5 ideas to help prevent the summer slide for your kids
It happens to most kids: summer officially begins when school ends, and the moment school is in the rearview mirror, they forget the things they learned that year. Summer learning loss is a very real issue for many children. Because they lose many of the academic achievements they made over the previous school year, it’s important to challenge them and prevent the summer slide that tends to occur. Here are 5 ways you can prevent that learning loss each summer.
Participate in a summer reading program
Summer reading programs are a great way to prevent summer slide because they keep a child’s mind engaged. Summer reading programs are also beneficial because they often have kickoff parties, family-friendly events, library story time, giveaways, and more. And kids earn prizes for meeting their reading goals. Peoria Public Library holds summer reading programs each year, where kids can even win a bike for meeting the reading challenge. It’s a fun way to keep your child’s brain creative while preventing a decline in achievement.
Plant a garden to teach healthy eating and more
Gardening with your child is a great way to help them understand healthy eating habits. And just as important, it keeps them engaged in sciences. PBS noted that children who spend time in a summer garden score higher in their achievements in sciences than children who didn’t garden at all. Even if you don’t have space for a full garden, use pots to plant seeds, then spend time watering, measuring, and talking about the phases of growth. Walk your child through the concepts of why plants need sun and water. Discuss how flowers on a vegetable plant turn into the vegetable itself. You can even dry out the seeds to harvest for the next summer. Don’t forget to teach your child how to snack healthy with what you produce.
Encourage creative playtime
A great way to keep your child’s mind churning is with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) projects that are simple, but fun to execute. There are many activities you can pull together with simple household items. Whether you’re growing seeds in a jar to watch them sprout or growing crystals in a cup, STEM activities and playtime will teach them science basics that keep that summer slide at bay.
Put your child in a science summer camp
One of the benefits of summertime are the numerous camps that organizations host to keep kids learning. Universities like Bradley and the University of Illinois offer summer STEM education for kids that feature hands-on learning, field trips, and group projects. You’ll also find numerous programs through local museums, the park district, and even the Peoria Zoo provide numerous options that will inspire your kids to learn more about the world around them.
Play with Legos
Legos have long been an incredible, hands-on way for kids to learn critical thinking and creativity. Lego has even developed hundreds of lesson plans to teach kids literacy, math and science, and even how to code. Research from Johns Hopkins University shows that Lego is a great way for kids to achieve in school and well into their adult lives. Consider handing your child a container of Legos to play with on their own. Or you can choose to download numerous lesson plans to teach specific skills. Regardless of what you choose, this type of play great way to prevent summer slide.
Discover the PALS Curriculum
As a loving parent who is concerned enough to prevent summer slide, you may already be thinking about what an outstanding daycare experience looks like for your child. PALS Praise & Leadership Schools has designed a curriculum that will help your child flourish at every stage of development. We tailor our curriculum to your child’s needs and the major developmental milestones. And as part of our daily activities, we build up your child’s self-esteem, moral character, and skills your child needs to grow. Our goal is to teach your child to think, reason, be responsible, achieve, excel, and communicate well before they become adults.
If you’re interested in enrolling your child in PALS, we offer two convenient campuses in the Peoria area. And both provide the same outstanding standards of care for your child. Contact us at our North Peoria campus, located at 2327 W Willow Knolls Rd in Peoria IL, at 309-228-2505. Or give us a call at our Downtown Peoria campus, located at 700 NE Greenleaf in Peoria IL, at 309-740-4463. Schedule a tour with us today to see why PALS Praise & Leadership Schools is the best choice for your child.
