Summer gives families with school-aged kids more time together and a more relaxed schedule than during the school year. It can also pose a problem, however, causing students to get out of the learning groove and lose a bit of learning from the previous year. As a veteran of 28 years in an elementary classroom, I can tell you that the “summer slide” is real, but it isn’t as dire as one might think. But as a mom, I can tell you that with a few tweaks to your normal activities, you can help your child retain much of what they have learned during the school year without making them slog through a workbook or stare at a screen during those prime playing outside hours of summer!
In The Car
If you have a preschooler, have them look out the window to find letters on signs or encourage them to count light posts or trees from, say, the grocery store to the pool. Elementary kids can practice addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts (so easy-just pick an equation and have them answer) or figure out how much change you should receive in the drive-thru. Add incentive by promising a treat (I am not above bribery) if they can give you the correct answer!
At The Pool
Have your kids practice telling time by having them figure out what time it will be when you leave, or figuring out how long until the pool closes. If there is a snack bar, use snack time as a time to learn about coins, bills and how much things cost. Let them count laps, kids in the baby pool, chairs, etc.
On Vacation
Car games are fun and timeless. Play the alphabet game, count cars of a certain color, look for specific letters on billboards (for younger kids). . . the possibilities are endless! If you have to wait at the airport, let your young child identify numbers and letters that are all around (this is called environmental print, and it is a rich source of learning if you are mindful about it), or give your older student money to buy a snack and have them calculate change or figure out if you have given them enough. The airport gives another opportunity to practice keeping time by asking “How long until our flight?,” “ The flight is 4 hours; what time will we land?,” or a similar question.
At the library
Join your local library’s reading challenge! Give your student free rein to choose his/her books (a good practice all year round) and ask the librarian for recommendations. They love to give them—it is their job! Plus, reading in the summer is one of the most effective and fun ways to keep your student interested in growing as a reader.
At home
Nothing beats reading aloud at night with your child. Pictures or not, children use the same part of their brains when listening to a story read to them as they do when they read it themselves. Research has shown that using screens close to bedtime can disrupt sleep, so shut them off, cuddle up with your kid, and read a story together. This would be fun inside or out. How about trying a “night read” on a blanket in the yard? Add flashlights and a tent and you have a recipe for reading success AND fun!
No need to use these tips every day in every situation. It is summer, after all. But do use some of those down times to sneak in some math and reading practice. It will help your child academically, and it will encourage them to see skills they learn in school as an important part of everyday life. What are some tips that you have for avoiding the “summer slide” and helping your child stay a lifelong learner? Share in the comments!
