Summer vacation is coming — a little over two months of free time and fun for your kids — but that doesn’t mean they should lose everything they learned over the school year.
The long, lazy days of summer pose a risk for school-aged children, and it’s even been coined as “summer brain drain.” Research suggests if your child’s brain remains stagnant without challenge over the summer months, they could lose, on average, 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in math skills and nearly a whole reading level. Other studies suggest on the average students will score lower on standardized test at the end of the summer vacation compared to the same tests they took at the beginning of the summer.
If you want your kids off the couch and away from the TV and instead to remain active intellectually and physically, then show them the way by exposing them to alternative extracurricular activities. Children learn by imitation. If Mom or Dad reads, the child is going to follow suit. And if the child can’t read, read to him. Any kind of learning, when attached to love, will create habit. Strong reading skills are the basis of any good education, so whenever you get the chance, encourage your children to read. Other creative ways to plant the seed for the love of reading include summer reading programs offered through local libraries, story hour at the bookstore and summer book clubs. Book clubs are also a great way to learn goal setting through personal reading goals and even offer rewards and surprises for top readers.
You don’t have to change summer into school time, but you can keep from losing what they’ve learned in school by making small changes to their every day outlook on life. Simple everyday activities at home can be turned into learning opportunities for your kids.
Visualize your kitchen as a math lab by asking your child to assist you with cooking and baking recipes. Measuring and figuring out fractions can be turned into kitchen fun. For example, ask your child how many milliliters are in a liter or have them find a recipe in a cookbook to cook for the entire family where they have to triple the recipe.
Take your kids grocery shopping and challenge them to find a meal or dinner idea to feed the whole family for $15.
Focus on the child’s specific interest, too. Does he like the outdoors? Plant a vegetable garden, and use that as an opening to discuss nature. Is she into music? Encourage her to write original lyrics to a song, and then videotape her performing it. It’s an excellent way to practise writing.
Get opinions from other children and parents that have firsthand experience with the camps. As in-depth questions such as, does it offer an enriching experience or is it just glorified babysitting?
Add and educational theme to your vacation. Once you’ve decided on a particular destination, look up national parks in the area or historical sites and then take the kids on a geological or historical tour. Or pick up a book or travel guide on where you’re going before you leave.
Plan day trips or the zoo or local museum. These places offer educational programs with fun learning activities.
Join a local pool or organized sport. These are great ways for your kids to make friends, build their confidence and stay fit while having fun.
Positive Parenting appears every week in LIFE. This week’s column was written by the home visiting staff Family Services of Central Alberta. Family Services of Central Alberta can be reached by calling 403-343-6400 or www.fsca.ca