These tips will help your child shake off learning loss during the summer months
Many children who have summers off from school end up spending several weeks catching up when they return in the fall. It’s called academic delay and it sets teachers and students back and stalls your child’s development. So how can you put a stop to (or at least minimize) this summer learning loss?
Here are 7 ways to keep your child engaged and learning while they’re out of school for the summer:
1. Make Your Own Field Trips
Family outings to a local museum are very educational and it’s likely your child will find something of interest there. Art, science or history museums are filled with an interesting topic with academic value. And your child won’t be the only one to benefit – you will too! Also, trips to factories, zoos, arboretums, aquariums and historical sites can be interesting fun for everyone.
2. Travel Or Explore The World At Home
If you’re taking a vacation, work in some educational components and sightseeing to the trip. If there are no vacation plans this summer, you can explore the world without leaving your house. For example, online maps, globes, and atlases are all tools that can allow for exploration and learning. Then, you can do activities around the house that center around the part of the world you’ve explored.
3. Kitchen Learning
The relaxed schedule of the summer allows for some creativity and togetherness in the kitchen. Kids of all ages can find a place in the kitchen when school is out of the equation. Learning kitchen skills is both practical and fun, and food can be educational. You’ll love the quality time spent together – not to mention the treats you’ll enjoy at the end!
4. Good Old Summer Camp
A tradition as old as time, summer camp never goes out of style. Sending your child to an interest-based summer camp will allow them to connect with other kids and their counselors and learn from them, as well as find a deeper understanding of the camp’s topic. When camp is over, be sure to engage with your child about how it went and ask questions.
5. Game Nights
Surprisingly, playing card and board games can keep the mind sharp and expand. Kids can develop new vocabulary and math skills or maintain previous skills by playing games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, various card games or Sorry!
6. Check Out Your Library
It’s not all about reading. Local libraries are stocked with multimedia resources and a variety of activities that are fun and educational for children. Over time, going to the library is a good habit to form, and eventually will lead to an increase in reading.
7. Visit Extended Family
Connecting with that uncle on the other side of the country is a good way for children to grasp background and heritage. Grandma and grandpa have a lot of stories and memories to share. Spend some time with extended family to learn about the past and spur interest in the topics that have importance to your family.
After a productive summer, development and learning can continue full speed ahead with online courses from Achieve Virtual Academy. Achieve Virtual truly offers the best of both worlds, being Indiana’s only online high school with the resources and rich academic history of a public school district.
Single classes and full enrollment can help your child build off of the great learning that’s done at home. Contact us today or call 317-622-0915 to explore the opportunities available in online learning for your child!
