The long summer break is an anticipated time for most students. Children spend about 180 days in school per grade, so we can’t blame them for needing a break before beginning a new school year. Unfortunately, those two months a child is out of school means they’re at risk of losing a lot of the knowledge they spent the previous year learning. This phenomenon is known as the “Summer Slide.”

A break from school shouldn’t mean a break from learning. Below are four resources to help prevent the Summer Slide and ensure your children succeed.

Stick to your routines

Maintaining routines is essential for young children. While it may be tempting to disregard all schedules during the summer, your family must stick to your usual routine to stay on track. Habits can take months to build and only days to destroy. Don’t be lured into the idea that summer means neglect and disarray.

Sure, you can extend your child’s bedtime and let them relax, but don’t let temporary habits demolish the powerful routines your family has built together.  

Sign up for a summer reading pledge

Many schools and public libraries offer summer reading challenges available to all students. These fun reading programs incentivize young learners to exercise their reading skills while out of school. By signing the pledge, children commit to reading throughout the summer and receive fun prizes as they progress through the challenge.

The pledge is a great way to keep students and their parents accountable throughout the summer.

Download educational apps

As a parent, I often hear about the importance of avoiding or limiting screen time. While I agree with this tip, I’m also a firm believer that the type of content children consume plays a more significant role than the amount of time they watch the content. If your child loves technology, use it to your advantage this summer. There are countless educational apps available for many grade levels and skills.

Duolingo, Khan Academy Kids, and PBS Kids Games are just a few FREE apps that can help your kid stay engaged this summer.

Make learning at home fun

Providing children with engaging and entertaining learning opportunities helps increase their participation and absorption of knowledge. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an experienced educator to make learning at home fun. The internet is full of fun and age-appropriate activities you can try at home.

Remember, kids have different learning styles, so what may work for some will likely not work for others. Try out multiple options and explore which one is most successful in your household.