Summer has a way of slowing things down, and longer days create more space for backyard adventures, beach trips, gardening, story time, and maybe even a little extra room for curiosity.
For families, grandparents, caregivers, camps, and educators, summer also brings that familiar question: How do we keep kids engaged once the novelty of sleeping in wears off?
Often, the best learning happens when kids are simply exploring the world around them. Sometimes it looks like spotting butterflies, flipping over a log, planting a garden, or curling up with a good story.
The good news: summer learning doesn’t have to feel like homework, and there are ready-to-use resources designed to help make it easy, engaging, and fun from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) bookstore to turn those simple moments into meaningful learning experiences.
For curious nature lovers and bug enthusiasts:
Summer can turn a backyard into an adventure. Resources like Backyard Bugs offer an easy and enjoyable way to identify the creatures living just outside the door, while Insects & Bugs for Kids introduces young learners to the fascinating world of insects, spiders, butterflies, bees, and other creepy crawlies. Want something even more hands-on? Insects & Bugs Backyard Workbook encourages kids to observe, experiment, and ask questions through fun activities and simple projects. Families can also explore pollinators through Pollinators and Native Plants for Kids, follow Ivy’s mosquito adventure in Amazing Mosquitoes (available in English and Spanish), or relax with coloring books like Keep Monarchs Safe and Red the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Coloring Book, which combine creativity with conservation. And for readers who love science-themed extras, the Arthropod Bookmark Set adds a fun touch to summer reading with colorful insects and bite-sized facts.
Prefer getting your hands dirty?
Summer is also a great time to explore gardening, healthy food and the environment. Growing Up Florida-Friendly: A Kid’s Guide to the 9 Principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ introduces youth to simple ways to care for landscapes and wildlife, while the Agroecology Activity Book helps upper elementary students learn about food systems and sustainability through engaging activities. 4-H Munchy Adventures Workbook adds puzzles, recipes, games, and movement into the mix, while The Not-So-Perfect Garden reminds young readers that learning, growing, and trying new things doesn’t always have to be perfect.
For families who enjoy story time:
There are plenty of adventures to share. Join Marty the Mussel as he introduces young readers to freshwater ecosystems and wildlife, follow Sophia’s unforgettable 4-H journey in A Heifer for Sophia, or meet Betsy the Bared Rock Hen, a heartwarming story about kindness, care, and discovering new possibilities through 4-H. Young readers can also join Zoe’s Mission, an enchanting butterfly adventure.
Science-based resources for older kids, teens and more:
Craving a structured outdoor adventure instead? One in a Thousand: Those Amazing Sea Turtles offers a science-based look at the world’s remaining sea turtle species, while the Florida Youth Naturalist Program Instructor Field Guide provides activities and curriculum designed to help youth ages 10–13 connect more deeply with Florida’s natural world.
At the end of the day, summer doesn’t need elaborate plans to be meaningful. Sometimes the best memories come from simple moments, spotting a butterfly, planting something new, reading together, finishing a coloring page, or learning something unexpected.
If you’re looking for ways to encourage curiosity, outdoor exploration, creativity, or simply a little more hands-on fun this summer, the UF/IFAS Bookstore has plenty of resources ready to help make summer meaningful, engaging, and maybe even a little unforgettable.
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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