With more than six weeks off over the summer every year, it can sometimes feel as though young children are going backwards in their development during the holidays. As a parent, the chances are that you’re thinking about strategies to boost their learning and ensure they return to the classroom in September engaged and up to speed - below, we’ve put together some of the ways you can ensure they don’t forget their knowledge when they’re off school.
Go on field trips
Perhaps one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to get your little ones to learn over the summer is to organise a few field trips to broaden their horizons. From visiting the museum to stopping by the zoo and taking part in a nature walk, there are so many affordable and sometimes free ways to spend time together and learn as you go. You could even get some of your children’s friend’s parents involved and set up days out together - kids learn better when they’re amongst their peers. Head to your library or community website to see what’s on in your local area over the summer, and consider speaking to your kid’s school about any summer activities and classes they might be putting on. Planning ahead is key here - the more activities you can pencil into the diary at the start of the summer holidays, the better!
Encourage reading time
Another way to boost learning during the summer is to encourage your child to read every day. Reading is a great activity as it helps them expand their vocabularies, improve their comprehension skills, and relax and unwind during an overwhelming period of fun. Set some goals over the summer and consider a reading chart - for example, you could ask them to read a book a week over the summer, and make notes of those they’ve read. Alternatively, you could ask them to read a book and reward them by allowing them to watch the movie adaptation with their friends. Reading with your children is another way to make the process more enjoyable - use voices and consider finger puppets to really get little ones engaged.
Watch some cartoons
Although you’ll naturally want to find ways to reduce screen time over the summer months, it’s worth noting that kid’s cartoons like Everything’s Rosie can be both fun and educational, teaching your children life lessons and values, like the importance of friendship, sharing, and telling the truth. One of the biggest benefits of Everything’s Rosie is that all of our episodes are free to watch on YouTube, and we’ve got tonnes of resources on our website to keep your children engaged, like read-along books, colouring-in sheets, and arts and craft guides.
Get creative
Encourage your children to use their imagination and get creative over the holidays. Turning old boxes into corner shops can be good fun and allow them to express themselves - and they’ll learn new skills along the way. There are, of course, lots of fun ways to get involved yourself - consider attending a pottery class, spend time painting, or do some gardening together and transform a flower bed into an attractive safe haven for bees and wildlife.
Ask them to keep a diary
Finally, why not buy your little one a notebook and ask them to keep a summer diary? Free form writing can help your children improve their handwriting skills, build their confidence in writing, and expand their vocabulary and thought processes. They can keep a record of what they got up to every day over the summer, the people they meet, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. What’s more, diaries are a nice way to hold onto memories and have something to look back on in years to come - they can even be useful for school projects.
Do you have any advice on entertaining your children over the summer and ensuring their brains don’t turn to mush? Join in the conversation on Twitter and check back soon for more.