Essential Tips for Summer Learning (SchoolsNMore)

Summer is a fun-time for kids and provides them with the much-needed break from the frenzied activities of the year. However, with most summer breaks running over 2 months, there is enough time to bring in a little bit of learning into the break. The idea is not to inundate them with work but to weave in some academic activities amidst all the fun and play so that they don't lose touch with the habit of sitting down for a bit to do their work. This also makes the adjustment a little easier as the new school year starts.

Set a game plan: You could even call it a 'curriculum' for the summer but it is essentially a structured approach to what you would like to cover with the kids over the break. This will help you plan better in terms of getting books from the library, ordering material online etc. If the kids are older, then by all means get their input into what they would like to focus on. We tried an approach where we had a schedule for the week where each of my kids could choose their subject for the day. Once you have set a plan, here are some fun ways to cover key areas of learning over the holidays:

Reading: Through the school year kids are encouraged to read for at least 20 minutes a day. Ideally this habit should be continued through the holidays.
* If you're trying to find the right books for your child to read, you can tap into your child's school. Many will put out recommended summer reading and if no formal list is out, have a chat with your child's current teacher to see if he/she can recommend some books. At a minimum get a sense of your child's reading level and the recommended level for the next grade.
* The library is another wonderful source especially over the summer. Many local libraries have reading programs that give kids little rewards for maintaining their reading log and you can also find leveled readers appropriate to your child's reading level. Share with your kids the joy of browsing through books in the library and then get them to pick the ones that they would like to take home.
* Introduce fun word and reading related activities such as word scrambles, crosswords etc.

Math: With the luxury of time on your side, there are several ways to make Math fun over the holidays:
* Playing Math-related games such as Number Sequence and Zingo Numbers are a great way to spark a love for math in your kids
* Teach your kids some money management by rewarding them for household chores and letting them save/spend their earnings
* Use the time to hone in on conceptual learning - you can use a variety of material in the house from food to legos to drive home the basic concepts of multiplication/division etc.

* Take the help of fun workbooks and set a goal with your child on how much needs to be completed.

Science: With so much to do outdoors how about a real-life lesson in botany or zoology?
* Take the help your kids when you are gardening or better still get them a little pot or two to grow their own plants. It's so much more fun to learn about different parts of a plant or a flower outside the confines of a classroom
* There are several books or self-contained toys that you can get which give you ideas on science experiments that can be easily conducted at home. You can start out with easy ones such as floating/sinking and then move onto more ambitious ones.
* Incorporate a 'field trip' once a week or fortnight to a science museum or an IMAX show.

Art:
* Summer is probably the easiest time to let your kids make a mess! So let them get their fill of finger paints, glue, glitter and any other fun stuff that typically you would limit on a normal school day.
* Allow them to pick one project that they will work on over the holidays - this could something like developing an art portfolio or designing a scrap book. Whatever they decide on, it will help to have one item that they can call their own and remain a memento of their summer vacation.

Writing: You probably will encounter the most opposition here since kids don't enjoy writing. Some ways to get them to practice learning over the break include:
* Maintaining a journal or a travelogue: Encourage your kids to keep a vacation journal which they update at least a couple of times a week. Allowing them to draw alongside will also make it a little more fun. If they happen to travel over the break then give them a diary to maintain a log of the interesting things they came across.
* Write letters to a grandparent or cousin: While it may be a completely alien concept to them, there is a lot of fun in writing a letter the old-fashioned way on pen and paper.
Let them pick who they want to write to and once done you could take them to the post office where they can actually drop their letter off in the mail.

None of the above efforts involve a lot of time or money. The idea is to let the kids enjoy over the summer but intersperse the play with short periods of fun learning so that they don't lose complete touch with school work over the holidays and are able to make a smooth transition when the next school year starts.

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