Keep Your Kids' Minds Active During the Summer Break

Summer is a time when students traditionally trade in schoolbooks for swimsuits. While it is important to allow your children to unplug and recharge, it is equally important not to let them totally disengage from intellectual stimulation. Summer can be viewed as a break from school and the over-programming that goes with it, but should NOT be treated as a complete break from learning.

What gets rusty?

Children can lose an average of two months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills and 25% of their reading skills over the summer vacation, according to theNational Summer Learning Association (NSLA).  Further, their findings reveal at best students showed little or no academic growth over the summer.

Teachers spend a significant time re-teaching material to students when they return to class in September to offset the summer “brain drain,” says the association, which surveyed over 500 teachers and found that almost 70% spend 3-4 weeks at the start of school reviewing previously taught subject matter.

The slide backwards translates into performance on testing as well.  The NSLA reports that student performance on standardized testing is generally lower at the end of the summer versus the results on the same test at the end of the school year – even though only 2-3 months have elapsed.

Tactical approaches

First and foremost, expose children to experiences that will not only interest them, but also will excite and motivate them. Be creative! There are many choices of intellectual stimulation available. How about summer classes or interest-specific camps? 

Identify activities that build, strengthen and enhance a student's ability in a certain academic area. Also combine learning in a social and fun-filled environment such as a visit to a museum or zoo. And what about a mini-vacation to an interesting place like Hershey, Pa., or Stockbridge, Mass?

Kick back with a book …

One of the easiest remedies to implement: read, read, read! Take your children to the local library. Many branches will issue kids their own library card as well as sponsor reading programs with charts posted on the wall that show the children’s progress.

Also, schools issue suggested reading lists. Review these lists with your children either at the library or even use online resources such as Amazon.

… and then talk about it

Reading is far more effective when it is both a solitary activity and one that includes social interaction with parents, family members or adults, says Associate Professor James Kim of Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

In one summer study Kim conducted, books were given to children to read, but there was no interaction with anyone else. 

Younger children did not perform any better in the fall than those children who did nothing over the summer, although the older children saw slight gains on reading achievement tests. Significant improvement was seen, however, when reading over the summer involved some interaction with adults, he says. 

ABCs of improved reading

Aside from just asking your child questions about the books they are reading, what about forming a family book club when everyone chimes in at the dinner table about the book they are reading.  Communities are also reading together. Check outGreenwich Library, for example, which has announced its “Greenwich Reads Together” selections for different age groups.

Math doesn’t have to be boring

While reading is important, do not forget about math! In fact, the decline is more significant for math than it is for reading, according to the NSLA. 

Since kids lose more math skills than anything else, according to the association, while on vacation you can encourage children to be in charge of computing the mileage traveled. 

If they get an allowance, have them keep track of how and where they are spending their funds.  Helping with the cooking and measuring out portions, as well as assisting with shopping, all keep their math skills intact. 

Take advantage of technology

Kids love to use technology and there are excellent software and on-line math-based games available:

XtraMath – a free web program for students, teachers and parents

Calculation Nation - games are organized around content from the upper elementary and middle grades math curriculum

Education.com - free, online activities for children by subject and grade

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics  - online resources for elementary, middle and high school students

Summer is shorter than you think

For middle and high school students, summer is also an ideal time to begin preparation for the rigors of the upcoming school year. Many Advanced Placement and Honors classes require filling out summer packets, which cannot be completed at the last minute just a few days before school starts. 

Have your child pull together a game-plan with progress points throughout the summer as a means of their taking ownership for completing the work. It also gives them, as well as you, the ability to see if a late summer crunch is about to happen.

Keep the learning going throughout the summer.  At Greenwich Education Group, we have more than 70 subject-area specialists and certified teachers available for private tutoring and academic enrichment sessions this summer. For more information, call us at 203-661-1609. 

Editor's note: This article originally was posted as part of the Greenwich Educational Group's blog, "The Learning Curve," on Greenwich Patch and other Patch websites.