brain chase :: keeping brains sharp over the summer with a global adventure challenge

In a few short weeks, we will be kicking off summer! I can’t wait to slow down after the busy rush of the school year. Every summer I think I’m going to do some school work with the kids to help bridge the gap between school years. And every year I seem to fail miserably!     I certainly don’t want their hard work over the school year to evaporate over the summer!   Did you know that most students return to school 2 months behind where they were in June?  Thankfully I am a step ahead this year.   I have already signed my kids up for Brain Chase, a 5-week summer learning challenge.

Brain Chase is an online learning adventure.  This summer, Brain Chase students will be searching for the Sunstone of Cortes–a real treasure buried somewhere on Earth.  The person who finds it first gets a trip to dig it up and a $10,000 scholarship!  This is a BIG deal!  Each week, your child has goals to meet in math (Khan Academy), writing (reviewed by or foreign language (Rosetta Stone) and reading (myOn and Google books).  They also complete bonus activities which may range from searching for clues in the Smithsonian website, researching art, using a compass to solve a clue, planting seeds and cracking codes.  Did I mention the weekly videos to kick off and complete each week?  These videos are engaging–my kids kept asking to watch them again and again.  You follow Mae Merriweather and the Grayson Academy of Antiquities as they search for the Sunstone themselves. The videos also contain hidden clues as to the location of the real treasure.

In just about an hour a day, Brain Chase will help keep brains sharp and, if your kids are anything like mine, they will actually be excited to get to work!  Brain Chase is appropriate for kids ages 6-16.  My older two  went through a review of last year’s challenge and cannot wait to start this year!  They are bummed they have to wait until June!   WIth online learning, content can be adapted to the needs of your children and done when it works best for you.

Brain Chase has extended their early bird pricing through April 30 and, with the code simplemoms15, you can get an additional 15% off!  Check out this video highlighting how Brain Chase works and let me know if you think your kids would love it, too!