This last school year has been a year like no other. Unquestionably with the number of hours lost to COVID shutdowns, shifts to remote learning and hybrid models of teaching, there has definitely been a loss in prime teaching time. Now with summer vacation upon us, many parents are wondering how to prevent summer slide.
Children have been troopers throughout the pandemic. Their worlds have been turned upside down. They have been kept away from their friends. Their sports have been cancelled. And school as they once knew it, is gone. These kids definitely deserve a holiday! But taking a break from school doesn’t mean that learning needs to stop.
6 Tips to Prevent Summer Slide and Keep Learning Happening
1. Daily Reading
Study after study have shown the benefits of daily reading. Benefits to daily reading include building vocabulary, improving writing skills, promoting concentration, and developing creativity and imagination just to name a few. Summer is a great time for kids to read for enjoyment. Some great ways to promote daily reading are:
- Take a trip to a local or new library to sign out books.
- Go for a walk or ride to visit little lending libraries to choose books.
- Buy a special book as a treat or reward.
- Make a comfy nook to read.
- Read outside.
- Set up a tent in the yard and snuggle up and read with the kids.
- Turn the lights off and read by flashlight.
- Read as a family and have a special drink or snack together.
Let the kids choose the material they want to read. Picture books, comic books, joke books, graphic novels, magazines, and traditional novels are all great options for all age levels. The key is that kids are reading for fun.
2. How to Prevent Summer Slide in Math
Some of the greatest declines in learning over the summer occur in mathematics, but that doesn’t need to happen. The kids may groan when you suggest working on math problems, but if you play your cards right, you can have them practising math without even realising it.
Cooking and Baking
Involve the kids in cooking and baking. Put them in charge of measuring ingredients, then arranging cookies into equal rows on the cookie sheet. This is great for practising using fractions and mathematical arrays (rows and columns).
Playing Games
For the little ones, play board games that involve rolling dice and moving pieces a certain number of spots. This is great for subitizing (recognising “how many” in a small set) and counting.
Play math card games. Here is a link to 23 great math card games.
Make Use of Technology
There are some great apps and websites that can be used to promote mathematical thinking while still being fun. I’ve recently started using the Bedtime Math App with my son. My students also love Steve Wyborney’s Estimysteries and Math Splats which can be found here. They also love playing the game Set online found here, and completing daily KenKen Puzzles found here.
3. Physical Activity
For some kids, summer slide is physical. Throughout the school year, many kids get their daily activity at school during recess and phys ed class; unfortunately, for some kids, once summer starts, some kids spend more time in front of screens and sleeping in. (Many of my middle school students tell me that the thing they are most looking forward to is sleeping all day and playing video games all night- Yikes!). Here are some ways to get your kids moving.
- Consider getting active as a family. Go for a family hike, an evening bike ride, or toss a ball around in the local field. The activity will also make you feel great.
- Promote active transportation whenever possible instead of driving kids everywhere; for example, try biking or walking to a local corner store for a treat, or pack a picnic and bike or walk to a local park for dinner.
- Purchase some new or used sporting goods for your child or teen to play with. A basketball or volleyball net is a great way to get tweens and teens active with their friends.
- If you have the space for it, and are willing to invest, trampolines and pools are great ways to keep kids moving.
- Register your child for a team sport or activity. Talk to your child and find out what they may be interested in taking. For younger children, sometimes it helps to register a child in a sport that their friends or classmates are also doing.
- Try a new sport together. Is there something you have always wanted to try that you think your child may like? Take a course or lesson together. My first experience with rock climbing was with my mom when I was a teen. She wanted to try it and asked if I’d go with her. I’ve been an avid climber ever since.
- Spend time visiting local pools and playgrounds.
4. Writing
One of the best ways to encourage writing is to give kids something to write about. Summer holidays are a perfect time for kids to write. The key is to let them write what they want and how they want.
Creative Writing
Summer time provides ample opportunity for kids to curl up in a cozy spot with their favourite notebook and write to their heart’s content. They may choose to write poetry, a short story, or maybe some song lyrics. If you have a creative child, help them pick out a notebook, and some new pens, then step back and give them space to create.
Journaling
Family vacations are a great time for kids to do some journaling. They can write about the cool new places they have visited, the new people they have met, or how annoying their little brother is. Parents can support the journaling process by modelling it. A great way to do this is to assign 15 minutes after dinner, or around the campfire to journaling time. During this time, everyone (parents included) stops what they are doing and writes in their journals.
Goal setting
Summer is a great time for goal setting. Maybe a child wants to accomplish something over the summer such as jumping off the big diving board, or landing a trick on their skateboard. Perhaps they want to save up money from their summer job to buy something new. Or maybe they have some goals for the upcoming school year. What ever your child’s goal, getting them to write them down is the first step to accomplishing them. A great way to help your child with their goal setting is by providing them with a goal setting and planning book. Check out Color Your Dreams – A Weekly Guide to Planning and Living in Full Color which is a child friendly coloring, goal setting and weekly planner all in one!
5.Visit Museums, Galleries, Science Centres
Depending where you live, you may have many learning opportunities right at your doorstep. Take the time to visit some of these centres. Check out their websites to see if they are offering any special days over the summer. Sometimes they have discount days, or days with fun activities for kids. If you are planning a trip to another city, check out a new museum, aquarium or art gallery. Take a historical tour of your home city, or one you are visiting and let the guides be your teacher!
6. Science Experiments
There are so many interesting and fun science experiments that you can do at home. Check out my latest post on All Things Slimy.
In Conclusion
By all means let your kids have some fun and enjoy the summer holiday, but don’t think that just because school is out that learning has to stop. On the contrary, some of the richest learning experiences may happen during the summer months provided that opportunities for learning are presented to kids in a fun way.
