Four Easy Ways to Make Summer Break Fun and Educational

For kids, the highly anticipated summer months isa time where they can finally put down the books and pencils as another school year closes out. While this break may seem well-deserved, ongoing research indicates that most students can lose up to two to three months of critical math and reading skills. Parents can prevent this potential learning loss by incorporating easy learning activities into their routine, while still creating a fun and memorable summer.

Here are four easy ways to make summer break fun and educational for your family!

1. Summer Reading

Encourage reading every day! The magical thing about books is that they can make our imaginations soar – whether it’s by whisking us off to faraway lands or transporting us back into history. They can also spark new interests. Designate a cozy nook for your children where they can relax and get lost in a book. Try a hammock in the backyard or build your own reading fort with blankets and pillows. You can also read the same books as your kids! Tackling the same reading list as your children can be your own form of a book club. Engaging in thoughtful discussions will further develop their insight and critical reading skills.

2. Make Family Vacations Impactful

Let your child help plan a trip by researching destinations where you can visit local attractions like museums, educational city tours, zoos, national parks, or aquariums.

3.  A Night Under the Stars

Plan a family campout in the backyard to stargaze. This is a fun way to learn the name of the constellations, which may even spark an interest in space exploration and Greek mythology.

4. Family Game Night

Pick a night of the week and host a family friendly weekly game night. For younger kids, you can play a card game like Go Fish, which works with numbers, attention and concentration, and memorization skills. For older kids, Scrabble is a great game for language skills and Monopoly is great for counting currency and thinking strategically.

Discover even more study tips and resources that can help advance your children’s ability in math and reading.