What Can Parents Do to Help? The good news is that basic skills aren’t hard to maintain over the off-season! There are a number of ways to keep kids engaged in reading and math over the summer:
1. Continue to make reading part of your daily routine. Let kids read what they want. Children won’t gain as much from summer reading if they aren’t truly enjoying it. In addition to allowing your child to practice their reading skills, you can help build vocabulary by reading books to them!
2. Make time for smart play. Games and puzzles are a great way for kids to brush up on the basics while having fun at the same time. Whether it’s a game geared specifically toward teaching kids math skills, or a learning activity that helps them brush up on vocabulary, there are plenty of ways to get children engaged and help them flex their brain power without turning it into a tutoring session.
3. Get out of the house. Experts have found that novelty stimulates the brain and promotes learning. Visiting a historic site or even simply reading together at the park can help your child get more excited about reading and learning. You can also visit a certain location inspired by the books you read together: This helps reinforce what kids are learning from books in a real-world setting.
4. Promote imagination play. Kids who use their imagination are also expanding their vocabularies and experimenting with new concepts. Even though it may not seem like they’re directly “learning” when they’re crafting their own superhero capes or dreaming up complex chain reactions with LEGOS, they’re still calling on familiar skills and developing new ones. You could even play "theater" and put on a show inspired by all of the great summer books you’re reading together.
5. When they need to watch tv, make it educational tv. PBSkids has wonderful educational programs that reinforce reading and math skills. Teacher favorites are Sesame Street, Super Why, Word World, and Sid the Science Kid. Videos and games are free online at PBSkids.org!
