Summer break can also mean learning loss for students. Discover the 5 easy and fun ways to prevent summer slide!

Summer-slide is not scary

The idea of summer slide, that students lose some of what they have learned the year before, is both fact and fiction. It’s fact because students who disconnect from school can (and often do) show regression and loss of skills. And, over the years, this loss can add up. But it’s fiction as well because the idea of summer-slide assumes that the only learning that matters is in the classroom – which is absolutely not true.

Schools and educators seemingly like to terrorize parents with the frightening monster of their child’s summer learning loss. This also justifies the summer work they send home with these same unhappy students. And let’s be honest, no child – no matter how nerdy – wants to do any school work during the summer. Plus, students need – and deserve – a break from the stress, anxiety, and workload of the previous school year. The summer break also helps them recharge their batteries to face the challenge of the oncoming school year. In short, students need to relax and have fun.

So, what’s a parent and student to do? Easy. Go to the classroom of life. Remember that school exists to prepare students for future life success. Big surprise: non-school activities can do that too. The most important aspect to consider is that the activities must be both challenging and enjoyable. When you put those two together, students can’t help but practice those key skills while having fun and prevent the dreaded summer slide.

5 ways to prevent the dreaded summer slide.

5 Easy Ways to Prevent Summer Slide

1. (Fun) Reading

Here’s a rule most learning ignores: if you want a student to read, and like it, then they have to read a book they like. In fact, in my classroom students are NOT ALLOWED to read a book they don’t like! I have to admit that when I tell them that, they look at me as if I’m strange or lying, or both.

Here’s another rule learning ignores: a student who reads frequently also does better in school (and life) than one that doesn’t. So, if you do nothing else, find your child (or yourself) a FUN book they can’t put down. It might take a while, and they might need to test 3 to 20 books, or more. But, once they find a book they like, they also put the brakes on summer-slide.

2. Creating

This activity is vague because I mean almost anything by it. But it is essential because the act of creating something is also one of the highest forms of thinking. The key here is that the student follows the steps from idea, evaluation, research, design, and implementation to get all areas of the brain involved. What does your child (or you) like? The range for creation can be anything from baking and selling cookies to designing their own video game. And remember, failing is also an option here – especially since it’s life’s best teacher.

Some Creation Ideas:

1. Write a story/book

2. Design and build something

3. Sewing – anything from clothes to a costumes

4. Painting – any kind as long as requires planning/designing

5. Start a business – within their scope – and manage all aspects.

6. Solve a problem – personal or for the community

7. Create a new game (board or outdoor)

Honestly, the ideas for creation are limitless. It can be a day-long project or something that lasts all summer. Also, depending on age, a student often needs support and guidance from adults. But be careful not to do the project for them! Again, challenge and failure are powerful teachers.

3. Traveling and Exploring

This can be anything from hiking, discovering a local neighborhood, exploring a city, to traveling to India. The idea here is that the student is a) excited/enthusiastic, and b) involved in the planning. Exposing students to unknown environments and experiences helps them become more flexible and adaptable. But more than that, it can light up their curiosity and desire to learn new ideas and concepts. It also helps students make unexpected and abstract connections, which is a sneaky way to practice and build those learning skills.

4. Moving

Your student doesn’t like reading, creating, or travel? Do they just want to run around all day? Great! Get them moving in a way that builds those neurons.

(also, note that student may be a kinesthetic learner).

Most people don’t realize that the brain is not just in the head, it’s also in the body. Moving activates the brain/body connection and improves thinking and creativity. Also, people who are active learn better – so there you go.

Your student can build movement skills by going to summer camp for the activity they like best, such as soccer, basketball, field hockey, or yoga.

They don’t play a specific sport? Then consider a day- or week camp filled with changing activities that blend movement with creation and exploration.

If none of the above are accessible then simply encourage your student to organize a time for outside gameplay with friends and neighbors – sometimes the simplest plans are also the most effective.

5. (Fun) Learning

Learning anything new activates the neural net like nobodies’ business. Specifically, it provides some nice brain gymnastics for creativity, critical thinking, and analysis. But I have to emphasize that summer learning needs to be FUN. In other words, it must not FEEL like learning. Instead, it should feel like a game or activity, or something the student wants to do.

So, instead of forcing the student to practice math (ugh) maybe they might consider a class on design or building something? Instead of computer science how about video game design? There are hundreds of classes available that are fun for students but also (secretly) teach prime learning and life skills.

Still, learning something new doesn’t have to cost much or even anything at all. Find what your student (or you!) wants to learn and you can probably find something at your local community center or on youtube. After all, I built this website entirely from youtube videos! So yeah, I’m a pretty big youtube fan. There are tons of online classes or tutorials that have a minimal cost or are free. Here are a few I like:

Camp Candlewick – Reading club/camp for kids

Camp Youtube – Video activities for pretty much any subject.

Varsity Tutors – fun online week-long activities on fun, creative subjects.

The Lion King Experience: At Home – Immersive at-home arts education theater program for children of all ages.

PetraLingua – has a low monthly subscription ($7.99 at the time of this writing) for foreign language courses specifically designed for children.

Shaw Academy and MasterClass – offer low-cost options for older students and adults to explore a variety of different topics from fashion to cooking to web design.

Fun and engaging activities prevent summer- slide

In the end, you should never pile schoolwork in front of your child to avoid summer learning loss. Instead, make sure their activities are fun. Encourage your child (or your self) to tap into their interests, curiosity, and sense of creativity with the 5 easy and fun ways listed above and you’ll be sure to prevent that summer-slide.