School is out, so why should learning still be a priority? Unfortunately, in our society it is extremely important to continue to progress intellectually through the summer months just to be able to survive the next school year. As parents, it is our duty to make sure this learning continues throughout the summer months.
Research has shown that students who do not read over the summer can lose one to three months of progress in reading. On the flip side of that, students who do read over the summer and have involved parental support with reading can actually gain achievement in reading. I know many of you are saying that you know all this, but find it impossible to motivate your child to actually read. Here are a few ways to "trick" them into continual learning.
Go to the Library
Reading really is fundamental and there is no one who can disguise this better than the librarian. Join the summer reading program. Your child will love it since they can earn certificates. Some places even give away t-shirts for a certain amount of books read. Look for these incentives, your child will love getting prizes. Where I live the local grocery store even offers incentives for books read over the summer. Also, the library has great educational programs from story times for school age children to magic shows. Drop in and ask your librarian for summer events.
Create Your Own Reward System
This should be something that a child visually sees every day so if you have to make a chart, etc., do so. I once read of a woman who turned one of their walls into a sea. Every time her child finished a book, he was able to create a fish or sea creature, write the title and then stick it on the wall. A visual reminder of his achievement. Sit down with your child and come up with some rewards or activities they would like to do this summer. Then you set the guidelines. It could be as easy as reading five books equals a trip to their favorite party place. You know your child best, so you know what is going to motivate them. Be sure and ask your child's school for a list of books that need to be read over the summer so you are picking grade level appropriate.
Go On Field Trips
Kids learn best by doing, so enjoy the time with your child. What you may think of as play can be a great learning experience. Visit the zoo. You can even read books about the zoo or its animals before the trip. There is a great website called enchantedlearning.com that offers great printables, crafts and even snacks for every theme imaginable. Visit your local museums or art galleries. Go to some free concerts in the park. Tour local historical landmarks or businesses. All of these will provide educational experiences for your child.
Play, Play, Play
Children learn a lot from play. Building with legos, lincoln logs or just blocks get their brain working. Doing puzzles can be great from simple jigsaw puzzles to rubix cubes. All of them get their mind working to look for solutions. You think your child is to big to play things like that? Try and see if you don't learn a lot about your child over a 1,000 piece puzzle. Let them play some educational computer games. There are some great math games online like math baseball. Board games are also great because it gets them counting, strategizing, etc.
Write, Write, Write
Research has shown that kids who can write will do better in all of their other subjects. Our local school district has enacted something called, "Writing Across The Curriculum," for this very reason. Writing has been incorporated in every subject because it has been shown to be essential for student success. Have your child keep a summer journal. Help him to think of topics to write about each day. Make up stories as a family. Start with one sentence then have each member take turns writing the next sentence. You will be surprised how creative these stories can get.
The important thing is to offer a variety of educational activities a day. Playing outside can be educational. Go on nature walks. Just think of what your child likes best and try to incorporate learning into some activities to foster that passion! Summer flies by, so make sure your child stays prepared for the next year throughout summer.
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