So, I am “That Mom” that makes my kids stay engaged in learning activities during the summer in order to keep their brains from turning to mush and, more importantly, to set them up for success for the coming school year. I wanted to share some of my tips for incorporating learning into summer activities without feeling too much like school.
First of all, I use every opportunity to teach when we go places. For example, when we visit the art museum, I don’t just walk through, but explain the mediums and the history behind the pieces we see and ask the kids to share their opinions about the art. I also tell my children interesting tidbits or stories to pique their interest.
Secondly, I purchase the bridging/transitioning books (available for every grade) that help to reinforce concepts they have learned and introduce concepts for the upcoming year. I create colored daily folders for each kid with a page or two out of those books as well as a coloring page (or maze or word search) and then also “assign” projects for them based on reading. For example, we have the book Unusual Things in America and I have them pick one excerpt to read and then report out. The kids have to finish their folders before they can go anywhere else.
Lastly, we participate in the Reading Challenge at Rancho Mirage Library which incentivizes them to read more. They keep track of their minutes read and get Library Bucks after every 30 minutes which they can, in turn, use as part of a raffle to win prizes. We have also been teaching by example with regard to this, by turning off the tv and reading on the couch during “reading time” as a family. Little things can help keep your kids excited about learning and help them be more successful once the school year comes back around.
