
June Homeschool Plans
Summer is officially here this month! Woo-hoo! I don’t know about you, but I am so looking forward to the slow, lazy days of summer.
We are taking an unexpected nice, long break from curriculum this summer and I cannot wait! We originally were planning to school year-round and take breaks whenever… but the whole ‘breaks whenever’ was too all over the place for me (any other type A friends here?), so we adopted a 6 weeks on / 1 week off schedule around January and that has been working out beautifully for us.
That being said, I was still intending to do school lessons through most of summer, with just a handful of weeks off between mid-July and mid-August… but then we had such a long, cold, and wet spring (in fact, we are still experiencing this dreary weather, even now) and this winter was really, really cold and snowy… and I realized we really just needed a ton of wide open and free days to enjoy the summer weather when it finally decides to arrive.
I want us to have the freedom to be outside, uninterrupted, to go on LOTS of field trips and outdoor adventures with friends, to read whatever we want, whenever we want, and to just unwind after a year of hard work learning.
Anyone else have a change of homeschool plans this year?
June Nature Calendar Themes
We will still be reviewing things here and there, but nothing formal. I’ll probably create some good ABC Rescue Bins with summertime-themed activities that focus on skills we have learned over this past year of lessons. I also might do some mini unit studies here and there… or maybe even just read good books aloud and focus on life skills, like baking, gardening, etc. Who knows!
One thing we will for sure be doing is continuing our nature calendars.
This month we will spend a week learning about four different themes: camping/hiking, berries, beach life, lighthouses, and finally: slugs, snails, and worms.
As always, fantastic book selections will make up the bulk of this month’s calendar. You know we are very read-aloud heavy in our house and I hope these calendars can inspire or motivate you to do a ton of reading too!

A Little Bit About My Nature Calendars
If you are new here: Hi! Welcome! I make these nature calendars each month and offer them as freebies that you can download and print at home (no sign up required).
After you read through the blog post to get an idea of what the month will look like, I recommend printing, laminating, and sticking the calendar on your refrigerator – after all, they are just so pretty!
Next, log on to your library’s website and place holds on any of the books that you don’t already own. There is a big ol’ booklist at the end of the blog post that includes all of the titles of the books listed in the calendar, so be sure to scroll down and check that out. My nature calendars HEAVILY focus on books – so there are a bunch of titles!
Lastly, I recommend jotting down each days’ plans in your homeschool planner or wherever you plan things out so that you are prepared each week with the proper books, recipes, or activity supplies.
There isn’t a whole lot of pre-planning required for these nature calendars. I aim to keep them fairly simple. There may be sensory bins here and there or nature crafts – but nothing over the top. I include poetry tea time every Wednesday – so there will be recipe links for those days that will require some preplanning on your end with your grocery list, but other than that, it’s mostly read alouds and nature facts.

June Activity Links + Information
Here is where I’ve broken it all down for you – you’ll find more information about the activities, nature facts and sources, and read aloud choices for each day of the month.
Disclaimer: The ABCs of Motherhood is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me run my website. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Week 1: Camping + Hiking
June 1st: Camping has numerous benefits, including providing the opportunity to learn new life skills. What skills would you like to learn while camping this weekend?
There are many reasons camping is beneficial, according to NPS.gov such as honoring tradition, exploring nature, improving your health, taking a digital detox, strengthening relationships, and developing life skills. (Source).
Discuss with your kids which life skills they’d like to build upon during your next camping trip. Maybe it’s cooking over a fire or charcoal grill, setting up a tent, building a fire, or using a compass or field guide during a nature hike, for example.
Be sure to create opportunities for the skills they are interested in on your next camping trip.
June 2nd: Read a stack of picture books about camping, hiking, or nature.
I’ve got a nice round up of picture books featuring camping or hiking in the booklist at the end of this post – so be sure to check that out for ideas.

June 3rd: Make camping lanterns out of tin cans or mason jars.
I stumbled upon this simple and cute activity using a tin can to create a lantern that I know my kids will love doing – with the added purpose of using these at night on our camping trip. Find all the details here from rainydaymum.co.uk.
Another option that we have done in the past is to use mason jars to make pressed flower lanterns. It’s very simple! First, gather some pressed flowers. Next, apply mod podge to your mason jar and stick the flowers on. Afterward, coat the whole outside and flowers in mod podge again. Once dry, add a handle – you can either buy a metal one on Amazon or make one using twine. Lastly, add a battery operated tealight candle. Voila! You now have a beautiful flower lantern.

