How to blend fun with academics this summer

Summer is a great time to give children a break from their long school days, to have fun with friends, and to rest. But, learning doesn’t have to stop as well. Do you know that most students lose about two months of grade-level equivalency in math over the summer because the learning isn’t embedded into their environment? The loss of reading ability also can occur if students aren’t reading books or listening to books read aloud.

Many kids experience what is called the “summer slide” during summer vacation due to the lack of deliberate practice. The brain is a muscle and operates similar to the muscles in your body. After a long break from the gym, it’s hard to get motivated and when you do finally go back, you can’t run as fast, you don’t have as much stamina, and you can’t lift as much weight. The same thing happens to kids after a long break from using their mind. Their skills have decreased, and children lose motivation.

When students return to school after taking a few months off, time needs to be spent relearning material. What seems like just taking two months off can easily slide into four months of progress that could have been made. School is becoming more challenging each year. Enrolling in an enrichment program like Kumon will give your child an academic advantage in the next school year. Over the summer students have more free time, providing a great opportunity to get ahead.

Continuing to practice academic skills year round is recommended to keep skills sharp and make the transition back to school a smooth one. Reading books frequently is another wonderful summertime activity to prevent summer learning loss. It’s also very convenient because reading books can be done anywhere. Kumon has an extensive Recommended Reading List of 380 books with titles ranging from read-aloud books to classics like Shakespeare. The list provides an easy way to choose a book at your child’s reading level that will interest him.

While millions of children are eager for the freedom of summer, parents are coming up with plans to keep the learning momentum going. Here are a few fun ways to keep your child’s mind engaged over the summer.

Have a scavenger hunt at the museum.
One way to turn a visit to the museum into a fun and educational experience is to make it a scavenger hunt. If you’re going to an art museum, your list can include things you might see in paintings or sculptures from a certain country. If it’s a natural history museum, you can include dinosaurs and animals.

Find the right learning program.
For families with children looking for enrichment activities, the right learning program is invaluable. With nearly 1,500 centers throughout the United States, Kumon uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. To help students continue learning through the summer, Kumon is offering free registration in June at participating centers.

Develop their green thumb.
Gardening allows children to not only play and build something — as they might do in a sandbox — but learn about the life cycle of plants and the importance of nutrition. One way to make this more exciting is to try to grow something giant, like a huge squash or zucchini that will provide an end goal to the entire experience.

Let them be your travel agents.
Before you set off on your summer vacation, get your children involved in the planning process. Let them help you search for lodging within your budget and in the area you want to stay. Together, you can learn about nearby attractions and plan your visit accordingly. The entire process not only builds confidence, but serves as a finance, geography, history and social studies lesson all wrapped in one.

Make something.
While there are plenty of kits out there to promote STEM learning skills, you can encourage your children to use their creativity and knowledge to build projects from common household materials. Some classic examples of this would be making a raft out of empty milk cartons or plastic bottles, a homemade volcano using vinegar and baking soda or a homemade electromagnet.

Become a collector. A great way for children to get hands-on knowledge of the natural world is for them to build a collection while discovering the outdoors. Rocks, plants, bugs — these are the things that excite a young mind. Search for different kinds of leaves to press at home, then work with your children to identify their types.

About Kumon Math & Reading Centers:
Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school. Founded in Japan in 1958, the learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration, and develop better study skills. Kumon has 26,000 centers in 49 countries and more than four million students studying worldwide. The company’s North American headquarters is located in Teaneck, N.J.

Enroll in the Kumon Math & Reading Program this June and save up to $50 with FREE REGISTRATION!

Visit kumon.com to learn more.