4 Ways to Beat the Summer Slide
Get inspired with these strategies to help keep your child’s mind powered up all season long.
“Summer slide” or “summer learning loss” is the tendency for students, especially from low-income families, to lose some of the educational gains they achieved throughout the school year during their summer break.
To combat the “summer slide”, here are four ways to keep your child academically and physically engaged over the summer months:
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Reading
Scholastic Books cites research that shows reading just six books over the summer can go far in keeping students on track when they return to the classroom. Take advantage of your local library and ask for help selecting books that match your child’s age, abilities, and interests. Libraries often run summer reading programs that motivate kids to read, so find out what’s available in your area. Encourage your child to take advantage of every opportunity to read. Whether that’s reading something from a newspaper or in a recipe…it could be just about anything. Reading aloud also benefits children, especially those who struggle. One benefit is that you can read books your child can’t, so they will build listening comprehension skills with grade-level and above books. This will increase their knowledge and expand their experience with text so that they will do better when they read on their own.
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Science
Try these easy STEM experiments at home, with parental supervision.
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Math
Try these 6 fun math games to keep your kids engaged and learning on road trips.
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Physical Education
Research shows that even just 20 minutes of exercise a day can stimulate your child’s brain and keep their academic skills sharp. Play a game or sport, go for a walk at the park, ride bikes, visit a lake or beach, or go on a scavenger hunt. If it’s too hot outside, stay indoors and dance to music, try yoga or stream a kid-friendly workout video online.
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