5 Tips for Keeping Your Kids Learning During Summer Break

When it’s summertime, beach vacations and fun road trips become the norm. However, the summertime is a prime time for your children to experience “learning loss” and lose key academic skills. But learning doesn’t have to take a back seat to fun. Keep your children’s learning going during the summer break with these effective tips:

1. Take a Surprise Trip to the Museum

Turn a trip to the museum into a lesson without having your kids catch on. Ask questions about the different artifacts as you tour the museum. You can even have your children create a board game based on what they’ve learned at the museum when they get home.

2. Encourage Entrepreneurship

Help your children create a small business project over the summer and apply their reading, writing and math skills. Have them do the research and consider the creation process, costs, competition and if a market exists for what they want to offer. Just make sure the activity is simple and something they’re passionate about.

3. Mobilize Learning on the Road

Help your kids learn as you discover new destinations on the road by giving them a map or geography book that includes special facts about the places you’ll pass on the road. Have them share what they’ve learned before, during and after the trip. They can also collect brochures at visitor centers or tourist destinations. Give them a camera so they can take pictures and later create a collage or scrapbook of their adventure.

4. Go Geocaching on the Beach

Use a device with a GPS or location tracker, such as your mobile phone or a smartwatch, and go on a treasure hunt while on the beach. Post clues online or on index cards that help your children learn about the beach’s ecosystem. Hide containers around different parts of the beach so you’re children can enjoy a treasure hunt while learning. You can learn more about geocaching by clicking here.

5. Do Math at the Grocery Store

The grocery store is the perfect place to help your children brush up on their math skills. Reinforce what your children have learned about decimals and money by having them track how much each item costs. Let them pay for items with cash to get familiar with adding and subtracting money.

Final Thoughts

The summer break doesn’t mean that your children have to take a break from learning something new or reinforcing what they know. You can encourage learning during the summer when you incorporate educational games and take advantage of learning opportunities whether you’re traveling on the road or having a “staycation.” Just implement these tips, and you can keep learning fun and consistent throughout the summer.