Every year, kids look forward to summer break so that they can completely forget everything they learned in school. From the moment the school bell rings to end the school year, kids are on a downward spiral towards junk food, cartoons, laziness, and fun. Not to confuse things, it’s perfectly fine for your kids to have fun this summer (you should want them to) but you also don’t want their fun to completely wipe out everything they learned over the course of the school year, either.
So what does that mean for parents? That means that you’re going to have to get a little creative and figure out how to keep your kids learning this summer, without them knowing they’re learning… stealth is key here. Why? Because the minute your kids figure out what you’re up to, they are going to rebel and lose interest immediately.
As much as you would love to pull out workbooks and have them read aloud to you, they’re not going to do it because they’ve mentally checked out… remember, once that school bell rang to let them out of school for the summer, the learning part of their brain was “shut off,” in a sense. But there is a way for you to turn the learning back on in their brains, and it’s very important that you do.
According to Options for Youth, when kids spend the entire summer not learning anything new, they have the potential to lose three months’ worth (or more) of math and reading skills they acquired during the previous school year, especially math. scho
Learn History by Getting to Know the City
Wherever you live, there are probably various tourist attractions there that are not only entertaining but also full of rich history about your city or various things in history. One weekend, instead of heading to the wave pool, consider stopping by the science museum and explore it together. If your area has a zoo, that’s a great place to visit and learn about animals!
Typically, there is some kind of plaque or frame that tells information about the animal you’re looking at in a zoo. You can ask your child to read what the information says about the animal. The cool thing is that they won’t even realize they’re actually learning about an animal and improving their reading skills because they’re having so much fun!
Challenge Them With Musical Instruments
The awesome thing about music is that it’s a language that everyone speaks. From singing to playing an instrument, music is something you can’t go wrong with. educationSince it’s summertime and there’s no school in session, it’s the perfect time to introduce your kids to learning how to play an instrument.
Whether your child chooses to play the drums, the piano, or wants to take violin lessons, you need to hone in on that interest. Playing a musical instrument will not only keep them learning all summer but it will also sharpen other motor skills that will help them in school. Things like improved memory, greater academic achievements, lower stress levels, and a boost in confidence are ways that playing a musical instrument will benefit them in more ways than one.
Improve Reading With Karaoke Nights
Karaoke can be very fun whether you like to sing or not and it can be really fun with your kids. With karaoke, your kids will be learning to read at a faster pace and it is helping them to overcome the fear of speaking in front of people. You can even turn karaoke night into a “thing” and invite their friends over and have their friends learning too, without them even knowing.
Sharpen Math Skills By Counting in the Kitchen
From counting out the perfect number of cookies to bake to measuring out how much flour is needed for the muffins, having your child help you in the kitchen is going to help sharpen their math and problem-solving skills… it may not seem like it to you but it truly is.
Maybe you need seven eggs to make a breakfast casserole and ¾ cup of milk… your assistant who isn’t in school at the moment can totally help you count out seven eggs and measure out ¾ cup of milk.
Do You Have Any Stealthy Learning Tactics to Share?
Whether your kid is in elementary or high school, it’s important that you keep their brains learning all year long. Again, that’s not saying they have to do workbooks all summer long but for younger kids, manage their screen time and get them outside more.
For older kids, they can pick up a little summer job or go to a summer camp! It may also help if minors are encouraged to join NYPD youth education programs. The options are abundant but that just goes to show you that there are several things you can do as a parent to keep your kids’ minds stimulated all summer without them feeling like they’re back in school… you just have to be stealthy about it!