Beat the Summer Slide

Okay let me just drag out my little soap box for a moment.  I'm being the public school teacher instead of the mom for this post.  Ahem. 

Parents (and grandparents and nannies, and everybody else who looks after kids) please, oh please be aware of the summer slide.  No, no I'm not talking about something kids play on at the park.  The summer slide is the information and skill loss that occurs in school-aged kids over the long break.  Elementary-age children lose as much as two months worth of educational progress when they have a summer that does not involve cracking a book or picking up a pencil.  This loss can, of course, be corrected when they return to school, but it will take time.  That means your child starts "behind" and has to catch up.  Not so much fun.

Not only that, but studies show that the loss is cumulative.  Therefore, a child who always has summers truly "off" ends up one to two years behind some of their peers by the time they reach high school.  Could this be part of the reason some kids are so ready for advanced classes while others struggle with the basics? 

Luckily, it is very easy to combat the slide.  You do not have to drill with textbooks for hours every day.  Here are a few ideas (mostly targeted at elementary-age kids, but some are adaptable) for beating the summer brain blahs:

1. Read! read! read!  Together, separately, picture books and others.  There is no substitute for the power of reading practice.  Join a summer reading program at your library (get down there TODAY!) or just make up a "book club" of your own with a few friends.  Make reading a fun habit, and be sure to show your kids that you read for fun too.

2. Write! write! write!  Physical practice is especially important here.  Muscles quickly forget how to form letters, so it's great to keep them flexed.  Write letters to Grandma, Daddy or Mommy at work, or even just friends.  Have them write your grocery list.  Draw pictures or write stories together.  Point out any time that you use writing in work or daily life.

3. Think about numbers.  These activities depend on the age of the child, but math is everywhere.  Simple counting tasks are fun for little ones; while older kids might calculate budgets or figure sports stats.  You can even ask for help in figuring tips and sale prices from your older child.

4.  Solve problems.  Building tasks are great for kids of all ages, and the activity can get more complicated as the child gets older.  A giant cardboard box (think fridge or stove) is a wonderful start.  Allow kids to plan, mark, cut (as appropriate), paint, glue, and otherwise modify their project.  Planning and carrying out a task are very important thinking skills for younger kids.  At the end ask them to reflect on how it went, and how they might do things differently next time.

5. Interact.  Playing with friends is a great way to keep social skills from getting rusty.  Practice sharing, taking turns, thinking of others, and using polite words and behavior.  Again, talking about their interactions can help them see what might need work.

6. Explore.  You probably already spend the summer getting out and about.  Rest assured that those trips to the zoo and the park are good for growing brains.  Perhaps a trip to the local museum (art? history? science?) would be a good idea too.  Think museums are only for serious (and quiet) grown-ups?  Think again.  Most museums have special kids hours or programs where they can be themselves while still getting the benefits.

7.  Go outside.  Again, this may be something you do all the time, but turning off the TV and getting outside is fabulous for young minds.  The backyard and the park are good, but can you go further?  Is there a wilderness area you might visit?  Are you close to a state or national park?  Camping with kids is great fun too.  Perhaps they could even write a little ghost story before they go?

You DO NOT have to do all these things by any means.  Do NOT run yourself ragged.  You really don't have to exhaust yourself.  Just take one or two little things each day (hey anybody want to listen to a chapter of our book before bed?) and you will get big results.  Keep it fun, keep it easy, and they won't even know that you're keeping their little brains fit and ready for the fall.  Their teachers will thank you!