3 Ways to Prevent the Summer Slide
Your kid walks into day 1 of school in the fall, the teacher throws a math problem up on the SmartBoard, and… crickets.
“We didn’t learn that.”
“I’ve never seen that before!”
“How are we supposed to do this?”
The summer slide is a very real phenomenon for kids every single year. Researchers estimate that kids lose up to ⅓ of the knowledge they gained the previous school year over the summer, leading to a feeling of being behind before the school year really even starts.
Teachers are prepared for this (that’s why there’s so much review at the beginning of the year). But if your child struggles in school anyway, this re-entry period can be full of stress, anxiety, and fear that dictates their attitude the rest of the year.
If you want your child to head into the new school year feeling confident, here are 3 ways you can help prevent the summer slide:
#1: Do Summer Reading!
Especially if your child struggles with reading, it’s critical to continue their momentum through the summer months so they don’t fall further behind!
But if your child doesn’t struggle with reading, this can be a great time to select books based on their interests and even reinforce some content learning through books.
Research shows the benefits of summer reading; kids perform better in school assessments when they read over the summer, so grab your library card and set some goals as a family!
Check out this article for more summer reading hacks to help your kids have more fun with this!
#2: Do Brain-Boosting Activities as Part of Your Daily Routine
Kids thrive in routine. When they know what’s expected of them and what’s coming, they are more likely to be engaged (and compliant) on some of the not-as-fun tasks.
We recommend creating a pattern to your summer days that includes some sort of brain-boosting activity to prevent the summer slide! (And the great news is that these things can be REALLY fun for the whole family.)
Some ideas for things you can include could be:
- Reading a book together
- Family game nights
- Summer learning workbooks
- Puzzles or independent logic games
- Keeping a summer journal
- And audiobooks and educational apps (in moderation)
(Learn more about the benefits of each of these here.)
Whatever you choose, making the effort to keep your child learning and cognitively active through the summer months will pay off when school starts again!
#3: Prevent the Summer Slide with Brain Training
If your child struggles to retain information or continually feels behind, brain training is a great way to help them gain some ground in a short amount of time.
Brain training helps to prevent the summer slide by:
- Reinforcing math or reading content to make those subjects easier
- Training skills like memory and attention so your child feels more confident in all subject areas
- Building resilience and confidence, along with an attitude of not giving up when things are hard
- Targeting the learning “hangups” that are unique to your child (the things that make learning harder in general)
This unique approach to summer learning can have effects your child continues to feel for years down the road. According to our research and past client testimonials, kids who complete brain training programs gain an average of 3+ years in cognitive abilities (and it doesn’t fade, even years after training is completed).*
Brain training is the best way to give your child a leg-up in the new school year. When their brain is strong, primed and ready to learn, they will retain information more easily and focus more strongly.
If this sounds like something you want for your child, give us a call today! We’d love to hear more of your story and share how brain training has impacted so many kids’ lives in a powerful way.
*These are the results of past clients. You or your child may or may not achieve the same results, but we will do our best to work with you in a way that meets your goals!
