ren) this summer.  It’s a great idea to have your child use one notebook for their entire Alphabet Summer to track the things they have done and learned.  This is a terrific place to compile daily or weekly journal entries, pictures, drawings, and also a place to write what they’ve learned.

The intent of this list is not that you try to do or learn about every single item, but to serve as a resource for either inspiring your own ideas or filling in the bla nks as you start to come up with your own plans.  Highlight different letters as needed, for instance, miniature golf could be under "M" or "G".

At the bottom of this list, you'll find two pages of a List Maker you can use to write your own ideas to celebrate the alphabet this summer.

A – Alphabetize your books, DVDs, CD, recipes, meet a local artist and learn about their work, visit local attractions like museums, learnall about different animals
B – Blow up balloons, look at birds with a pair of binoculars, play board games, write a blog about books you’ve read, begin a book club, have a bonfire, blow bubbles with your bubble gum, start planning your birthday party, ride the city bus, wear your clothes backwards, build a birdhouse (or just paint one), use binoculars to go bird watching

C – create some crafts, learn CPR, find shapes in the clouds, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes in your cookies, create your own circus, study different countries, go to the circus and see the clowns, go camping even if it’s in your own backyard, attend an outdoor concert, learn about different careers, study different countries, host a craft camp, draw a picture of your favorite storybook character and cut out a hole for your head

D – daydream, play dress up, dig in the dirt and plant some flowers, dig for dinosaur bones, eat dessert before dinner

E – write down and memorize all of your emergency information, educate yourself with good etiquette, make and use Emo Dough to help you deal with your emotions

F – plant flowers, make a footprint, put together a first aid kit, start a fan club, use the fine China, make a family tree, build a fort, tour your local fire station to learn about fire safety and fire trucks, fly a flag on the Fourth of July, get your face painted, fly in an airplane, go fishing, make a family tree, eat a new type of food, eat some fresh fruit, make a fairy garden
G – Visit your grandparents, say Grace before your meals, make grass angels, listen to a guided meditation, write a gratitude journal, eat gummy bears, go to your local gardening store and buy a gardenia, play a game or make up a new one

H – go for a hot air balloon ride, keep your home clean by getting your housework done, go to the hardware store to fix up your home, visit a historical house and learn about life long ago, celebrate holidays in summer: C is for Christmas, E is for Easter, H is for Halloween, V is for Valentine’s Day, S or P is for St. Patrick’s Day, study historical events and figures, make a handprint in some plaster or fresh cement, go horseback riding

I – make an igloo in your basement, debate with your imaginary friend, visit a new ice cream parlor every week, learn about inspirationalpeople, wear your clothes inside out, identify inspirational people, enlist in a reading incentive program

J – journal about your thoughts, jump for joy, jump rope, paint a jewelry box

K – fly a kite, play with a kaleidoscope, spread kindness

L – Have a lemonade stand, learn a new language, visitall the libraries in your area, cut your long hair and donate it to Locks of Love, locate a local labrynth and leisurely walk through it

M – play miniature golf, learn about manners, get a massage, learn about minerals, count your money, donate a third, put a third of it in your savings account, and spend a third, put on a magic show for your mom and dad, make a mural, visit a local music shop, learn a new musical instrument, leave a note for a magicaland mythical creature, learn how to meditate, study math  
N – build a nest out of blankets and read a book or take a nap, visit with your neighbors, take a class or a walk around your local nature center

O – create an obstacle course, watch a movie outdoors

P – use cookie cutters to cut out shapes in your pancakes, play pretend games like house and restaurant, learn how to properly set a table, play the piano, put on a puppet show, write to a pen pal, play with paper dolls, put on a poncho and play in the rain, paint a self portrait, play at all your local parks, have a picnic at the park, say a prayer, follow a Pilates DVD, get a piggy back ride, throw a princess party, make a plastic pixie place

Q – question everything, make a quit kit for someone you love (to help them stop smoking or whatever the bad habit may be)

R –Read a book, roast s’mores, eat at your favorite restaurant, host a root beer float party, run a race or cheer on marathon runners, cook a new recipe 

S – find shapes in the clouds, go swimming at sunrise or sunset, study the states, open a savings account at your local credit union or bank, drink a smoothie, study the saints, set up the sprinkler and run through it, attend story time at your local library or bookstore, go on a back yard safari, spot a spider web, outline a shadow with sidewalk chalk, project light onto a wall in a dark room and make shadow puppets, go swinging in your backyard or a local park, try a new sport, learn about the saints, study science, go to the State Fair

T – use a telescope, play pin the tail on the donkey, be a tourist in your own town, make a time capsule, learn to tell time, take a new form of transportation 

U – Sing in the rain under your umbrella, study the UnitedStates of America’s states and territories

V – go to your local visitors center and pick up a visitor’s guide, take your vitamins, build a model volcano, learn about all the things veterans have done to help our country, learn all about yucky stuff, take a vacation to see some new viewsW – have a water balloon toss or fight, write  a book review, listen to a wind chime, make a waiting chain for every birthday, holiday, or special day you can think of for an entire year, weed your garden, host a water balloon toss, take a walk with a weiner dog, take a walk with your wagon, whistle in the wind, throw a penny into a wishing well – don’t forget to make a wish!

X – make yourself look like an X, ask your family doctor or chiropractor to show you someone’s x-ray

Y – count yellow cars, play with a yellow yo-yo, learn yoga stances, learn all about yucky stuff

Z – get a book about zebras at the library then visit one at the zoo