Ready or not, another summer season is upon us! For months children have dreamed of an extended break from the structured school schedule. While summer is a wonderful time to decompress, parents need to be mindful of the phenomenon that has become known as the summer slump. The result of not receiving enough educational stimulation over the summer months, the slump often leads to a loss of previously acquired education. What can parents do to avoid this reversal of learning? Red Apple Reading has some tips to help your child beat the summer slump!
Keep Reading – One of the most important things that parents can do to fight the summer slump is to continue to read to and encourage their children to read over break.
- Make sure that your kiddos have plenty of reading material as well as a designated time set aside each day for reading.
- We can’t sing the praises of the local public library loudly enough! Take advantage of the free reading material available for borrowing as well as the summer reading programs that are offered.
- Start a summer book club. Have your kiddo and her friends pick 3 or 4 books to read together over the summer. Once every couple of weeks, come together to discuss and enjoy refreshments.
Monitor Screen Time – When left to their own devices, kids will not always choose the best video games to play or television shows to watch.
- Limit Screen Time – Carefully monitor children’s screen time during the summer to ensure that an excessive amount of time is not being idly spent.
- Encourage Wise Choices – When your little one does have permission to use electronics, encourage him to choose shows and games that are educational in nature. Check out Red Apple Reading’s online reading software for free!
Review Math Facts – As frustrating as it can be to review math facts with our kids over the summer months, the payoff for them when school resumes will be huge.
- Check out online reviews – There are several really great websites out there that will help your kiddo avoid a summer math slump. Quizlet and Greg Tang Math are just a couple of quality sites that you should check out.
- Make Flash Cards – The old fashioned flash card still does the job when it comes to memorizing multiplication and division facts. After several rounds of quizzing, pull out the ones your child is consistently getting wrong and focus solely on those.
Maintain Structure – A flexible schedule will ensure that your child is getting plenty of rest and spending a good portion of her day productively.
- Set reasonable bed times – Your kid may not have to attend school the next day, but she still needs plenty of rest. Don’t throw bedtime out just because summer has arrived.
- Make sure that your kiddo is not spending large portions of his day in mindless activity. Chores, learning activities, reading, and outdoor play should be incorporated into the daily schedule.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your child having a break from the rigors of everyday school. Like us, kids need down time to relax and recharge their batteries. Just be mindful of the brain drain that can occur over the summer months and incorporate a reasonable amount of learning and structure into the break!
