Summer can be an exciting and chaotic time for families with children. With your kids out of school, the entire routine that you have had gets thrown out of whack. There is less structure during the days. To ensure that your kids do not forget everything that they have learned during the year, there are many things that you and your family can do to ensure that your kids’ brains stay active. There is no activity that does not connect to learning in some way. Here are some things that you can do with your children, of any age, to ensure that they continue learning all summer long.
#1) Vacation
While many people believe that vacation is all about having fun and building unforgettable family memories, vacations can be even more beneficial. Recent studies have found that children who go on vacation with their family tend to do better in school the following year than those who did not go on a vacation that summer. Going on vacation helps children connect the things that they learn in school to real life. Children who go to the beach, an amusement park, a neighborhood park, the mountains, or any other place are able to connect what they read about to real-life events. This encourages their reading and participation in class.
#2) Interactive Television Shows
While we do not want to just sit our kids in front of the television all day long, we all know that it provides us with a much-needed break during the day. If you sit your children in front of the television for an hour a day you should ensure that they are watching the best kids educational shows possible. These shows typically encourage learning, spelling, reading, math, science, and social studies. No matter how old or young your child is, you can find an education television show for them to watch.
#3) Visit A Local Bookstore
You should encourage your children to read during the summer if it is not already mandatory by your school. Even if your child has to read summer reading books, you should still encourage them to read books that they find interesting. Some local bookstores, like Barnes & Noble, offer storytime each Saturday to encourage children to read. Children are able to connect with their peers, read along while they listen to a story, and look at other books while they are there. Some bookstores also give children a free book if they read so many books during the summer. This is a great motivator for some children.
#4) Cook or Bake With Your Children
If you are looking for a creative and fun way to work on math skills with your children this summer, you can cook and bake with them. Following recipes and measuring ingredients is a great and fun way to connect math to the real world. No matter how old or young your children are, you can find engaging ways to have them help you in the kitchen. For younger children, you
can ask them which is bigger, a tablespoon or a cup. Older children may have fun converting between ml and cups. If you are looking for a great recipe that is also healthy for you and your children, you can try baking banana oatmeal applesauce muffins. These muffins make the perfect breakfast or snack and can be shared with their friends if you are looking to set up playdates.
#5) Keep A Journal
If you are looking to improve your children’s writing and reading skills, you can encourage them to keep a journal this summer. Each day you can look to do something new and exciting with your children so that they have something to write about. If your children are young, you can help them write a sentence or two each day. If your children are older, you can encourage them to write a paragraph or even a whole page, depending on what you did that day. Keeping a journal not only helps them practice their skills, but it will be a fun thing for them to go back and read when they get older. You can encourage them to write each day by giving them stickers to decorate their pages with. Stickers are a great motivator for children of all ages.
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