four ways to combat “summer learning loss” :: a simple tip

If your family is at all like mine you don’t need to encourage the kids to enjoy Summer themed activities that keep them moving or outdoors. It is the more scholarly pursuits I need to encourage this time of year. Knowing that I need to come up with creative ways to exercise their little brains over the next few I started thinking of all the ‘sneaky’ methods I will be using to make summer learning fun. Here’s a few of my tips and suggestions on how to help combat the phenomenon known as “summer learning loss” (it’s a real thing – go ahead and look it up).

1) Summer Reading Clubs :: check with your local library or child’s school and see if there is a Summer Reading Club nearby that will encourage your kids to read this summer. If there isn’t a local club for you, go ahead and make one up for your family! A simple chart (be it by day or number of books), some kid-friendly rewards (like dollar store trinkets or vouchers for ice cream) and you’ve got yourself a summer reading club! Either way, here are some great books from Sleeping Bear Press to include in your summer reading list.

2) Workbooks :: my girls LOVE workbooks! Doesn’t matter what kind, as long as they can see their progress with whatever skill set they are working on. Personally I prefer Kumon Workbooks and School Zone workbooks and this summer each of my girls have a stack of workbooks from these publishers to work through that they are excited to learn with!

3) Educational Games :: sometimes the best way to teach a lesson to your kids is when they don’t even know they’re learning, that’s why we love playing educational games. Great companies like Super Duper Publications and Peaceable Kingdom have various age and skill level appropriate games for kids that can make learning  into a FUN activity for the whole family!

4) Music :: children’s music can take many forms, one of which is educational.  Here are a few of the many artists we enjoy listening to, and learning from ::  The Secret Mountain, Putumayo Kids, Ella Jenkins, Lucky Diaz & The Family Jam Band, The Okee Dokee Brothers, Key Wilde & Mr Clarke, Dog on Fleas, and Farmer Jason.

If you didn’t notice there are a LOT of links above to help you find the companies or artists mentioned.

What ways to you plan to help your kids retain what they’ve learned this past year while on summer vacation?