School is out, and while children are jumping for joy, it is no surprise that some parents worry about how to keep their child engaged and stimulated during the summer months. They have a reason to be concerned. Statistics indicate that on average, “students lose 20% to 34% of their school-year gains. Math skills suffer the most.” This phenomenon, known as the “Summer Slide” becomes an issue for several reasons. For instance, students are away from their consistent school routines which involved eight hours filled with lessons, lunch, recess, and extracurricular activities. It also arises from a lack of reinforcement of learning that occurs during the school year while in school. What should parents, tutors and administrators over the summer do to combat that slide? Below are five suggestions to help maintain your child’s knowledge base, decrease the incidence of the summer slide, and keep the enjoyment alive during summer vacation.
1. Summer camps and/or Summer school
Summer camps are filled with recreation, personal growth, and social development. From arts and crafts, to kickball, dance, swim, and more, these camps provide activities and field trips to look forward to and offer creative ways to expand a student’s knowledge and keep them sharp over the summer. Generally, Summer camps are a safe and fun place for children of all ages to thrive. Most local schools and universities host camps ranging from one month to the full summer. While the idea of summer school is not intriguing for most youth, they are a fantastic way to incorporate summer enrichment through a focus on academics, skill building, or credit recovery. What is great about summer camps is the ability to have professional staff (whether that be other trained youth, teachers, parents, etc.) to ensure that your child will get something out of their summer that cannot be acquired by staying at home watching television.
2. Visits to the library
Most people do not know that local libraries have a wealth of resources – particularly summer resources. For instance, the New Orleans Public Library has an annual “Summer Fun & Reading Challenge.” To enter the challenge, a student can visit the neighborhood library, register online at nolalibrary.beanstack.org, or download the Beanstack App on the App Store or Google Play. Once registered, students are invited to pick up a registration prize at the neighborhood library. Winning is fun and easy, as students are simply required to read, complete activities, and log the progress online, in-app, or in person. Books, audiobooks, etc. count.
Students can complete games such as blackout bingo by reading 800 minutes (about 13 hours) and completing four activities (one from each available list) and visiting the library for the completion prize. Additionally, libraries host free summer programs for every age, from children to adults. These programs help encourage reading as a lifelong habit and help students to be more prepared to reach and achieve their reading goals during the school year.
3. YouTube Channels
While screentime is not always ideal, there are several great options for children to watch, including educational videos, enrichment platforms, and content by educators. Two of the most popular and highly recommended YouTube channels for early childhood and entertainment are Gracie’s Corner and Ms. Rachel. Grace’s Corner focuses on cultural representation, movement, and education milestones. On the other hand, Ms. Rachel is rooted in speech, language development, and foundational learning. I was a PBS Kids baby, and one of my favorite shows was Sid the Science Kid. The main character, Sid, encourages children to think and work like scientists by welcoming natural curiosity, developing critical problem-solving skills for early learners, and justifying the importance of asking “Why?”. Fun and educational videos are not just made for younger children. TED-Ed (deep dives into biology, physics, and history) and CrashCourse (animated overviews of world history, US history, literature, and science) invite adolescents and teens to experience another level of digital learning.
4. Summer jobs
For older students, one great way to reinforce the importance of responsibility and hard work is through obtaining a summer job. While in Louisiana, the legal working age is 14, some federal and state laws restrict the type of work, number of hours, and require a work permit until age 18.
Some summer jobs that are easy to start including mowing lawns, babysitting, or dog-walking. For education-focused summer jobs, most cities also have youth employment opportunities for young people, and New Orleans is no exception. The Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP) provides teens and young adults aged 16-24 years old with paid summer work experience, professional development, and career exploration. Participants are placed with local businesses, nonprofits, or city agencies to learn about the organizations while assisting them and learning new skills.
5. Volunteering
Although it may not seem like volunteering can combat the summer slide, the reality is that any mental stimulation is better than doing nothing or watching television and volunteering is a great way to serve the community, meet new people, develop new interests and increase gratitude. There are several organizations that need assistance and numerous ways to get involved, from hosting a clothing drive to assisting an organization that feeds the unhoused or assisting an organization that offers civic engagement training. These types of opportunities instill transferable skills like empathy, adaptability, leadership, and time management. There are also ample opportunities to network and find other great possibilities to be a productive and engaged citizen at any age or stage of life.
These are just a few of many ways to prevent the summer slide from occurring. With a little planning and research, fun, easy and sometimes free activities can fill in the need for academic stipulation and decrease learning regression. Some of those activities can be all those things and have the added bonus of being helpful to the community at large. Speaking to your child and matching their interests with their activity is probably the most effective way to find an activity that fits and that will encourage a lifelong love of learning.
For more information, feel free to reach out.