Stay Ahead of the Game: A Parent's Guide to Avoiding the Summer Slide

Stay Ahead of the Game: A Parent's Guide to Avoiding the Summer Slide

As an educator, one concern I often hear about is the "Summer Slide" - the worry that students may lose some of their academic skills over the summer break. Having primarily worked at the secondary level, I wanted to share a few fun and easy ways families can help keep those skills sharp during the summer months. A few of the ideas may seem simple or too easy for middle and high school-age students, but you would be surprised at how engaged they can be.

Given my background in education, it’s no surprise that my first summer skill-building activity focuses on READING. Students often say they don't like to read, but I believe it's because they simply haven't found materials that spark their interests. Help your child explore the wide variety of reading materials available, such as ebooks, magazines, and blogs. Teach them how to find materials that suit their interests. Visit the library, Goodwill, used book stores, or yard sales to find affordable or free books. Once a week, have a Q & A night where everyone shares something they read. Ask questions of varying difficulty levels, ensuring the activity caters to a range of age groups.

Another idea is to start a summer book club with family or friends. Choose a book with a movie adaptation so you can watch it together after reading the book. The key is to make it fun and avoid mandating a set amount of reading time per week. Create an environment that encourages and inspires your child to read.

The second critical skill set to maintain is MATH. In my experience, math skills have been a particular area of deficit, partly due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reviewing basic math facts, such as multiplication, is crucial. Turn it into a game, telling your child you will randomly ask them 15-20 questions in a week. Reward them with a small prize if they get them all correct. When traveling in a car or walking around a city, ask your child to multiply the first two numbers they see. Example: a 55 mph speed limit sign times exit 17. (55x17=935). Give them time to work it out and discourage the use of phones. Cooking together is another great way to practice measurement skills and fraction concepts. Have your child work out the measurements for a doubled recipe or one cut in half.

Are your children involved in family money conversations? Take them grocery shopping (or send them with a list if they are old enough to drive), providing a budget and a list of items to buy. There are many digital options to reinforce math facts; use an online game that excites your child. I cannot stress enough the importance of reviewing math facts with ALL school-age students.

Finally, it's vital to engage students in CRITICAL THINKING and problem-solving activities over the summer. One of my favorite lessons for the math classroom was having students create their own board games. I provided specific parameters, ensuring the games had a strong mathematical foundation. Students would then plan, design, and construct their games before playtesting them with their peers.

This activity can easily be recreated at home. Consider hosting a "family game week" where each night, a different family member introduces a game they've created. The games may not be perfect, which is perfectly fine - in fact, it presents a valuable learning opportunity. Allow your child to work through any problematic aspects of their game as everyone plays. Another way to reinforce critical thinking and problem-solving skills using household items is to give your child an open-ended creative challenge. Provide a bag of miscellaneous "scraps" - things like cardboard, string, paper clips, popsicle sticks, or other odds and ends found around the house. Then, simply ask them to create something, anything, using those materials. This strengthens problem-solving skills as they think critically about how to improve or fix any issues that arise, fostering persistence, flexibility, and resourcefulness.

The goal is to make learning enjoyable and pressure-free. Avoid mandating specific time requirements; instead, integrate these skill-building activities naturally into your summer routines and adventures. With a bit of creativity, you can help prevent the "Summer Slide" and prepare your child for a successful return to school in the fall.

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