You’re probably starting to hear kids cheer about summer break coming soon. And while sunshine and free time sound great, you know that all that progress they made this year in school is at risk. Every summer, most students miss out on 2-3 months of learning. That’s called the “summer slide.” But, this year, you can outsmart it. Arm yourself with easy, fun ways to help your kids exercise their brains so they don’t backslide. The easiest way is to mix learning into everyday fun!
In this article, you’ll find tips to maintain skills in math, science, reading, and writing without it feeling like “school.” Wave goodbye to the summer slide and keep your child’s knowledge growing!
How to Keep Kids' Minds Active During Summer Break
Engage Their Interests
Let your kids pursue their passions over the summer. If they love science, do experiments together. If they enjoy art, visit museums or create projects at home. Reading fiction books, building models, gardening, cooking, playing an instrument… Whatever excites them, encourage it. These kinds of engaging activities inspire learning in fun ways.
Set a Reading Goal
This summer, challenge your kids to read a certain number of books over a certain number of days. Start a book club for them and their friends. Let them select their books when you take them to the library. Whether they read comics, fiction, or classics, the books they choose will surely serve your goal! Offer rewards as they meet milestones to keep them motivated. As you probably know, reading offers a lot of benefits! Notably, it exercises their minds and imaginations. It also boosts vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency – skills that tend to decline over long breaks from school.
Practice Math Regularly
Have your kids come up with worksheets and flashcards, use interactive apps, play games, or do other activities that review math concepts they learned during the school year. Start with just 15 or 20 minutes a day of counting, measuring, and problem-solving to prevent math skills from slipping away during the summer.
If your child isn’t a fan of math and refuses to do these activities, take them with you when you go shopping. Let them pay the cashier, or give them an amount they can’t exceed and watch them select items from the shelves.
Limit Screen Time
While technology can be used constructively, too much passive screen time has been shown to negatively impact learning and development in kids. Set clear limits around phone, tablet, computer, and television use over the summer. Replace some screen time with outdoor play, social interaction, and hands-on activities.
Stay Social
Encourage your kids to meet up with friends, invite others over, attend camps, or participate in community events. Social interaction and relationships stimulate cognitive abilities. Kids who remain socially engaged over the summer break tend to start the new school year with stronger learning skills.
Fun Educational Activities to Maintain Learning Over the Summer
The summer slide is real. But the good news is there are tons of fun ways to keep your kids learning so they start off the new school year ahead of the game.
Go Outside
Spending time outside provides lots of learning opportunities. Go on nature walks and have them observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. For example, you can go on a birdwatching adventure with a good pair of binoculars. Or you can download a stargazing app and learn about constellations at night. You can even plant together and have them care for the fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Enable Learning in Summer Through Play
Bring out the board games, puzzles, Lego, and craft supplies. Playing games that require problem-solving, logic, and strategy boost cognitive skills. Also, doing arts and crafts projects taps into their creativity. Ask them to write a play based on a story they like, and to perform it with their friends or siblings. This activity will strengthen not only their writing skills but also their self-esteem and their love for other kinds of art, like acting or filming.
Visit Museums, National Parks, and Ruins
Visit museums and national parks in your area. Seeing how things work in real life and learning about different animals, cultures, and the natural world leads to discoveries and sparks curiosity. You can also take them to famous historical sites and ruins to teach them more about the history of their country. Check out this article about famous sites and ruins in Lebanon that are sure to excite your kids!
Keeping kids mentally active over the summer break doesn’t have to feel like work. Focus on fun activities that incorporate learning. By the time school starts again, they’ll be ahead of the curve. The summer slide won’t stand a chance!
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading these few tips and tricks for beating the summer slide and keeping your kids’ minds engaged over the break. With a little planning and creativity, summer doesn’t have to mean losing hard-earned knowledge and skills. Make learning fun in summer, take advantage of teachable moments, encourage reading, and tap into community resources. Your kids will thank you in the fall when they haven’t fallen behind, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’ve contributed to their education. The summer slide can definitely be prevented with some intentionality and effort. Your kids are counting on you to keep their momentum going. Now get out there and make this summer count!
