The school year is coming to a close and your child has made so much progress in class that you worry all will be lost during the long summer of inactivity. But summer can also be a tremendous time for learning and cognitive growth.
Here are some ideas to help keep your child's mind active during the warm, lazy months of summer:
- Visit an educational store and purchase a math workbook at your child's grade level. If your child is completing third grade, then purchase a workbook at grade 3 for review or grade 4 for more of a challenge. But all workbooks are different and you have to decide what you want for your child either a review of the previous year or a challenge. Encourage your child to do a page or two a few times a week in order to review and or stay on top of their math skills.
- Purchase a pack of flashcards in addition, subtraction, multiplication or division as well for your child to review during the long months of summer. Instead of you quizzing your child, let them quiz you.
- Reading comprehension workbooks are also available in educational stores. I have even seen a genre of workbooks at specific grade levels in Wal-Mart and Target.
- Computer games can also be educational. Some educational links are: kids.yahoo.com/games and Time4Learning.
- Online links for great resources and current events for kids to read are: Time For Kids and Scholastic. Activities and worksheets are also available at no cost on these sites.
- Visiting a public library on a regular basic this summer is also a wonderful opportunity for kids. A public library offers so many free resources. Not only is your child able to check out a variety of books, but libraries have summer reading programs that give rewards at the end of the summer when the reading goal is attained. These programs are terrific motivational tools for your child!
- For working parents, there are some valuable day camps available through the Girls and Boys Clubs, the YMCA and other organizations. Theme parks such as Legoland and Sea World also offer special summer programs for kids. You might want to check your local zoo and museums as well for educational summer programs. Camps which specialized in specific sports are another fantastic way for your child to get off the couch and get moving. Popular camps for kids are rock climbing, surfing, Junior Lifeguard, soccer, swimming. Check your local recreation center for more information. Research shows that physical activity stimulates the mind and your child will love the fun activities too.
- Family vacations are always the highlight of summer. So wherever you take your child give them a map of where you are going. Maps are free at AAA offices for members. You don't have to go far on any excursion for it to be a learning experience. My son always loved mapping out our trips by car and plane long before MapQuest was available.
- There are many road games to play with your child, if you can afford such a trip with the insane gasoline prices. The “Alphabet Road Game” is using the letters of the alphabet in order and calling the words out along the road as you see them. The letter “Q” is always a tough one, as is the letter “X”, but it keeps everyone on their toes and thinking. One highly rated travel/road game site for families with kids is MomsMinivan.
- Traveling by plane always requires lots of waiting and patience. Plan ahead and prepare by having your child select books which are interesting to read during the long waits in airports and on airplanes. Word searches and puzzle games also help pass the time. If you are going to a different city have your child find out about your destination online or through travel books first and then your child can help you plan your itinerary and learn new things as well
Summer most of all is a time to relax, enjoy and spend quality time together as a family. Summer is not a time for the structure of the school year. However, summer vacation for kids should not be spent playing video games indoors day in and day out either. Parents need to take the lead and set up a system of positive experiences that keep learning ongoing and create wonderful family memories!
