How to Keep Your Child’s Brain Active Over the Summer
Summer break is right around the corner, and with it comes lots of fun, down time, and relaxation (or maybe your schedule is just getting busier with work, play dates, pool trips, and sports… we get that, too). Either way, it’s important to figure out how to keep the momentum from the school year going so your child’s brain can remain sharp and active.
What is the “Summer Slide”?
It’s not a waterslide or theme park attraction… it’s your child’s tendency to lose some knowledge and learning that they had grasped last school year over the summer. While teachers expect this to some degree and build in review accordingly, it can be really hard on kids to walk into day 1 of school already feeling behind.
Research is showing that on average, kids lose 17-34% of knowledge gained the previous school year over the summer break.
Especially with the disruptions to traditional schooling that our kids have faced over the last 2+ years, many school systems and families are feeling the burden of missed classtime and are still playing catch up.
But instead of settling for this reality, what if your child could walk into next school year feeling capable, confident, and prepared for whatever is coming?
Here Are 5 Ways to Help Your Child’s Brain Stay Sharp and Active Over the Summer Break:
1. Summer Reading (check with your library or school)
Reading is a great way to relax, enjoy a good story, and keep building critical learning skills that your child is going to need in the next school year. Particularly if your child struggles with reading, being intentional about setting reading goals as a family over the summer can help them continue their momentum so they don’t fall further behind.
Many schools will release required or recommended summer reading lists by grade level, and be sure to check with our local libraries for some more summer reading fun. (Often libraries include prizes to help your child stay motivated!)
If you can’t find a reading challenge that feels just right for your family, don’t hesitate to make one of your own! Set a goal for the number of books or pages read over the summer, and work together towards achieving it. There’s nothing wrong with rewarding your child’s effort (no, it’s not bribery). So take them out for ice cream or a special summer fun day when the goal is met!
READ MORE — Summer Reading With Kids: 5 Reasons Why You Should Do It >>
2. Play games as a family
It’s easy to slip into patterns of having more screentime over the summer break when school doesn’t fill your days, but being intentional with a family game night summer routine is great for your child’s brain!
Dedicate one night each week to play a game as a family. Often, games sharpen learning skills without us even knowing it—so it’s a win-win for family fun AND extra brain strengthening!
Check out some of our family game night favorites here!
3. Workbooks, puzzles, and journaling
Having some age-appropriate workbooks or logic puzzle books is a great way to sprinkle in some more learning without it being overwhelming. Completing a couple pages per day as part of your summer routine can help keep knowledge fresh for your kids!
Journaling is another great skill to encourage, especially over the summer. Let your child experiment with storytelling, remembering their adventures, or even just drawing pictures to represent your day. These entries aren’t graded and they don’t need to be perfect, but it’s a great skill to encourage in your kids. Here are 11 fun and easy summer journal prompts to help your kids practice writing >>
4. Use educational apps or screen-free family activities for car trips
Use your car time to keep your child’s brain active! While we do not promote lots of screen time or encourage relying on apps and online games for learning, they can be a good and fun way to reinforce concepts over the summer. If you are traveling, look into some educational apps that can help pass the time!
5. Commit to a brain training program
Summer is a great time to complete a brain training program because you do not have the extra burden of doing it after school or on weekends. Instead, this can be your child’s cognitive activity for the week—and it will pay off far more than simply doing the other tools we’ve mentioned!
Brain training brings results that go beyond one summer or one school year—it is a true life change that makes learning easier for years down the road.
We have targeted programs for reading, math, comprehension, attention, and more, so we can completely personalize your child’s brain training program to focus on the areas where they struggle the most.
Summer Tutoring or Summer Brain Training?
Many families pursue tutoring over the summer to help their kids catch up on a specific class that is hard. This is the right choice for some, including if your child:
- Missed lots of school due to travels or sickness
- Only struggles with 1 class
- Had some sort of disruption in the content presentation (lots of subs, an inexperienced teacher, etc.)
However, if your child struggles in more than one class or seems to be on a never-ending cycle of constantly needing extra support, brain training may provide a positive alternative for your family.
Brain training is a good choice for a student who:
- Has been through tutoring, yet continues to struggle in that subject
- Is behind in more than one class
- Has always struggled with or done poorly in reading (whether decoding words or reading comprehension)
- Struggles with test performance or anxiety
- Has to work harder or longer than other kids to achieve good grades
- Says they feel stupid, that they can’t succeed, or that they aren’t as smart as other kids
(Learn more about the difference between brain training and tutoring here.)
If you’re interested in keeping your child’s brain active this summer so next school year can be full of confidence and success, don’t wait! Start the process by contacting us to schedule an assessment today.
