Summer Learning: How to Keep Your Brain Sharp and Get Ahead

Summer break is full of relaxation and fun, but it can also be a time where your kids actually lose up to ⅓ of the knowledge they gained over the school year. That’s a HUGE number, so what can you do to keep learning moving through the summer? Summer learning strategies can help your child’s brain stay sharp and active and set them up for a more successful school year next year.

Here are Some Ways to Keep Learning and Growing Over the Summer:

#1: Read, read, read!

Reading is one of the best ways to keep your brain active and gain new knowledge. For kids, you can turn this into a summer reading challenge and reward them with prizes along the way! 

Often local libraries and schools host summer reading challenges, or you can personalize one for your family with sticker charts, ice cream rewards, or anything else that will motivate your child!

If your child struggles with reading, it is even more important to continue practicing over the summer so they don’t lose any momentum they’ve gained over the school year.

#2: Have Family Game Nights

It’s easy to fall into the pattern of watching TV in the evenings, but creating a habit of family game night is great for the whole family! Not only does it give you a chance to unwind and have fun together, certain brain-boosting games can help sharpen weak brain skills and keep your brain active!

Summer learning doesn’t have to fall into typical “school-like” methods. Look up resources on gameschooling, or check out this round-up of family game night favorites!

#3: Summer Learning Books and Puzzles

Get some age-appropriate workbooks, logic puzzle books, or other activities to engage your child’s brain every day! These don’t have to take a long time or be overly arduous. Instead, just create a daily routine of spending 15-20 minutes per day so your child can keep their brain active and reinforce some of the concepts they learned last school year!

#4: Keep a Summer Journal

Get a fun notebook for your child to record your summer adventures! THis is a great activity for budding writers/readers as they get to experiment with writing, storytelling, memory, and more in a safe, ungraded context. 

#5: Use Your Car Time for Summer Learning!

If you’re traveling any distance this summer, try listening to audiobooks or using educational apps to pass the time instead of just watching shows or listening to music. This is valuable time that you can leverage to keep your child’s brain learning and active in this season!

#6: Commit to Brain Training 

If you really want to prime your child’s brain to be ready to learn next school year, completing a brain training program over the summer is an amazing opportunity! Completing brain training without the added pressure of school at the same time can make students more receptive to the training and deliver some amazing results in a short amount of time.

Brain training during the summer can:

• Help struggling readers catch up and be ready for the next school year
• Reinforce memory strategies, study skills, and more learning skills that are essential
• Give your child a confidence boost that will help them be more prepared for the year to come
• Target struggles in math, comprehension, reading, and focus
• Empower your child with skills to make learning easier for years to come!

If you are interested in brain training this summer, NOW is the time to get on our schedule! The first step will be to complete a cognitive skills assessment so we know your child’s starting point. After that, we will come up with the best plan for your family to help you achieve your summer learning goals!