The Summer Slide: Preventing Summer Learning Loss
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We’re all counting down to summer vacation but as parents, we know that summer vacation comes with a price: the dreaded summer slide. Summer learning loss is a sneaky little thief that wipes out some of that hard-earned progress your kids made during the school year. How can your kids have a magical summer without being hit with the summer slide? These tips will help you minimize summer learning loss.
I’ve watched my kids work so hard this year, so even though I’m anxiously looking forward to summer vacation just like they are, I’m also nervous about the summer learning loss that is likely to come with it.
The good news is, the summer slide is not set in stone. There are plenty of ways that you can minimize summer learning loss while still getting the break that you need.
Read, Read, and then Read Some More to Prevent Summer Learning Loss
One of my favorite ways to minimize summer learning loss is to get kids reading. Many libraries incentivize kids with summer reading programs, which adds an element of fun. Summer is a great opportunity to explore books that kids and teens don’t have time for during the school year. My family loves finding great historical fiction books to learn about history. Even the fun “nonsense” books can help kids gain confidence with their reading and think about things in a new way.
I’ve tried to avoid forcing my kids to read, instead, we turn it into a family hobby by taking books to the beach, swapping books we love, and watching the movie adaptation of a few of the books after we’ve read them.
Incorporate Learning Into Summer Fun
Who says learning can’t be fun? Summer is the perfect time to incorporate learning into fun activities that the whole family can enjoy. For example, a trip to the beach can turn into a science lesson about marine life and oceanography. Visiting a historical site can spark an interest in history and culture. Even something as simple as a family game night can provide opportunities for problem-solving, critical thinking, and social skills. The key is to make learning a natural part of the summer fun. By doing so, we can keep our kids engaged, interested, and excited about learning, while still allowing them to enjoy their summer break.
Explore New Subjects Kids are Interested In to Avoid the Summer Slide
I swear kids get busier every year. Between sports, school, and after-school jobs I’m not sure how my teens do it. There isn’t much time to explore new interests during the school year but summer is the perfect chance to do that.
My family loves using Study.com to learn more about topics we are interested in. We’ve used the platform for homework help and it is fabulous for that, but we also love using it to jump into a subject that my kids don’t normally get to explore.
Study.com has classes on everything from core subjects to coding, psychology, animal science, and more. My teens love using it to dive in deeper to the subjects that they are interested in and my younger girls are obsessed with the plants and animals courses. The video courses they offer are so engaging that my kids voluntarily jump on when they need something to do during the summer.
Sometimes all it takes to reignite excitement for learning is to discover a new subject.
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Incorporate Education into Summer Travel
One of my favorite ways to get kids and teens excited about learning is to incorporate education into summer travel. Even if you are staying close to home, there’s always something to learn.
Did you know many national parks offer educational backpacks for kids filled with activities specific to the local area? Museums can help bring history and science to life for kids and teens who are very visual. Exploring a new culture or location offers numerous ways to expand a child’s perspective and is a great way to prevent summer learning loss.
Identify Learning Gaps and Use the Time to Fill Them
Some kids may be ahead and participating in a few educational activities throughout the summer may be enough to maintain their education. For kids who are struggling, summer is a great opportunity to fill in some of those educational gaps and set themselves up for success when they go back to school.
I have one child who struggles a bit with math. We’re working our way through the Study.com core math class for her grade level to be sure that she understands the concepts she needs to know. Keep things light over the summer. A few 15-minute work blocks a day is plenty and can do so much for getting kids who are struggling caught up.
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