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Download the Calendar

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Activity List​

• August 1 — Watercolor Nature Shapes

  • Collect leaves or flowers. Trace their outlines and paint inside the shapes.​​

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• August 2 — Farmers Market Visit (National Farmers Market Week: 8/2 - 8/7)

  • This week visit a local farmers market and support local farmers and artists. ​​​

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• August 3 — Eat Watermelon (National Watermelon Day)

  • Enjoy fresh watermelon, and if it’s not seedless, have an old‑fashioned seed‑spitting contest to see whose seed travels the farthest. It’s a playful way to mix summer fun with a bit of informal distance measuring practice.

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• August 4 — Evening Bike Ride

  • Enjoy a slow ride around the neighborhood or local path.

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• August 5 — Seed Float Test (STEM)

  • Place different seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, bean) in water. See which float or sink and talk about how seeds travel.

    • ​Some seeds float because they have tiny air pockets inside or lighter shells that help them stay at the surface. Other seeds sink because they’re denser and heavier, with solid interiors that fill with water quickly. When kids watch this happen, they’re seeing how seeds are built differently and how those differences help them travel in nature. Floating seeds often move by water, while heavier seeds usually fall straight to the ground or rely on animals to carry them.

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• August 6 — ​Sun Print Day (STEM)

  • Place leaves, keys, or small toys on sunprint paper. Set in the sun and watch the chemical reaction create silhouettes. Don't have sunprint paper? That is okay, you can do the same with black construction paper.

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• August 7 — Water Balloon Toss (National Water Balloon Day)

  • Simple, fun, and perfect for warm afternoons.

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• August 8 — Backyard Campout

  • Pitch a tent, read books, and enjoy a simple night under the stars.

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• August 9 — Make a Book Nook (Book Lovers Day)​​

  • Grab a few family‑favorite books and gather blankets, pillows, and a basket of stories. Create a small “book nook” indoors or outside in the shade. Spend time reading together, trading favorite pages, or letting kids choose a book to read aloud.

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• August 10 — Nature Weaving

  • Create a cardboard loom with a sheet of cardboard and string. Weave grass, flowers or more yarn. 

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• August 11 — ​Water vs. Sand Structures (STEM) (Play in the Sand Day)

  • Build sand towers dry and wet. Compare which holds shape better.

    • ​Wet sand sticks together because water creates tiny bridges between the grains. These little connections act like glue, helping the sand hold its shape when kids pack it, stack it, or build towers. Dry sand doesn’t have those water bridges, so the grains slide apart and collapse more easily. When kids compare the two, they get a quick, hands‑on look at how water changes the strength and stability of materials.

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• August 12 — Rock Classification (STEM)

  • Sort rocks by color, texture, weight, or shape. Compare differences.

    • This quick activity helps kids practice observation, comparison, and early geology skills — all with simple materials they can find outdoors. They’ll notice things like:

      • Color differences: Minerals inside the rock create different shades

      • Texture: Some feel smooth from water polishing, others feel rough or grainy

      • Weight: Denser rocks feel heavier even when they’re small

      • Shape: Rounded rocks often come from rivers; jagged ones may come from breaking or weathering

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• August 13 — ​Smoothie Bowls

  • Make thick smoothies and add toppings like fruit or nuts.

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• August 14 — Local Bookstore Visit (Love your Bookshop Day)

  • Visit a local bookstore and let everyone pick a favorite book or browse a cozy corner together.

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• August 15 — Pollen Transfer Activity (STEM) (World Honeybee Day)

  • Pollen Transfer with Chalk: Rub chalk on fingers, touch one paper “flower,” then another. 

    • This quick activity shows how bees help plants grow: pollen sticks to their bodies, travels with them, and allows flowers to make seeds and fruit. It’s a simple, hands‑on way to see pollination in action.

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• August 16 — DIY Nature Paintbrushes

  • Attach leaves, pine needles, or grasses to sticks and paint with them.

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• August 17 — Visit a Local Trail 

  • Choose a shaded trail and enjoy the late‑summer calm.

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• August 18 — Park Play

  • Visit a local park and enjoy swings, slides, or open fields.

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• August 19 — Paper Airplanes (STEM) (National Aviation Day & Orville Wright's Birthday)

  • Make paper airplanes and test how far they can fly. August 19th is National Aviation Day and Orville Wright’s birthday, making it a great day for a simple STEM deep dive. Try folding two or three different airplane designs and compare how each one flies. Measure distance, track flight paths, and talk about how wing shape, weight, and symmetry affect lift and drag.

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• August 20 — Paint with Berries

  • Mash berries and use them as natural paint.

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• August 21 — Library Visit

  • Pick out late‑summer reads or nature‑themed picture books.​

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• August 22 — Backyard Obstacle Course

  • Use sticks, cones, chalk, or rope to create a simple course.

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• August 23 — Stargazing Night

  • Look for late‑summer constellations like Cygnus or Lyra.

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• August 24 — Cloud Journaling

  • Lay out a blanket or towel on the ground and look at the clouds. Draw or describe out loud the cloud shapes and how they change. 

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• August 25 — Freeze & Observe (STEM)

  • Freeze berries in ice cubes, then place them in glasses of water. Watch as the ice melts the berries slowly release and drift through the water. 

    • This is a chance to observe how temperature and surface area affect melting speed: smaller ice cubes melt faster, larger ones melt slower, and warm water speeds everything up. It’s a simple way to watch physical change in real time and enjoy a refreshing drink while they explore.

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• August 26 — Nature Scavenger Hunt

  • Find items like something smooth, something tiny, something red.

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• August 27 — Play Rock, Paper, Scissors (World Rock Paper Scissors Day)

  • Play the iconic hand game as a family. The hand game dates back to the Chinese Han Dynasty, making it one of the oldest games in the world.

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• August 28 — Splash Pad Day

  • Cool off at a local splash pad or water feature.

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• August 29 — Pinecone Weather Station (STEM)

  • Observe how pinecones open in dry weather and close in humidity.

    • Start by having kids collect two pinecones and placing them in different spots around the house. Pinecones react to moisture in the air: they open when the air is dry and close when the air is humid. Indoors, kids can create these conditions by choosing locations with naturally different moisture levels. Check the pinecones throughout the day and compare how they look in each location. It’s a simple way to see how moisture affects natural materials with no special setup needed.

      • Dry spot: A sunny windowsill, near a heater vent, or any warm, dry room. Here, the pinecone scales will open wide because the air has low humidity.

      • Humid spot: A bathroom after a shower, near a kitchen sink while cooking, or next to a small cup of water. In these areas, the pinecone absorbs moisture and the scales pull inward and close.

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• August 30 — Family Game Night

  • After dinner enjoy a game or two as a family.

    • Some favorites: Monopoly, Count your Chickens, Bananagrams, Sloth in a Hurry, UNO, Money Bags, First Orchard (Toddlers), Duck Duck Dance (Toddlers)​

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• August 31 — Make Trail Mix (National Trail Mix Day)

  • Let kids choose nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, or seeds to build their own mix. This is an easy way to weave fractions into everyday life: measuring ¼ cup, ½ cup, or dividing ingredients into equal portions.

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