Sweet Summer Themes for Preschool
Summer themes for preschool turn ordinary days into sunny fun with popsicles, bugs, and beach balls sprinkled into your centers and circle time. Preschool lesson plans can feel extra playful this season—think watermelon counting, bubble science, and camping pretend play. It’s the perfect time to swap heavy coats for sun hats and bring in themes that match your students’ excitement for warm weather.
Whether you’re wrapping up the year or teaching through the summer, these seasonal ideas keep little learners moving, laughing, and learning. A splash of summer can make every part of the day feel light and engaging.
The sun is shining, the days are longer, and your classroom is buzzing with wiggly excitement. This is the season to roll with that energy and infuse your days with summer preschool themes that feel just as fun as they are educational. These preschool lesson plans can lean into the joy of the season with easy-to-prep activities that still hit your teaching goals.
What to Teach Preschoolers in the Summer
Summer is the perfect time to engage preschoolers and take the learning outside! I have loads of hands-on activities that celebrate the joys of the season.
Summer themes like beach adventures, camping, and under-the-sea explorations add excitement and enthusiasm to their learning journey. These interactive activities not only keep children engaged but also foster their creativity, critical thinking, and social skills.
Whether it’s splashing in water play, creating colorful summer crafts, or going on nature scavenger hunts, these hands-on preschool activities for summer provide the perfect platform for little learners to explore and grow in a fun and meaningful way.
Read this: Summer Skills Literacy and Math Activities
Summer Preschool Themes
Summer theme can be a broad preschool theme and you might find yourself wondering what to teach in a summer theme in preschool. There are tons and tons of smaller theme ideas that fit well. Here are some ideas.
- 4th of July
- beach
- camping
- day and night
- deserts
- ice cream
- mice
- nature
- ocean
- pirates
- robots
- summer
- water fun
- watermelon
Summer Theme Preschool Activities
Get ready to celebrate the long summer days with a variety of exciting themes that enrich preschool learning.
These hands-on preschool activities for summer make learning an exciting and interactive experience, fostering a love for exploration and discovery. Let’s make the most of the sunny season with these summer learning activities!
Summer Math Activities for Preschoolers
- Lemonade More & Less Counting
- Watermelon Counting Puzzles
- Summer Number Identification Worksheets for Preschool
Read this: 20+ Summer Printables to for Preschoolers
Summer Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers
- Sunglasses Theme Alphabet Matching
- Alphabet Ice Cube Sensory Play
- Summer Theme Beginning Sound Clip Cards
Shop our Summer Math Activities
Add a splash of learning to summer with our hands-on summer math activities!
Get our Summer Alphabet Activities Printables
Support literacy growth all summer long with our printable activities—and get those kiddos ready for kindergarten!
Free Summer Lesson Plans for Preschoolers
Discover our selection of free summer lesson plans, thoughtfully curated for preschoolers.
Engage young minds with summer activities centered around the wonders of summer, from beach adventures to camping fun and exploring nature. Let their creativity bloom with arts and crafts projects and hands-on gardening activities.
- Summer Lesson Plan Ideas for Preschoolers
- Summer Lesson Plans for Preschoolers
- June Lesson Plans For Preschool
- Learn At Home Preschool Lesson Plans
Preschool Theme Ideas
It’s awesome to have preschool theme ideas for all the seasons. Check out the following posts for curated lists of preschool themes based on the time of year.
- Spring Preschool Themes
- Summer Preschool Themes (you are here)
- Fall Preschool Themes
- Winter Preschool Themes
- Anytime Preschool Themes
For more details on why I advocate for thematic learning, this article about thematic lesson plans is a must-read.
Read this: 20+ Alphabet Printables Prevent the Summer Slide
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.