Summer is an exciting time for children to relax, explore, and have fun without the pressures of academia and structure of school schedules. However, it’s important for parents to remember that summer is also an opportunity for their children to continue learning and exploring the world around them. Studies have shown that children who do not engage in educational activities during the summer months can experience a learning gap when they return to school in the fall. It is important to keep children engaged in learning, particularly in S.T.E.A.M. subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) during the summer months. It not only prevents the dreaded “summer learning gap€ but also encourages children to be naturally curious about the world around them. Here are some ways to keep your child curious and learning all summer long.
Explore the Outdoors
Science is all around us, and summer provides the perfect opportunity for children to explore the natural world. Take your child on nature walks, camping trips, or hiking expeditions to observe and learn about plants, animals, and the world around us. Encourage them to ask questions about nature and seek answers through scientific investigation.
Hands-on S.T.E.A.M. Projects
Engage children in hands-on projects that involve science, technology, engineering, art, and math. These can include building a birdhouse, creating a solar-powered oven, designing a simple robot, or making a stop-motion animation video. Encourage your child to create art using math concepts, such as using symmetry or creating fractal designs. These interactive projects can keep your child busy and learning while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Visit Museums and Science Centers
Visiting museums and science centers during summer break is a great way to entertain and educate the whole family. Science centers and other educational facilities often offer rotating exhibitions, weekend workshops, and hands-on demonstrations for children of all ages. Some of these centers offer summer camps, so be sure to check their schedule and see if they have a program that would interest your child.
Encourage Summer Reading
Summer break provides your child with countless hours to read books they really enjoy. Reading just 4 to 6 books over the summer has the potential to prevent a decline in reading achievement scores. Not sure where to start? Contact your local library to learn about their summer reading program and explore how your child’s school might promote it to their students. Free, educational activities are an important feature of these reading programs. Not only can summer reading help prevent learning loss, it can also help develop a lifelong love for learning and encourage them to explore their interests further. Children learn best by example, so be sure to pick up a book and read with them!
Summer Camps and Enrichment Programs
Summer camps are a fantastic way to keep children engaged and learning throughout the summer months. Snapology’s specialized summer camp themes encourage children to explore topics that might have caught their interest or that they’d like to explore more, such as robotics, art, or animation. Summer camps offer a range of hands-on activities, workshops, and projects that encourage children to explore and develop their skills in various fields. Not only are these camps a great source of summertime education, they also offer collaborative and interactive prompts to reinforce teamwork and socialization, which can enhance children’s communication and leadership skills.
Summer break is a time for children to relax and have fun, but it is also important to keep them engaged in learning to prevent the summer learning gap. There are many ways to encourage learning during summer break, such as exploring the outdoors, engaging in hands-on projects, visiting museums and science centers, reading books, and signing up for summer camp. By keeping children engaged in learning, parents can help them succeed academically and develop a lifelong love of learning.
