How to keep your kids from losing knowledge over the summer

Although it’s a time to relax and enjoy leisure activities, summer can also be detrimental for school-age children.

Studies show that many students lose up to 30% of their knowledge during these months, especially in math and reading.

Chakeia Andrews, an assistant professor of professional practice at the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development who taught elementary school and was a former reading coach, says that “even within my practice, I have had evidence of students coming back to school in August and noticed that there is a summer learning loss.”

Andrews notes that in lower income areas some students have a greater loss of knowledge than the 30% average due to the lack of enrichment summer activities to reinforce and continue learning.

An effective way to prepare for the summer is for parents to check with their child’s teacher to see how their child is performing academically.

“At the end of the school year, the students participate in the FAST assessment, and those tests provide data that can inform parents in which academic areas they should focus on during the summer months so that children are ready and prepared when they return to school in August,” she says.

There are many ways that parents can help their children to retain their knowledge during the summer months. Having a daily reading routine is very helpful, particularly for elementary school students, she says.

Studies show that parents who read to or with their children help them to improve their vocabulary, reading comprehension, and awareness of phonics. In addition, it reinforces the bond between parent and child.

Andrews reads with her 5-year-old daughter, Hazel, every day. In addition, Hazel keeps a double-response journal. When Hazel reads a book, she writes down a comment on the story and Andrews does as well. Parent reinforcement is a great incentive for children to keep on learning, experts says.

Using educational games and websites to reinforce reading and phonics skills is also very beneficial, she says. ABCmouse.com and PBS KIDS websites are two good ones.

Here are some additional tips to help students during the summer:

• Practice writing every day. Have children write letters to relatives or friends about their everyday experiences. Have them create short stories that can prompt discussions and thus develop critical thinking.
• Use outing experiences as learning opportunities. Visiting the beach, parks, and museums can enrich learning experiences. A visit to a museum can expand knowledge of art, enhance vocabulary, and knowledge of history.
• Enroll the child in the local library’s reading challenge where students are encouraged to read books and compete for prizes during the summer.
• For older kids, set summer goals. Many schools provide students with summer lists to encourage them to read and keep up their reading levels.
• Use books to develop skills teenagers are interested in (whether it is cooking, exercise, playing an instrument, or magic tricks). “Use books to assist with mastering the skill,” says Andrews.
• Since older kids use social media, encourage them to create a TikTok post regarding a book they read.
• To enhance math skills, when going shopping, have the child estimate how much the groceries would cost. Once they receive the actual total, the children can determine how far off they were from the actual amount spent.
• When traveling, encourage children to keep a travel journal where they can write about each place they visit.
• Help the student make their own book. Bind them with staples or in a folder and illustrate with drawings.

Source: University of Miami