It’s not your imagination: children can experience some learning loss during the summer months. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your child’s mind active and engaged until school starts back up again in September. Here’s how:
1. Get outdoors
There’s more to the outdoors than just physical fitness. Stimulate your child’s brain by taking them on a nature walk and challenging them to identify plants, birds, or other aspects of the great outdoors. If hiking through the woods isn’t your thing, take them on a historic walking tour around Philadelphia.
2. Rainy-day activities
Rainy, indoor days are inevitable during the summer months. But instead of letting them spend the day in front of the TV, challenge your child to a game or give them a puzzle that involves problem-solving. Not only will this make being cooped up inside the house more bearable, it also creates an opportunity to develop and refine logic skills and improve socialization — especially if you invite some of your child’s friends over.
3. Trips to a museum
If you can’t stand to be in the house on a rainy (or particularly hot) day, a museum is an excellent alternative to the movies. Whether it’s the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Franklin Institute, or the Please Touch Museum, a day spent at a learning institution is one of the best experiences you can give your child. As you guide them through the museum, have them read all the information associated with each exhibit. You can even pick up a book at the gift shop on the way out and use that as a continued education tool for the rest of the summer.
4. Pick an educational summer program
An educational experience doesn’t always have to depend on you. There are plenty of organized summer activities and camps designed to inspire and unleash your child’s creativity. A woodworking class, a nature camp, or even an introduction to 3D printing are all great ways to keep your child’s mind active.
5. Work with their hands
Summer is the perfect time to do more kinetic work with your child. Building a sandcastle at the beach, playing with clay, or using an old-fashioned hammer and nails to construct a birdhouse can all offer children an opportunity to flex their minds. To inspire even more creativity, challenge your child to design something from their imagination and help them build it. This can help them use a number of very important skills that involve critical thinking.
Summer break may be a time for fun and relaxation, but that doesn’t mean your child has to stop learning. These five activities can help keep their mind active until school begins again in the fall.