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Summer is finally here! Summer is meant for fun but long breaks from school can lead to children losing months' worth of education. A recent article found that summer learning loss, also known as the “summer slide”, is attributed to the loss of 2.6 months of math skills and 2 months of reading. Furthermore, once school is back in session over 6 weeks are spent re-learning old material to make up for learning loss. These statistics are troubling enough under normal circumstances and with the coronavirus pandemic causing schools to close and a switch to virtual learning the stakes are even higher. A study by Amplify Education found that this year, 40% of first-grade students and 35% of second-grade students are significantly at risk of needing intensive intervention in regards to their education compared to 27% and 29% last year due to current conditions.
It can be up to communities to support childhood learning throughout the summer. There are many small and easy steps we can take to make sure that our children don't fall behind this summer- and have fun too!
Reading takes the biggest hit over the summer with an estimated 2 months of reading progress being lost. Luckily, only 2-3 hours a week of reading can prevent learning loss and even put children ahead of the curve! Reading improves vocabulary, grammar, and gets children's imagination flowing. Try letting your child pick out a few books each week that sparks their interest. Kids are more likely to read and finish books if they choose the books themselves. You can even start a rewards system for reading the books or read them with your child to motivate them.
Board games are another great option to bring fun into learning. There are many educational board games that already exist, but you can also put a spin on traditional board games, or make your own! Try a math or spelling scavenger hunt. Hide clues around the house with a math problem or grammar question as the key to unlocking the clue. This game is education and the children won’t even realize they are learning.
The options for fun and educational activities to do this summer are endless.
Visit a museum
Watch educational movies/ tv-shows
Build with legos to make models of famous places
Bake to learn about chemistry
Visit historical landmarks
Start a book club
The most important thing is to keep your child engaged and learning over the summer. Keep checking the Kids-Lift Instagram and Facebook throughout the summer to find more helpful hints and activities to make this the best summer ever!