I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carson-Dellosa. I reviewed the free content on their website to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #SmarterSummer
Summer vacation is one of the best times of the year at our house. I am just as ready for a break from school as my kids. That said, I don’t want them to totally unplug their brains and forget the things they learned over the past school year. Kids should spend at least 15 minutes a day with learning activities to keep their minds sharp and ready to focus when it’s time to go back to school in the fall.
Sometimes I have to be a little sneaky about getting that educational time in every day. My kids like to think that a vacation from school equals a vacation from learning (this is SO NOT TRUE, by the way) and are much more willing to do an activity they view as FUN. Luckily, there are many FUN things they can do at home that are educational without being boring.
Have your child keep a journal. Write about their daily summer activities, vacations, etc. Let them draw pictures to illustrate their journals. Tape photos, ticket stubs and other summer souvenirs in the journal.
Go on a field trip. Visit a museum, garden, historical site or other local place of interest. Invite friends to join you for a true group “field trip” feeling.
Read, read, read. Then read some more. Some kids enjoy independent reading more than others. Encourage your child’s love of books by selecting a book to read aloud together. Try reading materials besides books, such as magazines, comics and newspapers. Join your local library’s Summer Reading Program for Kids. Listen to audio books when you go on summer trips in the car.
I love to read, so I could go on and on all day about it…but let’s move on to the next idea.
Use online learning websites for kids. You can easily find free and fun learning games for kids, sample books, printable worksheets and activities at Carson-Dellosa Summer Learning Activities website. Kids can keep their minds ready for the next school year by spending as little as 15 minutes a day doing learning activities. Their workbooks and printable activities are great to use as boredom busters when you are on-the-go this summer.
Educational apps. I try to limit screen time during the summer, but educational apps and learning games for kids are one of the easiest ways for me to get my kids to spend time learning. It is fun for them to play games that make them use their brains. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Cook with the kids. Kids can learn so much in the kitchen! Reading recipes, measuring ingredients (math), shopping for groceries on a budget (math again!), planning a nutritious meal…what else can we add to this list? Spend time teaching your child to cook this summer. It isn’t just an educational activity, it is a life skill that may end up becoming one of their favorite hobbies.
Summer camps and programs. These can be fun summer activities for kids. Look for camps and programs that develop your child’s talents and interests. You’ll find all sorts of things from sports to engineering and music to art.
Sign up for FREE access to Summer Learning Activities for every age and grade level from 1 to 18 years old. This is such a great resource. There are plenty of standards-aligned learning activities to keep my kids busy all summer long. It’s easy to use! Simply fill in your name and email address, along with the Grade Level(s) you are interested in at the Carson-Dellosa website.
Click on the Free Activities tab to find hundreds of educational downloads. I further narrow things down by selecting the Grades and Subjects we want to work on. My second grader likes doing sample worksheets I print out for Reading and Math. I don’t mean to sound braggy, but he is a good student and truly concerned he will forget everything he learned last school year. He is usually eager and willing to do one or two of the printable worksheets a day. A few minutes a day is all it takes to help prevent the summer slide.
Did you know? Based on a survey conducted by Carson-Dellosa, 84% of teachers say students forget or “lose” some skills, knowledge or grade-level equivalency during the summer.
I know I don’t want my kids to forget what they have learned in school. I also want my kids to have a fun and active summer break. There are so many different and creative ways to incorporate learning time into our summer schedules. I hope the ideas listed here can help all of us make SUMMER LEARNING FUN for kids.
What other fun summer learning activities for kids should I add to this list? What kinds of educational activities do you do with your children over the summer break?
