How to keep kids engaged during school breaks

As much time as kids spend in school, there will still be times when they are left to their own devices, and during these times, it’s easy for them to forgot classroom lessons. Sometimes called “summer learning loss” or “summer slide,” this forgetfulness sees many students fail to retain all of their lessons over prolonged breaks from school. Studies indicate that students score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer compared to their performance on the same tests at the beginning. Anywhere from between one to three months’ worth of educational achievement can dissipate during prolonged breaks from the classroom. To help ensure those hard-earned lessons are not so easily forgotten, parents can help children remain intellectually engaged in various ways over school breaks.

Stick to a schedule

Try to maintain a schedule similar to school, with children waking and going to bed at the same time each day. This will make it much easier to get back into a routine when a new school year begins.

Encourage reading

Set aside time for reading each day. All it generally takes is 15 to 30 minutes of reading per day for young pupils to remember vocabulary lessons and maintain their fluency and comprehension skills. Children may enjoy picking their own books, rather than having a required reading list.

Keep a math book handy

On long car trips or rainy days, children can do a few math problems to keep their skills sharp. This will help keep learning loss to a minimum. Math workbooks may be available at bookstores, or parents can look online or ask a teacher for a summer to-do packet.

Plan educational trips

Vacations and day trips can be fun, entertaining and educational all at the same time. Science centers, museums and living-history locations can bring to life information learned in the classroom, even on family vacations.

Take a class

Children and families can learn together by exploring new skills. Enroll in something educational and enjoyable, such as a music or dance class, a STEM seminar or something else that engages the mind and body. This gives everyone a chance to learn something new and have a great time together as a family.