Summer slide is the tendency over the summer months for students to lose information and important gains made during the school year. Taking a break from the workload and routine of the academic year is crucial, but so is implementing a bit of structure—within the overall relaxation—to keep your child fresh, alert, and ready for the fall. Tips to prevent summer slide include reading activities, engaging field trips, and interactive games. Keep reading to learn about four strategies for preventing summer slide:
Tip #1 to prevent summer slide: read
Reading is a very beneficial way to prevent summer slide. It exercises many of your child’s faculties, including comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. Provide regular access to books by choosing a weekly or biweekly time to visit the public library or a local bookstore.
The summer months provide plenty of time to plan a variety of engaging activities around reading. These activities can include introducing higher-level books to your student or finding a unique way to track your child’s summer reading progress. Public libraries also often have great summer reading programs that can increase motivation and engagement, so be sure to research offerings.
[RELATED: 6 Activities to Keep Students Learning This Summer]
Tip #2 to prevent summer slide: journey out on field trips
Fields trips are a fun opportunity for your child to simultaneously maintain learned knowledge and continue learning over the summer months. These trips can include visiting museums, the zoo, or a local educational center. Children’s museums are especially interactive, and science and field museums often have tactile and engaging activities for children. Don’t be afraid to take your child to an art museum as well; many art museums offer child-friendly tours and activities.
Additionally, you and your child can:
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Go to the park and explore the surrounding environment.
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Take a hike at a local nature reserve.
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Visit your local honey farm or community garden.
Throughout this, urge your child to explore, both in the actual space and intellectually, encouraging them to ask questions and engage in the activities.
[RELATED: 6 Summer Learning Programs for Students of All Ages]
Tip #3 to prevent summer slide: play games
Games provide a great opportunity to increase mental speed and agility. You’ll want to both limit and take advantage of screen time; there’s a wealth of apps and online games that will challenge your child intellectually, but too much screen time can have a negative impact.
Point your child to board games as well. Strategy games and word games like Scrabble or Bananagrams can provide many benefits. An online search will yield an abundance of new games that are age- and grade-level appropriate for your child. If your child is interested, encourage them to create a board game of their own, complete with rules, the board, and the pieces.
Tip #4 to prevent summer slide: cook and garden
Involving your child in everyday activities can be a great way to keep their minds active and engaged. Cooking and baking are fun and interactive activities that help children engage with math and science. For example, going to the grocery store to prepare for these activities can help your child maintain everyday math skills while school is out for the summer.
Additionally, whether it be at your own home or at a local garden plot, you can start a garden with your child. This can teach similar skills to baking and cooking, and can allow students to grasp the concept of garden-to-table recipes.
[RELATED: How to Find Educational Summer Camps]
Many of these activities can be incorporated around summer camps and travel. Beyond these tips, correspond with your child’s teacher if possible. Often, they’ll have tips, book recommendations, and know of opportunities that are geared specifically to your child’s abilities and interests.
Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.
