As a mom, I look forward to the end of the last-minute shuffle out the door to school each morning that occurs after we've tracked down lost shoes, slowly filled water bottles, packed lunches, complained about the feeling of socks, said goodbye to the dogs…five times, and finally reached the long carpool line for morning drop-off. I think I look forward to summer break just as much as they do! But with some simple, and fun, practice throughout our less-structured summer days, I can set them up for success before they even set foot in the school for the start of the next year. How to Stop Summer Slide:
- Read to your children, and allow them to read to you. Ask them questions about the book (practicing comprehension), allow them to sound out words, point to sight-words, and allow them to read books that interest them. Reading should be fun!
Consider enrolling your child in a summer reading program at your local library or through Scholastic's online program.
- Allow your children to ignite their imagination! Set aside the electronic devices for a bit of time each day and encourage creative play. Perhaps they will build a fort, learn to draw, head into the backyard for a nature scavenger hunt, build with Legos, or even make up a game with their siblings.
- Take a trip. It doesn't need to be a fancy vacation or well-planned outing. Instead, get out of the house and explore. Go for a hike, plan a picnic, or even take a trip to the library (when they reopen!). Try a new experience and allow your child to be a part of the planning. Simply doing the same activity in a new location better stimulates our brains, so break away from your family room and head outside (or somewhere inside with great air conditioning, if you live somewhere hot!).
- Learn something new. If your kids are anything like mine, I start hearing the two most-dreaded words within the first week of summer break: "I'm bored". Stop these words in their tracks by providing your child the opportunity to learn a new skill, learn about a topic, or expand their knowledge pertaining to something they already love. Ignite Learning Academy's Summer Learning Camp allows you to bring this learning into your home (or anywhere with an internet connection) to extend their learning over the summer.
Learn more about Ignite Learning Academy's Summer Learning Programs here. Summer learning for students entering grades 1-6 helps stop Summer Slide and dynamic and engaging courses allow students entering grades 6-12 to ignite their passion and learn something new!