Summer Slide: What Is It and How Can I Prevent It?
It’s hard to believe summer is here. As the school year winds down and weather is warming up, we are thinking about summer plans - summer camp, barbecues, pool time, and sunshine. It’s also around this time of year, that I notice there’s chatter about summer learning. What’s on this year’s summer reading list? What are people doing to prepare for the next academic year? Did anyone check out online math games the teacher recommended?
This worry that your child will regress over the summer and not be prepared for the next grade level is a common one. In fact, the phenomenon itself is called “summer slide.” According to a Brookings Institute article, "On average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning [and] declines were sharper for math than for reading.”
Is this something that you need to worry about? Yes and no. It is common for students to lose some of what they have previously learned and schools do account for this at the start of the year. However, you don’t want your child to fall too far behind. The good news is there are easy things you can do to keep your child learning all summer long and lessen this gap.
Incorporate Learning into Everyday Activities
Summer learning doesn't need to look like tutors or hours of worksheets; learning happens all around, and every adventure is an opportunity! Take a day trip to a local museum. A ride on a roller coaster can bring up discussions about velocity and acceleration. Time on a nature hike can be spent identifying the plants and animals you come across. Even going to the grocery store can be an opportunity. Have your child plan for a baking activity by writing a list and thinking about measurements in advance. Art. Physics. Science. Math. Learning is everywhere!
Read Read Read
It would be great if every child found joy in independent reading, but for those kids who aren’t avid readers there are still ways to practice this important skill. Encourage your child to read the rules of a board game you are playing. Listen to audiobooks while driving. And don’t forget that children of all ages enjoy a good read aloud.
Your local library is also an invaluable resource. Many have wonderful summer reading programs and librarians can make book recommendations based on your child’s age, reading level, and interests.
Dancing Panda
If you are looking for something slightly more structured, try Dancing Panda! One of the reasons I created Dancing Panda was to give busy parents a fun tool to help kids stay on track academically. Our learning games are designed to be fun and engaging, take no more than 5 to 10 minutes, and require few or no materials, so they can easily fit into your daily schedule. We all know kids are more inclined to continue with something if they are having a good time, so it was important to me that the activities were engaging and didn’t feel like work. I call this my “sneaky secret,” cause kids are just having fun, but parents know there is meaningful learning happening since the activities are rooted in national curriculum standards.
To help kids stay on track this summer, I am offering our one-month summer learning program for FREE. It’s my way to help concerned parents cross another worry off their to do list. Sign up anytime between now and August 31st to join the fun!
Want to know more about summer slide? Here are two articles I’ve come across with more helpful tips:
