Embrace the Joy of Learning English This Summer!

Summer vacations are a wonderful time for children to relax, explore new interests, and enjoy their freedom from the school routine. But it’s also a fantastic opportunity to engage in activities that are both fun and educational.

One such activity is learning English! Imagine your child confidently speaking English, opening doors to endless opportunities in the future. The best part? Learning English doesn’t have to be boring or feel like schoolwork. It can be a delightful and exciting adventure. 

 

Here are 20 creative and interesting ways to improve English speaking skills during the holidays.

 

1. Storytelling Sessions

Setup: Create a cozy storytelling corner at home with a comfortable chair, cushions, and a small bookshelf filled with interesting storybooks.

Activity: Encourage your child to read a short story every day and then narrate it back to you in their own words.

Example: To make learning more fun, use props and costumes! For instance, if you’re reading a story about going on a treasure hunt, kids can wear an eye patch like a pirate and carry a toy map and a shovel. After reading a story like “Little Red Riding Hood,” they can pretend to walk through the forest and describe how the trees looked or how the wolf’s house was built. Just imagine saying, “The trees were tall and spooky, with branches reaching out like arms,” or “The wolf’s house was made of sturdy wood, with a big chimney on top.”

Benefit: This activity boosts their imagination and helps them practice retelling stories, enhancing their vocabulary and speaking skills.

 

2. Language Games

Setup: Gather games like Scrabble, Boggle, or Pictionary that focus on building vocabulary.

Activity: Create a word treasure hunt where your child finds objects around the house that start with each letter of the alphabet.

Example: For the letter ‘B’, they could find a “book” or “banana.” Give clues like, “Find something in the kitchen that is round and you can eat” (answer: apple). Once they find it, they can describe it: “An apple is round, red, and sweet.”

Benefit: This makes learning new words an adventurous game and keeps them excited about discovering new vocabulary.

 

3. Movie Nights

Setup: Select English movies or cartoons with subtitles that are age-appropriate and interesting.

Activity: Watch together and then discuss the movie.

Example: After watching “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” ask, “What lesson did Harry learn by the end of the movie?” Discuss how Harry learned the value of friendship and bravery. You can also talk about how Hermione learned the importance of breaking rules for the right reasons, and how Ron discovered his own courage. Ask your child to describe their favorite character and explain why they like them. For example, “Why do you like Hermione? Is it because she’s smart and always willing to help her friends?”

Benefit: This improves their listening skills and helps them articulate their thoughts in English.

 

4. Puppet Shows

Setup: Make simple puppets using socks or paper bags, and set up a small stage using a table or box.

Activity: Encourage your child to create and perform their own puppet shows, using English to tell the story.

Example: They could perform a show about animals in a forest. One puppet could say, “Hello, I am a bunny. I like to hop and eat carrots,” and another could respond, “Hi, I am a fox. I like to run fast and play in the forest.”

Benefit: This enhances their creativity, improves their storytelling skills, and makes speaking English fun.

 

5. Role-Playing

Setup: Create different scenarios for role-playing, such as a grocery store, a restaurant, or a zoo.

Activity: Act out scenarios where they practice speaking English in different contexts.

Example: Pretend to be a customer at a café, and let them take your order in English: “Hello, what would you like to order?” “Would you like some sugar in your tea?” They can also describe items: “The cookies are sweet and crunchy. The tea is hot and has a lemon flavor.”

Benefit: This practical application helps them learn conversational English and improves their speaking confidence.

 

6. Creative Writing

Setup: Provide notebooks and writing prompts to inspire them.

Activity: Encourage your child to write their own short stories, poems, or comic strips.

Example: Give them a prompt like “A day in the life of a superhero.” They can write about what powers their superhero has, what adventures they go on, and how they save the day. For instance, “Super Sam woke up early and flew to the city to stop a robbery at the bank. Using his super strength, he caught the thieves and returned the stolen money.”

Benefit: This enhances their writing skills and lets their creativity shine.

 

7. Reading Aloud

Setup: Choose a book that interests your child and set a time each day for reading.

Activity: Take turns reading paragraphs or chapters aloud.

Example: If reading “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” discuss what a “piper” is and describe how the Pied Piper helped the town by getting rid of the rats. After reading, ask questions like, “Why do you think the Pied Piper wanted to help the town?” to ensure they understood the story and its messages. Ask your child to describe their favorite part of the story and why they liked it. For example, “What did you like most about the story? Was it when the Pied Piper played his magical music?”

Benefit: This improves pronunciation, fluency, and comprehension skills.

 

8. Sing-Along Sessions

Setup: Find English songs your child enjoys and have the lyrics printed out.

Activity: Have sing-along sessions and use karaoke versions to make it more interactive.

Example: Sing along to “Let It Go” from Frozen. Discuss the lyrics afterward, like what “let it go” means and how the character Elsa is feeling in the song. Ask your child to describe the scene in the movie where Elsa sings this song.

Benefit: This makes learning fun and helps with pronunciation and rhythm.

 

9. Daily Journals

Setup: Provide a journal and daily writing prompts.

Activity: Encourage your child to write about their day, thoughts, and feelings.

Example: Prompt them with questions like, “What was the best part of your day?” or “Describe a dream you had.” For instance, “Today, I went to the park and played on the swings. I also saw a beautiful butterfly with orange and black wings.”

Benefit: This regular practice improves their writing skills and helps them articulate their thoughts.

 

10. Word of the Day

Setup: Introduce a “Word of the Day” challenge with a new word each day.

Activity: Learn the word, discuss its meaning, use it in sentences, and encourage them to use it throughout the day.

Example: If the word is “adventure,” you could say, “Let’s plan an adventure today! We could go on a hike or explore a new park.” Ask them to describe what they did: “Our adventure was fun. We found a small stream and saw a deer.”

Benefit: This helps master their vocabulary for effective communication.

 

11. Cooking Together

Setup: Choose a simple recipe from an English recipe book.

Activity: Cook together, following the instructions in English.

Example: Ask them to read out the ingredients and steps aloud. For instance, “Mix 2 cups of flour with a teaspoon of baking powder.” As you cook, discuss what you’re doing: “Now we’re adding the sugar. Sugar makes things sweet.” Ask them to describe the finished dish: “The cookies are golden brown and smell delicious.”

Benefit: This helps them learn food vocabulary and follow instructions.

 

12. Pen Pals

Setup: Find a pen pal from an English-speaking country through a safe and reputable pen pal service.

Activity: Exchange letters or emails with the pen pal, sharing stories about their lives.

Example: Your child could write, “Hello! My name is Sam. I live in India. I like playing soccer and reading books. What do you like to do?” They can describe their favorite activities and ask questions about the pen pal’s hobbies.

Benefit: This helps in practicing writing and understanding different cultures.

 

13. Nature Walks

Setup: Plan a nature walk with a notebook and pencil for jotting down observations.

Activity: Encourage your child to describe what they see in English and write down new words.

Example: “Look at that tall tree. The leaves seem lush and gleaming. Do you see the bird nest in the branches? It’s a robin. The robin is chirping loudly.” They can learn words like “bark,” “branches,” “nest,” and “chirping.” After the walk, ask them to write a short description: “Today, we walked through the forest. I saw a rabbit and a bluebird.”

Benefit: This enhances vocabulary and descriptive skills.

 

14. Library Visits

Setup: Visit your local library and explore the children’s section together.

Activity: Let your child choose English books that interest them.

Example: Attend a storytelling session where a librarian reads “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Discuss the story afterward: “What did the caterpillar eat each day? How did it become a butterfly?” Ask them to draw and describe their favorite part of the story.

Benefit: This fosters a love for reading and improves comprehension skills.

 

 

15. Word Puzzles

Setup: Create or find word search puzzles and crosswords that are age-appropriate.

Activity: Complete puzzles together, discussing the words and their meanings.

Example: A crossword puzzle might include clues like “A type of fruit that is yellow” (answer: banana). Discuss the words as they find them: “Banana is spelled B-A-N-A-N-A. It’s a fruit that monkeys love.”

Benefit: This improves vocabulary and spelling.

 

16. Craft and Describe

Setup: Provide materials for a craft project like clay, paper, or paint.

Activity: Create something and then describe it in English.

Example: Make a model of a dinosaur. Afterward, ask your child to write a few sentences about it: “This is a T-Rex. It has sharp teeth and small arms. It was one of the biggest dinosaurs.” They can also talk about the colors they used: “I painted the T-Rex green and brown.”

Benefit: This combines creativity with learning new vocabulary and practicing descriptive writing.

 

17. Travel Journals

Setup: Provide a travel journal for your child to document their experiences.

Activity: Write about daily experiences while traveling or exploring new places.

Example: “Today we went to the beach. The water was very blue, and I collected seashells. I built a sandcastle and watched the waves.” Encourage them to draw pictures of what they saw and describe the sounds and smells.

Benefit: This helps them practice writing and reflecting on their experiences.

 

18. Scavenger Hunt

Setup: Create a list of items for a scavenger hunt around the house or yard.

Activity: Have your child find each item and describe it in English.

Example: The list might include items like “a red toy,” “a soft pillow,” or “a shiny spoon.” Once they find each item, they can describe it: “The toy car is red and small. The pillow is soft and fluffy.”

Benefit: This activity makes learning new words fun and interactive, and it encourages them to use descriptive language.

 

19. Educational TV Shows

Setup: Select educational TV shows like “Arthur,” “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” or “Clifford the Big Red Dog” that are designed for children.

Activity: Watch together and discuss the episodes afterward.

Example: “In today’s ‘Arthur’ episode, Arthur learned about honesty. What do you think being honest means?” Discuss the lessons learned from the show and ask your child to explain the main points in their own words.

Benefit: This incorporates language learning in a fun way and reinforces lessons learned from the shows.

 

20. Language Immersion Days

Setup: Designate certain days as “English Only” days and plan special activities.

Activity: Plan events like English tea parties or themed dinners where everyone speaks only in English.

Example: For an English tea party, use phrases like, “Would you like some tea?” “Do you take sugar?” and “This is a delicious biscuit.” Describe the items on the table: “The teapot is silver, and the cups are made of porcelain. The cookies are sweet and crunchy.” You can also ask your child to describe what they see and taste: “The tea is warm and tastes like lemon.”

Benefit: This immersive experience helps them practice speaking in English naturally and makes learning fun.

 

Conclusion

By integrating these fun and engaging activities into your child’s summer routine, you’ll help them improve their spoken English in a way that feels more like a hobby than a chore. Whether it’s through storytelling, role-playing, online English course or language immersion days, these activities make learning English an exciting adventure. Not only will this fill their vacation with joy, but it will also set a strong foundation for fluent English speaking. Along with the spoken English classes from the best English teacher, these creative English learning methods offer a natural and enjoyable way for children to enhance their English language skills, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future.