The Summer Slide: the slide backwards that many children make over the summer months in regard to the skills they learned in school, often reading and math. It can have a significant impact on their ability to get back into the swing of things come fall.
Even the brightest children can fall victim to the summer slide. It doesn’t need a long period of time to occur, just a couple of weeks away from school can soften the skills previously learned. There are a number of ways to keep your child’s brain in the game as they enjoy the summer break. Try these three ways to prevent the summer slide:
Pick Six
Research shows that reading just six books over the summer can help children from regressing. Help your child choose six books that are just right for their skill level, not too hard and not too easy. Your local library can be a great resource for choosing books that are a good fit, as well as providing reading programs that help motivate kids to read.
Reading out loud can benefit young children and even older ones that tend to struggle when it comes to reading. Parents can read news articles with teens to practice as well as to keep up with current events. Reading aloud on a level above their current skill level will help them increase their knowledge and apply it when reading on their own.
Play Games
Math is a subject that tends to get ignored over the summer break. In fact, the National Association for Summer Learning shows that “students lose approximately two months of math skills in the summer if they don’t participate in some sort of educational activity over the break.”
Some easy ways to incorporate math into your summer include:
- Flash cards: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
- Card games: counting, matching, sorting
- Board games: counting, matching, problem-solving
- Cooking: measuring, ratios and proportions
Keep It Manageable
It’s easy to get distracted over the summer break, when you’re out of school and away from your normal routine. Incorporating a little bit into each day, as little as 20 minutes, can help prevent the summer slide.
Make time as a family every day to read, work math problems, solve puzzles or play a game. When activities are done as a family, it’s more fun and seems less like schoolwork.
Summertime is fun and it still can be with the inclusion of a few educational activities that will help prevent the summer slide. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s learning or cognitive skills, call us to set up a consultation. We are available at our four office locations or by telemedicine.
Palm Harbor (727) 787-6335
West Chase (813) 891-6501
Trinity (727) 376-8404
Lutz (813) 751-3131
