Summer Slide
The Summer Slide is a well-known phenomenon in education. It refers to students regressing in their learning progress during the summer break. When kids are out of school, there’s a risk of academic proficiency declining because of the lack of consistent learning. Research shows that students can lose about 20% of their school-year gains in reading and 27% in math over the summer1. To prevent this, consider encouraging reading habits during the break—whether it’s through library visits, book clubs, or engaging with educational materials at home.
Slide to success with fun stuff
Keeping kids engaged during the summer break is essential for preventing the dreaded "summer slide." Here are some enjoyable and educational activities:
Reading Challenges: Encourage them to participate in summer reading programs at local libraries. You can also set reading goals on your own and reward their progress with small incentives.
Lead by Example: Your practice of reading shows them that reading is important to you so it will be important to them.
READ READ READ: Make reading a special time every night. Children of all ages enjoy being read to. It can be a special time of sharing and bonding. Every story can lead to great discussions. TALK about it.
Movie Watchers: Do your older kids have favorite movies? Of course, they do. There is a good chance that the movie came from a book! Get the book from the library and enjoy all the new pieces of information the movie left out. Then you can watch the movie again and spot all the differences. Make it a seek-and-find adventure. Believe it or not, they will be practicing an important reading skill, compare and contrast. You don’t need to tell them that!
Nature Exploration: Take nature walks anywhere, visit parks, and explore the outdoors. Discuss plants, animals, and ecosystems. You can even create a nature journal together. Talk about everything you can and don’t forget to use great BIG vocabulary words.
Cooking Adventures: Involve kids in cooking or baking. It's a great way to practice reading, sequencing, comprehension, and math (measuring ingredients) and learn about nutrition.
Art and Creativity: Set up an art station with supplies like colored pencils, markers, and paper. Encourage them to write, draw, paint, or craft.
Family Book Club: Choose a book to read as a family and discuss it together. Make it a weekly or biweekly event.
Remember, the key is to blend learning with enjoyment. 😊
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