SOUTH BEND — School’s out, but the summer months are also packed with fun and educational opportunities for families in and around South Bend.
Here are some events and ideas to help kids have a fun summer while staving off learning loss over summer vacation.
Check out the library
What better way to enjoy the summer than picking up a good book at your local library?
The St. Joseph County Public Library and the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library are perfect places to browse the stacks, and both libraries have jam-packed event calendars this summer for kids of all ages.
Or check out a Discovery Pass from SJCPL or MPHPL and visit a local attraction like Fernwood Botanical Garden or Potawatomi Zoo for free.
The libraries’ summer reading programs are in full swing, complete with fun prizes and incentives. Stop by a MPHPL branch to pick up a reading log, or register online for SJCPL’s summer reading.
Other events include:
More details and full event calendars for MPHPL and SJCPL are available online.
Visit some museums
Michiana has a wide range of museums and attractions for the whole family, several of which offer special events while kids are out for the summer.
Watch and listen
Give kids a taste of the arts with some family-friendly events from South Bend Civic Theatre and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra over the summer.
Get artsy
Soak in the summer weather while enjoying some family-friendly music and art.
Explore nature
Get outside and learn about the natural world this summer by visiting some of Michiana’s many parks and green spaces, several of which have special events for kids.
Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Rayleigh Deaton at rdeaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 5 kid-friendly ways to keep the learning going over summer break
Reporting by Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