June 4th: Poetry Tea Time: Read from Where the Sidewalk Ends. Enjoy a charcuterie board lunch.
Oh, how I just loved this book when I was young. I don’t know about your kids – but mine just go crazy for a charcuterie board lunch spread. Here’s one we did this past month that they really enjoyed:


They always devour my super simple yogurt dip! It’s just 1 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt mixed with 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter. So easy but surprisingly addictive!

June 5th: Go on a color scavenger hunt on your next nature hike.
These are always so fun to do (and so easy to ‘set up’). You could do it any number of ways, but an easy option is to use an old empty egg carton and color each of the 12 sections using a different colored paints or markers.
Then you just have the kids search for nature items matching those colors on your next nature hunt. They can carry all of their colorful treasures home inside the egg carton when they are done.
June 6th: What is your favorite part about camping? Illustrate your answer.
Bust out the art supplies: colored pencils, watercolors, whatever you have. Don’t be afraid to bring the art supplies outdoors and create your pictures lazing on a picnic blanket.
June 7th: Go camping (backyard camping counts!) Bring along The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: Whispering Woods to read-aloud.
Seriously, I promise backyard tent camping counts and is still so much fun for kids. We are big fans of Sophie Mouse around here and this title looks perfect for a camping trip!

Week 2: Berries
June 8th: Strawberries are grown in every U.S. state, with California producing 75% of crops in the U.S. Can you find California on a map?
Isn’t this interesting? I never knew! Here’s the source, which includes more fun facts about strawberries.
June 9th: Read The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: The Emerald Berries.
Another cute Sophie Mouse story and the inspiration for tomorrow’s activity!

June 10th: Try making different colored paints using smashed berries and finger paint with them.
Inspired by Sophie Mouse, let’s create paints using smashed berries. This may or may not be successful as far as creating an actual picture… but it sure does sound like a lot of (edible) sensory play fun!
June 11th: Poetry Tea Time: Read a stack of picture books featuring berries. Enjoy angel food cupcakes with berries on top.
I have a few absolute favorite books that happen to be berry-themed that I just know you are going to love – be sure to check out my booklist at the end of this post. This angel food cupcake recipe from sugarspunrun.com is absolutely amazing and perfect to go with our berry-themed books!


June 12th: Go strawberry picking with a group of friends.
This is a yearly favorite tradition of ours! We love visiting U-Pick local farms and then making something with the produce we collect.
June 13th: Strawberries are actually part of the rose family. They are the first fruit to ripen in the summer months.
Another fun interesting fact (source).
June 14th: Make homemade jam using your fresh picked berries. Serve it on some homemade biscuits.
I actually have never done this before and it’s been on my bucket list for years. Every year when we pick berries, I say I’m going to make homemade jam and never get around to it – but THIS is the year! Haha!
Week 3: Beach Life
June 15th: Sand is made from broken down rocks and minerals.
If you want to supplement this fact with MORE, here’s a link to an episode (albeit not great picture quality) of Bill Nye The Science Guy: Rocks & Soil.
If you’re looking for a shorter video explaining how sand is made, this one is good from Britannica.
June 16th: Read a stack of picture books about the beach.
Head to the bottom of this post for a list of favorite picture books about the beach.

June 17th: Paint pictures of seashells or crabs salt-art style.
We love using the salt-art method of painting. Here are some examples of salt-art seashell pictures.
All you have to do is draw a simple outline of a seashell or crab, trace the outline in glue, pour salt overtop, shaking off the excess, and then use the tip of a paintbrush dipped in watercolor to let the paint get sucked up into the salt.
These are most fun to do with many different colors, creating a rainbow image!
June 18th: Poetry Tea Time: Read from Read-Aloud Rhymes For the Very Young. Enjoy a beach-themed lunch.
Oh my goodness, the possibilities are endless with a beach-themed lunch.
I stumbled upon so many fun ideas:
- Crab Croissant Sandwiches
- Starfish Sugar Cookies (star shaped cookies with sprinkles on top)
- Palm Tree Fruit Platter
- Sea Turtle Cupcakes
- Octopus Vegetable Tray
- Teddy Graham Beach Goers
- Teddy Graham Pool Floaters
Get creative and have fun with this one!

