Ways To Prevent The Summer Slide

Did you know that about 2 months of Reading and Math skills are lost over the summer months?  It’s what teachers refer to as the “Summer Slide.”  As a parent, there ways to help your child from falling behind this year.  As a matter of fact, it takes as little as 2 to 3 hours per week during the summer to avoid any learning loss and Prevent The Summer Slide.

Ways To Prevent The Summer Slide:

Read, Read, Read:

Read Aloud– Children should read for a minimum of 20 minutes a day.  When reading aloud, children can practice their oral reading and comprehension skills.

Listen to Books– Children can develop their listening skills by listening to others read books aloud.  Ask children questions about the story to in order to check if they are understanding what they are hearing.

Visit the Library– Many libraries offer special summertime activities for children.  Our local library has reading challenges, book scavenger hunts, and other learning opportunities all summer long.

Visit Places In Your Community:

Visit the Zoo or Nature Preserve– Take advantage of the warm weather and take your children to a zoo or nature preserve.  Children can learn a lot about animals, plants, and other living things that live and grow in their community.  Like libraries, many zoos offer special activities for children during the summer including day camps.

Visit Museums– On rainy days, visit museums.  Many children’s museums provide a lot of hands-on and interactive learning opportunities for children of all ages.

Around the House Learning:

Chores– You can turn everyday activities into teachable moments and learning opportunities.  When you are folding laundry, have your child match the socks together or count the number of washcloths.  When you are emptying the dishwasher, have your son or daughter add the number of spoons and forks together or identify the shapes of the plates and glasses.

Plant A Garden–  Planting a garden gives children the chance to learn about nature and how things grow and change.  It also teaches kids about taking care of things and responsibility.

Cooking and Baking– By involving children in the kitchen, they learn many skills such as counting and how to properly measure ingredients.  They can also learn how things change when mixed together or heat is applied.  The possibilities for learning are endless!

Around Town Learning:

Grocery Shopping– When you are grocery shopping, you can easily provide your child with chances to learn.  Have your son or daughter add all of your groceries together as you put them into the cart.  You can teach your child about budgeting, using a calculator, and the value of money.  For younger children, ask your child to find specific items to encourage them to read.

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt–  To learn about the places around town, create a scavenger hunt for your child to locate places such as the fire station, library, or grocery store.  This is a fun way to teach him or her how to follow directions and use a map

These are a few Ways To Prevent The Summer Slide but there are learning opportunities everywhere.  Use learning resources and everyday activities to teach your child and avoid the “summer slide” this year.

You May Also Enjoy These Learning Resources:

• What Does My Child Need To Know Before Kindergarten?
• Way To Prepare Your Child For Kindergarten