Summer Enrichment
Summer break is when kids get to kick back, enjoy some extra screen time, and play outside but, how do we keep our students from the "summer slide," a regression in academic proficiency due to summer break, and experts warn it is hindering kids’ progress when they head back to school. Studies have shown that children lose, on average, about 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading and 27 percent of their school-year gains in math during summer break.
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The good news is that basic skills aren’t hard to maintain over the off-season! There are a number of ways to keep kids engaged in reading and math over the summer:
1. Summer enrichment packets. To keep your child's brain engaged this summer, our teachers have prepared summer enrichment packets to keep your student from "sliding." Find them on the right. 2. Let kids read what they want. View book lists by age for the Challenge by clicking here and scrolling down to "Resources," or browse selections at the Scholastic Store Online. 3. Make time for smart play. Games and puzzles are a great way for kids to brush up on the basics while having fun at the same time. 4. Get out of the house. Experts have found that novelty stimulates the brain and promotes learning. Visiting a historic site or even simply reading together at the park can help your child get more excited about reading and learning. 5. Use your imagination. Kids who use their imagination are also expanding their vocabularies and experimenting with new concepts. Even though it may not seem like they’re directly “learning” when they’re crafting their own superhero capes with a superhero starter kit or dreaming up complex chain reactions with educational LEGO sets, they’re still calling on familiar skills and developing new ones. |
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