June 19th: Meet friends at a local beach, pool, or splash pad on the next sunny day.
You could even just meet in your backyard with a sprinkler and some water balloons or super soakers.
June 20th: Today is the Summer Solstice. Read a stack of picture books about summertime.
Head to the bottom of this post for the list of picture books featuring summertime.

June 21st: Collect sea shells at the beach and paint them when you get home. Make them into ornaments.
This art activity looks so awesome! Find out all the details here from onelittleproject.com
Week 4: Lighthouses
June 22nd: Lighthouses first transitioned to automated electric lighting in 1875. Can you find the year on a timeline?
Source (and lots more lighthouse facts).
June 23rd: Begin reading The Lighthouse Family series.
This is one of our all time favorite early chapter book series. It was one of the first read-alouds we did when my oldest was just over 5 years old.

June 24th: Craft your own lighthouse. Read a stack of picture books featuring lighthouses.
Here are two different examples of a simple lighthouse craft you can do with your kids.
Head to the end of this post for a list of picture books featuring lighthouses.

June 25th: Poetry Tea Time: Read from The Complete Brambly Hedge: Sea Story. Enjoy cheesecake bites.
I will never say no to a good read-aloud from Brambly Hedge. If you love woodland creatures and the most whimsical illustrations, then you are sure to love Brambly Hedge! This recipe for mini cheesecakes by thefirstyearblog.com look absolutely delicious!

June 26th: Enjoy a picnic by the water.
Pack up a nice picnic, invite some friends, and head over to an area near the water (lake, ocean, or pond will do!).
June 27th: There are more than 20,000 active lighthouses in the world today.
June 28th: Tour a local lighthouse or do so virtually.
Take a little field trip (or do so virtually) to finish out our lighthouse-themed week.
Week 5: Snails, Slugs + Worms
June 29th: A slug has 2000-8000 teeth. How many do you have?
Who knew, right? (Source)
June 30th: Read a stack of picture books about snails, slugs, and worms.
Head to the bottom of the booklist post for a list of picture book ideas for this topic.
(Snails, slugs, and worm week to be continued in the first week of July’s Nature Calendar…)

June Nature Calendar Booklist

Books Featuring Camping, Hiking or Nature:



A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee – Chris Van Dusen


S is for S’mores – Helen Foster James

Just Me and My Dad – Mercer Mayer

Where the Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein

The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: The Whispering Woods – Poppy Green

The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: The Emerald Berries

Books Featuring Berries:
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear – Audrey Wood



Blueberries for Sal – Robert McCloskey

Blueberry Mouse – Alice Low *link unavailable, check library*

The Berry Book – Gail Gibbons *link unavailable, check library*

Books Featuring the Beach:
Diary of a Pug: Beach Pug – Kyla May


One Morning in Maine – Robert McCloskey

There Might Be Lobsters – Carolyn Crimi

Sea Glass Summer – Michelle Huts

House for a Hermit Crab – Eric Carle

Good Dog: Beach Paws – Cam Higgens

The Big Beach Cleanup – Charlotte Offsay

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell! – Lucille Colandro


What Lives in a Shell? – Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young – Jack Prelutsky

Books Featuring Summertime:
The Ice Cream Vanishes – Julia Sarcone-Roach

The Watermelon Seed – Greg Pizzoli

Arthur’s Family Vacation – Marc Brown

Five Green and Speckled Frogs – Priscilla Burris *link not available, check your library*

The Night Before Summer Vacation – Natasha Wing

Summertime in the Big Woods – Laura Ingalls Wilder



Carl’s Summer Vacation – Alexandra Day

Carl’s Afternoon in the Park – Alexandra Day

Summer – Alice Low *link unavailable, check your library*

Strega Nona Takes a Vacation – Tomie dePaola

The Little Blue Cottage – Kelly Jordan

The Lighthouse Family series – Cynthia Rylant

Books Featuring Lighthouses:
Hello Lighthouse – Sophie Blackall

Kate’s Light – Elizabeth Spires

Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue – Angeli Perrow

The Complete Brambly Hedge – Jill Barklem *for Sea Story*

Books Featuring Snails, Slugs, and Worms:

The Snail and the Whale – Julia Donaldson

Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell – Sue Hendra

How to Say Hello to a Worm – Kari Percival

Diary of a Worm – Doreen Cronin

Wonderful Worms – Linda Glaser

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt – Kate Messner



Enjoy Your June Nature Calendar
Grab your FREE copy of the June Nature Calendar by clicking here.

Happy June, friends!