Summer is here! With a jam-packed schedule filled with camps, vacations, and other fun events, it can be difficult to focus on summer reading lists and keeping up with demands of academic learning. We’re here to help! Today we’ll be talking all about the summer slide and some easy ideas for home. By incorporating speech and language skills into everyday tasks, children have multiple opportunities to learn something motivating to them. Let’s fill up this summer with fun- and learning!
So… what is the “summer slide”?
It’s a term used to describe the toll that summer vacation can take on a child’s academic knowledge.
What does research say?
Research has shown that children score lower on standardized tests after summer vacation than they did on the same test BEFORE summer vacation. Significant knowledge can be lost over summer. It is estimated that children can lose between 20-30% of their reading and other academic gains from the school year due to lack of practice during the summer months. On average, around 2.6 months of knowledge gained over the school year can be lost. This tends to compound, as a child experiences subsequent loss each year.
How can we avoid the summer slide?
While busy, summertime is a fantastic time for learning. Children’s brains are not as tired from a full day of school! Here are some things we recommend to do this summer:
Keep up with therapies or tutoring.
Sign up for summer programs.
Try game-based learning. Items like:
Puzzles
Board games
Card games
are excellent ways to encourage problem solving and other learning skills!
Read, read, read! We recommend your child read daily for at least 20 minutes. Check out some reading suggestions below:
Listen to books
Read aloud together in the morning or at night
Explore different reading materials (i.e. Highlights magazines, book lists from school)
Head to your local library!
Get outside and play. Try things like:
A scavenger hunt
Play “I spy…”
Go for a walk
Get crafty! Art encourages creativity, language, math, fine motor, and cognitive development skills.
Help your child find a craft idea online. Then, head to your local craft store to purchase the items needed and make the craft together.
Make a memory book from the past school year. Talk about your child’s favorite moments and events that happened throughout the year.
Encourage their imagination! Try splatter painting with flowers, make a mural on the driveway with chalk, or paint rocks that you find on your outdoor adventures. Art is everywhere!
Visit places in your local community:
Museums
Playgrounds
Splash pads
Local bookstores
Encourage learning in everyday tasks:
Pick out a new snack recipe and head to the grocery store with your child. Work on following directions as you make the snack.
Plant and care for a garden with your child. Talk about the changes (i.e. colors, sights, smells, sizes) you see as your vegetables, fruit or flowers grow!
Focus on simple tasks around the house. Work on sorting colors for laundry, putting groceries away, or cleaning up toys. By involving your child in everyday tasks, it can help encourage a sense of accomplishment and teamwork!
Involve your child in the kitchen for dinner preparation. Food provides great language opportunities- talk about the categories items belong to or the different textures or tastes with your child!
Interested in more ideas to encourage learning this summer? Check out some of our previous blog posts with activities and suggestions to do:
Finding Language in Everyday Activities- Summer Edition
Ways to Work on Reading Comprehension
Still wanting some extra assistance for your child’s learning needs this summer? Our team provides speech therapy sessions in homes, schools, and summer camps. We offer evaluations and recurring treatment sessions tailored to your child’s individual needs. Contact us today for a free phone consultation or to get scheduled for this summer!
Northern Virginia
Phone: 703-470-6957
Email: info@owlstherapy.com
Philadelphia’s Main Line
Phone: 610-579-0914
Email: philadelphia@owlstherapy.com