There are several researches out there which suggests that kids lose about 25% of their school year learning over the summer vacation. Learning over summer doesnot mean spending hours at a time doing math and writing. All you need to do is set aside some time from your summer schedule, as little as half an hour for learning. Here are a few tips to avoid the learning loss that happens during the three months of the summer break.
- Reading : After school is out this summer, continue the habit of reading everyday this summer by checking out books from your local public libraries, once or twice a week. Check with your child’s teacher or the librarian at school for recommendations on books appropriate for their reading level. Also read this website to help you pick out the age appropriate books for your child.
- Math, science and reading: You will find a variety of workbooks at stores like Barnes and Nobles or online at Amazon.com. There are books available to practice writing, grammar, spelling, math, science etc and also ranges from grades Pre K through 7th grade. I recommend buying the books at a store so that you can compare books offered by different vendors for their content and difficulty levels. You might be able to find better prices on some of these books at Barnes and Nobles’ clearance section or at Half Price Books.
- ACT/SAT prep: If you have a high schooler planning to take ACT or SAT in the coming school year, summer is the best time to do some practice tests. This way they can be ready to take the test in early fall, get it out of the way before they get busy with the school year and other extra activities that might come up during the school year.
Happy Summer everyone!
Smitha's 2 cents worth 