The kids are out of school for the summer and a lot of them are probably thinking no school means no work. But education experts say not so fast kiddos.
Studies have shown kids lose a lot of knowledge during the summer break if they don’t keep their minds sharp.
Over the summer break kids experience more than two months of setback in math computation skills in elementary school and similar losses in reading performance.
The national summer learning association suggests parents and caregivers keep kids' minds active during the summer months by keeping it in their routine.
Some suggestions:
- Set a minimum reading time every day, (20, 30, 45 minutes a day)
- Find an educational website online to help kids stay sharp. A lot of them are more like games so it’s also fun and entertaining for the children
- Consider a math/reading tutor
- Plan summer day trips to museums, the science center, nature centers, hikes, etc to engage kids in that way.
Keeping kids off the devices during summer months can be a constant battle.
One way to keep them on track with priorities is a checklist, like the one below.