If I told you that your kids could thoroughly enjoy the summer and still keep their minds sharp for school in the fall, would you believe me? By incorporating just a few activities into your summer the entire family can learn the joys of exploring the world around them. The kids will learn a sense of curiosity and sharpen their thinking skills. And you can help them using the ideas in this article.

1. Encourage daily reading. Kids don't have to read textbooks or the classics to maintain reading skills over the summer. Summer is for fun. Take them to the library or the bookstore and let them choose anything that interests them. If you are going to the beach or to visit relatives for vacation, somewhere you know they won't have the distractions of home, they might even welcome reading. Give them a fun novel about kids their own age. Young girls still love the Nancy Drew Mystery series. It builds curiosity, problem-solving and strategy skills. If your child doesn't like to read books, ask them to read road signs, cereal boxes or recipes.

2. Summer is the perfect time to visit a museum with your kids. Build a family outing around a favorite theme, such as space and visit a local museum, space or science center. If you need to be more subtle, stop by a museum spontaneously on the road to somewhere else! If your young child is enraptured by dinosaurs, scour the web for special showings that you could make a trip to. Prepare for the trip by reviewing all the different dinosaurs and facts about them. Discuss with your child what they might see, learn and get to do at the museum.

3. Help your child to learn about their surroundings. Do you pass a historical marker on the road every day, but have never stopped? Stop and read it with your family. Go home and look up more about it. Is there a famous homestead near you; maybe a president's birthplace. Take the tour and learn more about it.

4. Plan a trip to an artist's studio, a jewelry maker or local factory. Feed their curiosity in how things are made and how they run. If your child has a special interest, check the web and yellow pages and see if they can stop by for a tour or a work shadow day.

5. Choose day or overnight camps with learning in mind. Camps that teach about nature, wildlife and conservation do double duty. Many state fish and wildlife departments run summer camps and there are many others. Again, your web is the best place to look. You may have missed out for this summer, but plant the seeds of interest in your child for next year. Make it a goal for next year. Plan, read and discuss what the experience will be like.

6. Catch fireflies and look up with your child what makes them light up. When your child catches a snake or other creature from nature, have them research how to care for it. Build a fort and teach your kids about angles and construction. Create the habit of using reference materials to learn more about everything around them.

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