Many students experience a regression in learning when they neglect to engage in any educational activities over the summer break. Most children experience interactive learning when they participate in summer camps and programs, which may incorporate some aspects of reading, writing, art, and exploration. For children who spend their summer break at home or on a family vacation, it’s important for parents to encourage some form of daily learning to help their children prepare for their next grade level. Here are some ways to prevent summer learning loss in your kids:
Make Time for Learning
It’s important to take a little down time to beat the heat and make time for learning. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes daily – that’s all it takes! During this time encourage your child to find enjoyment in reading and writing.
Keep track of your child’s progress over the summer by scheduling their daily reading time, math, or writing activities on a calendar. It will help you gain a better perspective on what they’ve accomplished and if there are any subjects that may have been overlooked.
For parents with younger children who are at a pre-reading level or have a child that is falling below their grade level; reading to your child for 10-15 minutes daily is highly beneficial for their development.
Encourage Creative Writing
Creative writing is fun for children. It gives them a chance to exercise their imagination and tell a story that is fun and exciting. Ask your child to write a short story at least once a week; it can be about a paragraph or longer. Help them by providing a topic or theme, such as a “special outing” or “memorable holiday/vacation.” This is a great opportunity to review, build, and reinforce their grammar and spelling skills. There are also many workbooks you can buy from local stores that are aimed towards specific grade levels. These workbooks can help your children review the past grade level as well as preparing for an easier transition into the next grade level. You can set aside 2 to 3 lessons from the workbooks weekly.
Develop Math Skills
Math is not the most popular subject among children. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it fun by incorporating math problem-solving skills into our daily lives. You can test their critical problem-solving skills by creating fun impromptu activities like an outdoor counting game or a number matching game with playing cards. The addition of prizes and rewards for getting the right answer are also great for keeping their interest level high. There are math workbooks for your child’s grade level you can buy from bookstores or department stores. Take the time to complete at least 4 to 5 math problems a day. This can drastically help close the gap for students of all ages and develop more critical math skills.
Focus on Areas of Improvement
Based on your child’s latest report card, determine if there are any areas of improvement you can focus on during your daily summer learning sessions. As a parent, it may seem like decades ago when you last went to school but don’t be discouraged. Teaching methods and lessons may be foreign to you, but you don’t need to feel helpless when it comes to supporting your children’s education. Take advantage of the many tools and resources readily available to help your child overcome their most challenging learning curves. Use online resources, workbooks, computer games, and other activities to make learning fun and easy for both parents and kids.
Read Together
Encourage your child to find enjoyment in reading. Whether it’s a short story, novel, magazine, comic, or graphic novel – all types of reading are beneficial. 15 to 30 minutes or more of reading a day is all it takes! Give your child the freedom to choose what they want to read over the summer break. Just make sure it’s appropriate for their grade level.
To get more information on giving your child a learning environment that builds self-awareness, emotional intelligence, strong morals, and ethical values; contact Guiding Light Academy, a local private school in Mississauga. At Guiding Light Academy, we aim to inspire lifelong learning and develop spiritual awareness by utilizing the whole child approach to education.
Learn more today by visiting our website or booking a tour of our school.