Slow Down the Summer Slide!

Educators fear this the most – the Summer Slide!  Definition – a regression in academic proficiency due to summer break.

Younger children are more at risk for losing the information that they learned the previous year as the early school years are where so much basic learning takes place.  So what can you do to try to prevent this?

• Let kids choose their reading material.  When a child is interested in a topic, they will tend to gravitate to it more often. As a parent, ensure that the reading material is at a level that they can comprehend.
• Get out into the community – whether its visiting a museum or just reading in the park (with a picnic lunch) changing the location where learning takes place can make a difference. If your child is interested in dinosaurs – visit a dinosaur museum or exhibit, take dionosaur books out from the library, purchase some ” Dino Dig ” toys where your child can find a dino bone or a tooth.
• Make some time for play that is based on school skills. Games, puzzles, baking all help work on vocabulary, motor planning skills and math skills.
• Create a fun reading space – build a blanket or cushion fort, set up a small tent indoors or build a fort in the yard.

Encourage your child to use their imagination and to keep reading all summer long – they’ll be ready to jump back into their school activities!