Summer is finally here and for kids this should mean weeks full of carefree fun. For parents it should also be a time to enjoy and share activities with our families without too many obligations taking away our attention. However, although summer is a time to appreciate and relish, many parents fear the “The Summer Slide” i.e. the learning loss that students often experience when not engaged in educational activities for an extended period of time.

Before you start stressing about how to address this without losing your sanity or dissolving into fights about holiday homework, don’t despair. Incorporate reading and playing into their day, everyday. As they are more relaxed, their brain also relaxes and is able to go into a more creative and receptive mode. The key is attitude, habits and organisation. With a little thoughtful planning you can sail harmoniously through the holidays and seamlessly back into school. Seems daunting? Check out our top tips below.  

1. Read, Read, Read. Find time to read each day. This helps them retain and build vocabulary, reinforces grammar and promotes active thinking as they follow the story and consider the plot or learn new facts. Not sure how? Try:
   • Cozy up and read to them or read together as an afternoon ‘downtime’ or/and as part of their bedtime routine.
   • Explore recipe books and cook up new culinary creations
   • Find activity books that have them reading as well as doing activities
   • Plan trips together by reading about where you are going and what there is to see and do.

2. Do Jigsaw Puzzles. This works for all ages. From improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills to spatial awareness, concentration, memory retention and even logical reasoning; puzzles keep children entertained and mentally active. Their benefits extend to emotional and social development, as completing a puzzle requires patience and persistence. It is a calming and relaxing activity and can be done alone or with friends which nurtures collaboration skills. Academically, puzzles involve recognising patterns and spatial relationships – all key math skills. More explicitly, themes can be chosen to reinforce learning. Try a map or cities of the world, the solar system or even the periodic table.   

3. Set up a Maker Space or STEAM area. Combining art, construction and robotics; having a space for designing and inventing keeps kids productively occupied whilst fueling their creativity, developing problem solving skills and boosting self confidence. It helps to start by organizing materials and components in separate containers – they can even have fun in creating their studio space. Projects can be done individually or in groups and can be started by designing their project on paper or simply creating and seeing where it takes them. Regardless, it’s something to them happily absorbed in for hours away from screens. For some key Maker Space components, check out our MakeDo and Robotics Kits. 

4. Get them into Nature. Being in Nature has a calming effect, reducing anxiety. It provides a rich sensory environment and plenty of learning and discovery opportunities. They can observe insect going about their daily life, identify plants, do gardening projects, find, identify and draw leaves, flowers, trees etc. Try going on discovery walks in different environments. If they keep a journal of what they see, that also helps with writing skills, vocabulary and scientific behaviours. For ideas, take a look at the “Montessori Lab: Educating with Nature” book.

You don’t want to be schooling your kids over the holidays but by following these tips, you can guide them into activities that are super fun and have the useful by-product of retaining and even reinforcing what they learnt over the previous academic year. Good luck and enjoy your summer.