During the three and a half months that make up the American summer break, many students forget a large portion of what they learned during the school year. This summer learning loss can set students behind and make the start of the next academic year challenging for them.
However, spending just an hour a day on educational pursuits can make a huge difference for students over the summer. Although some parents opt for workbooks and schedules, there are many other ways to make learning fun and keep your kids growing all summer long.
-
Teach Them Games
Board games are one way to engage your kids’ brains and help them build new skills over the summer. Chess engages critical thinking skills, requiring students to think ahead and strategize with each move. Other board games like Sorry and Monopoly will help kids practice counting and saving.
If your children love board games, encourage them to create some of their own. This will require them to create their own background story and set up rules to make the game work. You can encourage them to use games they love for inspiration. In addition to developing number skills, board games also teach collaboration and character development.
-
Spend Time Outside
Another way to encourage active learning this summer is through outdoor activities. While your kids are outside, they’ll be exploring their natural environment – learning more about plants, animals, and the interactions in their local ecosystem. They’ll also learn about physics by building forts and climbing trees.
Try sending your kids into the backyard for scavenger hunts. Have them draw the leaves and birds they see outside and encourage them to write science reports and creative stories about what they see. You can also plan family hikes and nature walks where you talk about local flora and fauna and experience the great outdoors together.
-
Get Creative Together
Kids love the process of creating, and summer is the perfect time to teach them new skills. Consider hosting an informal cooking class with your kids once a week, and style it after the Great British Baking Show. You can also work through a list of recipes and build a cookbook together.
Other fun crafts to learn this summer include origami, making ice cream, building fun science experiments, and designing marble runs. If there’s a skill you want to learn, have your child learn it with you. For example, even young children can learn how to sew a simple project or help you start a garden.
-
Take Educational Trips
If you’re near a major city, you have access to many educational centers like history museums, botanical gardens, observatories, and art galleries. Plan some weekend trips this summer and expose your kids to educational material in an exciting and fun way.
Some other locations you could visit are the zoo, national parks, and historical sites. On every trip you take, engage with your kids about what they’re learning. For example, you could ask each child to choose a favorite painting at an art gallery and then have them research the painting’s artist when you get home.
-
Visit the Library
Your local library is a free resource that can help your kids keep learning all summer. Establish a schedule where you visit once a week, and let your kids pick out several books each time you go. You can keep the books together in a special basket at home so that they don’t get lost.
Reading library books will expand your kids’ knowledge of the world and give them an opportunity to practice responsibility by taking care of the books and returning them on time. At the library, you’ll find a wealth of material for every grade level, covering science, history, diaries, and biographies.
-
Follow Their Passions
One of the best ways to instill a love of learning in your children is by helping them pursue their passions. If your child loves insects, find ways to help them learn about bugs this summer. You can buy them an ant farm, borrow books on the anatomy and structure of insects, and take them to a natural history museum to learn more.
You can also introduce a family topic you’ll all pursue together over the summer. This should be something you care about and will explore in a multitude of creative ways. Studying American history, learning the basics of agriculture, or practicing water purification are all good examples. Although your kids will be learning, they’ll also have a lot of fun with this unit study.
-
Live Life Together
Life skills like time management, grocery shopping, and cleaning are all part of a well-rounded education. Even if you don’t pursue any formal education this summer, you can use this time to teach your kids everyday skills they’ll need throughout life.
The best way to help your kids grow is to take them along with you as you’re practicing these skills. For example, take your kids shopping with you and show them how you follow a budget. Teach them the value of morning and evening routines, and ask for their help with household chores. You can also model emotional maturity in the way you manage disappointment and a busy schedule.
Make Learning Fun
Finding fun summer learning activities is the perfect way to keep your kids engaged and growing over the seasonal school break. With just a little time each day, you can keep their brains working and make the start of the next school year much easier.
However, summer learning is also an opportunity to remind your kids that education doesn’t only happen at school, and it doesn’t always look like deskwork. Learning is something your kids will do for the rest of their lives, and teaching them to love the process will equip them to go farther in life and enjoy the journey.
