Summer Vacation. Two of the most magical words known to humankind, especially if you are a child. Summer is the time for staying up late, sleeping in even later, exploring, and adventuring. However, for far too many children, summer is also a time to forget what they worked so hard all year long to learn. Help your kids avoid the infamous summer slide with these helpful tips:
1) Read! Read! Read! I can’t stress this one enough. The more your child is exposed to reading, words, and new vocabulary, the more successful he/she will be in school. Here’s the kicker…. students can read whatever they want! Comic books/graphic novels, pop culture/gossip magazines, picture books, chapter books – it doesn’t matter. As long as your child is constantly being exposed to words within the context of a story, he/she will be in school. Use summer as a time to expose your student to all the different genres available to him/her in order to foster a love of printed word.
2) Find math everywhere! Help your child understand how important math is to his/her every day life. Have them help you determine how much the groceries are going to cost (or the movie tickets), have them cook with you using that new recipe you’ve been wanting to try, or have them help figure out the travel time to your next vacation destination. During the school year, these type of word problems are actually referred to as “real-world math problems.” So, give your children the opportunity to solve them with you as much as possible during the summer.
3) Create learning opportunities each day! Did you plant a garden this year (or even just a plant or two)? Involve your student in the process. Take a road trip to a historical site, even if its historical value is only to you. Share the things about which you are passionate, or that inspire you, with your child and explain to them why. Help them to understand the wonder that still exists in this world, and also they ways they can be a part of making this Earth a better place. Maybe use time during the summer to take him/her with you to work one day so they can learn about what you do all day long, and the academic skills you need to be successful. There are so many ways to create a love of learning in your children, and summer is often the season when you have the most time to be able to do so. Take advantage of it.
In closing, summer is a magical time for children. Capitalize on that by creating experiences that build their academic skills, foster a love of learning, and get them prepped for the work that will start again in the fall. It’ll be so much more fun for both of you than just buying them a workbook or a computer program, I promise!
Kimberly Frey Consulting 