Preventing the “Summer Slide”
It is a recognized and widely-accepted fact: over the long summer break, many students will forget facts and concepts, become ‘rusty’ at skills, and fall out of good study habits. This ‘summer slide’ means that students will need to spend the start of the next school year reviewing material, refreshing skills, and refining proficiency. But it’s not inevitable! Here are some things you can do to help keep learning going over the summer.
Following a recipe.
Intentionally Educational Activities
This summer, seek out and engage in activities that are focused on learning. Following a recipe can be a great way to practice math and sequencing. Looking through a newspaper can keep you informed about current events or help build vocabulary. Tending a garden can teach real-life lessons about horticulture and botany. Museums, galleries, nature reserves, historical sites, and libraries are obvious destination for educational fun. You may discuss the trip beforehand or preview the location online so that your child’s curiosity is sparked. Bringing along supplies such as a notebook/sketchbook and coloured pencils will allow your child to record the experience in a more meaningful way than simply snapping photos. Even just for fun outings can become learning experiences, if you use your imagination: if there are 4 seats in each car of the roller coaster, and it has 8 cars altogether…
Share a new hobby – like gardening!
Model Lifelong Learning
You probably would like your child to be a lifelong learner. Are you? Set an example by researching a topic of interest, learning a new skill, taking an online course, or trying out a new hobby. If children think learning is something that only students do and that only happens during school hours, they will miss many opportunities to increase their own knowledge and gain new skills. Start setting learning goals together for the weeks of summer or beyond (memorizing math facts, or reading two novels, mastering a new song on the piano, etc.).
Reading the newspaper.
Hold on to Good Habits
Continue the good study habits your child carefully cultivated over the school year. Whether it is daily reading, weekly spelling words, journal writing, or math practice, set aside time to keep these up. There are many fun (and free!) websites with games for children of all ages to practice math skills, literacy, or learn about science, geography and more.
Make this a summer of learning that lasts!