Free Summer Theme Preschool Lesson Plans

It’s here, the “dog days” of summer – the time in late summer when the weather is hot and sticky and rainfall tends to be at an all-time low. Children may be growing cranky and bored; their parents may be counting down the days until the new school year begins. There is still a lot of fun to be had before we pack away those summer shorts and swimming suits! Welcome to Beat the Heat – this week’s lesson plans for you and your preschool child.

This week, your child may learn

In late summer, sometimes the weather turns very hot.
We say the air is humid when it holds a lot of moisture.
When it is humid outside, we feel even hotter.
We need to drink water every day.
When it is hot, we need to drink even more water.
If we don’t drink enough water when we get hot, we can get sick.
To keep cool, we should wear loose-fitting, light clothes.
It is often cooler in the shade than in the bright sunshine.
Water can evaporate – it can dry up and go into the air.
When water evaporates off our skin, we feel cooler.
The letter W makes the “whu” sound, as in “water”.
We should always swim with a buddy. Two are safer than One in the pool.
Your child should recognize the diamond shape.
Your child should understand the concept of “clear” or translucent – having no color.
How to make Playdough

Places to Go to Beat the Heat

There are a lot of outings or field trips this week, which are a great cure for the end-of-the-summer blahs, especially when it’s too hot to enjoy being outdoors. You don’t have to plan on doing all the trips but do as many as your time and budget allow. If there’s one that’s not available in your area, like ice skating at an indoor arena, then substitute a trip to the library instead. Ice skating, though, could be a really fun treat in the middle of a heatwave!

There are even some extra worksheets at the end of the lesson, besides the ones listed at the bottom of this page. If you aren’t yet doing worksheets with your child, just ignore them. The only reason why they are there is because when the children get cranky, you need to have plenty of “backup plans”. Keep them busy, and they may be too tired to push your buttons.

How do I explain summer to a three-year-old?

Kids quickly realize that summer is the hottest season of the year, and that the trees have a lot of leaves and that flowers are frequently still in bloom. Share that the temperature stays warm during the summer, making it a great time of year to swim, go to the beach or lake, and spend time outside.

Drink Water, Don’t Get Dehydrated

Remember to drink plenty of water, and that goes for your children, too. If you feel a little light-headed or dizzy, get some water immediately! Other symptoms of dehydration include headaches, dry mouth, yellow urine, decreased sweat, muscle cramps, dry eyes. If you develop nausea or vomiting along with any of the other signs of dehydration, seek medical help immediately. Heatstroke can kill you.

What are some fun summer activities for preschoolers?

Preschoolers enjoy making art, blowing bubbles, playing in water (or ice), exploring nature, playing outside games, drawing with sidewalk chalk, experimenting in the kitchen, and conducting science experiments! No matter what you do, soak up the summer sun or even the rain with a variety of our entertaining ideas! Even taking your regular preschool activities (such as circle time) outside in the summer can be beneficial.

Summer-Themed Picture Books

Hand-selected high-quality picture books are one of the best ways to enhance your preschool summer theme! This is a book list of our favorite picture books for a summer theme that has been approved by top preschool teachers across the country!

Hot City by Barbara Joosse
Teddy Bear’s Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan Berenstain
Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson
Feel the Summer by Sarah L. Thomson
F is for Fireflies: God’s Summertime Alphabet by Kathy-Jo Wargin
Fireflies (Reading Rainbow) by Julie Brinckloe
I Love You as Much by Laura Krauss Melmed
Watermelon Day by Kathi Appelt
One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews
Beach Day by Karen Roossa
On the Way to the Beach by Henry Cole

Creative Toys and Products (Optional)

Selecting the right manipulatives and toys to pair with the theme is one of the best ways to teach preschoolers about any theme. Here are a few things I bring out every year for a little extra fun in the sun.

Little Tikes Beach Ball Sprinkler
Funny Castle Inflatable Pool
Step2 Arctic Splash Water Table
Penguins and Polar Bears Big Box
Inflatable Bounce House and Slide
Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Sprinkler
Small World Sand & Water Toys
Beach Toys
Playmobile Open Air Pool with Slide
Little Tikes Jump ‘n Slide Dry Bouncer

Free Printable Worksheets for Preschool

Do you enjoy these summer activities? Take advantage of your free printable lesson plans with all of these summer theme activities for preschoolers!

I’m not a big fan of worksheets, but flashcards are great. For the Shapes flashcards, you can buy sturdier cardstock for your printer. Print them off, cut them apart, laminate them if you wish, and cut them apart again. You can post the picture of the Diamond on the wall in your calendar area this week. Or if your child has a good understanding of the basic shapes, you can use these cards as flashcards. This set includes three-dimensional shapes like cones, spheres,s, and pyramids. Nice, and brightly colored, by TSLbooks.com.