7 Ways To Help Kids Kick The ‘Summer Slide’

We all know how important reading and academics are during the school year, but what about the summer months?

Should you let your children take a break from ‘traditional’ learning and allow them to kick back, play video games and relax, or should you keep them engaged with school and academics so they aren’t struggling to keep up when they get back to school in the Fall?

While it may be tempting to let the kids take the reins on their schedules for the next couple of months (ahem, let yourself kick back this summer…), experts agree that having your kids stay mentally engaged throughout the summer really pays off.

The earlier you instill the love of reading, the better. Babies love pictures and the sound of your voice (and being held!) so why not combine these and read to them out loud? For toddlers and older kids, changing the tone and pitch of our voice can keep them engaged for longer periods of time.

1) Instill the love of reading.

2) Make it an adventure.

Often neighborhood libraries have weekly story hours where someone reads out loud to the children and even acts out the book. This is great for younger kids and also provides an outing for you and your family. You can also pack a small picnic and take books to sit on a blanket in the park and read to them.

You may want to take your kids on a summer ‘field trip’ to a local

museum or art gallery and take the time to truly soak it all in

and discuss what you saw.

3) Let them lead their very own ‘Summer School’

Have your kids pick out a few skills or topics they are passionate about, like juggling, coding, or endangered species. Together, go to a local library or bookstore and pick out a few books and sit down with your children to create a fun summer curriculum around the topics they have chosen! Not only is this a great way to encourage your children to explore learning outside of the classroom, but it also makes them feel more involved and in control!

4) Read every night before bed.

This can often be the best time to foster a love of reading in your child. During this quiet and lazy time of the evening, children are more apt to sit still and usually begin to look forward to this nightly routine (…another way to stay up a little longer!).

5) Reading with older kids.As my children grow and are able to read on their own, we have started to read aloud to each other. This is a real treat for me at the end of a long day and the kids get to show off their reading skills. It’s important to keep reading together even when they can read on their own. Remember, you are not only getting them to read, but also sharing some real quality time with your kids.

6) Put them in coding camp!

With coding becoming more and more of a relevant skill for kids to learn today, there has been a huge boom of coding camps popping up everywhere! If your child is interested in technology and even coding specifically, see if you can find a local camp that will get him thinking outside the box!

7) Set up a summer-long nature scavenger hunt.

Not only will a summer scavenger hunt encourage your children to unplug and get outside, but it will also keep them busy learning at the same time!

Create a list of creatures, bugs, birds and plants that are local to your area and see if you can get a few kids involved to make it more fun. Have them document what they find, either with pictures or drawings, and then learn everything they can about each creature or plant.

If you can use these ways to keep reading and learning fun and interesting, chances are pretty good that your kids will get back to school in great shape and ahead of the game, and hopefully with a few new interests or hobbies under their belt!

How do you help your kids avoid the summer slide?