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 While kids need a little more freedom, it’s important that some learning continues during these months. Studies have found that, on average, kids lose one to three months of learning over the summer. However, if you get creative, there are ways that parents can help kids retain educational skills and have a summer of fun! Here are a few tips to get your summer off on the right track: > Hit the library. The long, lazy days of summer are perfect for diving into a few good books. Encourage your kids to read by taking them to the library often. Sign your child up for a library card of his very own; this will instill a sense of pride and independence. Most libraries sponsor a summer reading club for elementary-age kids with realistic goals that will keep your child motivated. While it’s tempting to select books for your child, let him make his own choices. Summer reading should be fun, so if he chooses comic books or a video game manual, remember: He’s still reading. > Read every day. Set aside a special time and place to read. Who could resist reading on the porch swing? Also, be sure to read aloud to your child as often as you can. Even if you’ve read it a thousand times, reading the same book to your child can increase his imagination and stimulate different parts of his brain as he is challenged to find new ways of looking at the story, increase vocabulary and build a capacity for new thoughts. > Think outside the book. If you are taking a trip this summer, give your child a map and brochures, or let her go online to research a few things she’d like to see along the way. Or turn reading into an important role: Assign each kid a “job” for the week that will involve (shhhh) some level of reading. The family “meteorologist” is in charge of reading the weather report each day, so you can plan accordingly. Your “current events reporter” can tell the family something interesting that she read about in the newspaper each night at dinner. And the family “chef” can peruse magazines and Web sites for recipes for the week. > It takes a village. Think of ways to get your neighbors and friends on the summer reading bandwagon. A parent-child book club or “buddy book swap” are great ways to start. The group can continue reading and swapping until everyone has read and reviewed every book. > Write on. Writing skills can often slip, particularly the ability to organize thoughts in a logical manner – a critical skill in elementary school. Use your child’s interests as a guide. Typically if a child has a passion for something, she will be eager to share. So if your daughter has a love for horses, ask her to write a short report so the family can learn more about them. If you’re going on a trip, have your child keep a travel journal. Or purchase a bunch of postcards from your hometown and have your child write out one card per week to a grandparent. > Use math every day. While it’s easy to find ways to squeeze in reading and writing over the summer, it may take a little more effort to add some math to your days. Explain to your child when you are using math during your day (balancing your checkbook, purchasing sale items, etc.) so she can see that it is a necessary skill that has real-life applications. To make math even more relevant for your kids, start them on an allowance and have them use a computer program to keep track of their own account. > Make math FUN. Get creative, and your kids won’t even realize they’re refining their math skills. Play a basketball game in which certain shots are worth different points and your child is in charge of keeping track of the scores. Make up math word problems, and have the whole family work on them at the dinner table – the first one done gets to choose dessert! Or head to the dollar store for a few small toys and set up a “Friday Store.” Vary the prices on all the items, and give your kids some money to spend for this once-a-week treat. > Unleash your mad scientist! Summer is a great time to test out those messy science experiments. From mixing food coloring to creating more advanced chemical reactions (build a mini-volcano!) the long days of summer lend plenty of time to note predictions, observations and results. The Internet and the library are both great resources for finding hands-on experiments for all ages. •> SMART MOM GOES GREEN Clementine Art It’s summertime, and there’s no doubt you’ll be breaking out the arts and crafts a time or two for some messy, creative days of fun. And now, your kids can embrace their inner artist and be eco-friendly. Check out Clementine Art. It’s a full line of simple, wholesome and clean art supplies with all the ingredients kids need – and none they don’t – all listed right on the box. These art supplies are all natural, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Being green has never been so much fun! Buy modeling dough, natural paints and markers, soy crayons and more, from $5.49 to $11.99. •> SOLUTION OF THE MONTH Shoe away clutter Is there a mom on earth who doesn’t love the over-the-door shoe organizer? This is not just a home for your beloved footwear. As every resourceful mom knows, the beauty of the hanging shoe organizer can hold a lot more. The small, clear plastic pockets make it perfect for those tiny must-haves when you’ve got small children. Buy a few of them to hang wherever you need access to these tiny staples. Hang one over your laundry room door for summer items that can quickly get lost, such as sunscreen, your pool pass, bug spray, and so forth. You might like another on a wall in your garage for small summer items, such as sidewalk chalk, pool toys, bubbles, small bouncy balls and extra change for the ice cream truck. And when fall rolls around, you’ll love having this handy storage in your pantry for extra school supplies and craft items. $13.99 to $39.99 at thestoragestore.com. •> Need more Smart Mom solutions? Go to smartmomsolutions.com or listen to Mom Talk Radio: momtalkradio.com. |
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