6 Tips to Prevent the Summer Slide

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I absolutely dread when Target brings out their school supplies on July 5th and I know students feel the same. But it is important to keep learning alive during the summer and it doesn’t have to just involve workbooks. The summer slide is when students lose some of the knowledge they gained from the previous year. Use these 6 tips to prevent the summer slide and encourage learning.

1. Read Everyday

Read every day. Read inside, outside, in bed, on the couch, on a boat, anywhere! Have family reading time. It is so important for children to see you as an adult read too. Read to your children and have your children read to you. Pick a book series for the family to enjoy together. Audiobooks work great for long car rides too. Giving your child a love for reading will help them throughout life. Check out your local library for a summer reading challenge.

2. Field Trips

Field trips. From the Iowa State Capitol to the Science Center, Des Moines has a variety of places to take a field trip. Some of our other favorites include Jester Park Nature Center, Saylorville Lake Visitor Center, and Iowa Gold Star Museum. Don’t forget to take advantage of the Adventure Passes offered through the local libraries.

3. Iowa Core Standards

Check out the Iowa Core Standards. These are the standards teachers use to guide their lessons. You can find exactly what your children learned last year and what they will learn in the coming year.

4. Passion Projects

Passion Projects. Ask your child what they are interested in. Go to the local library and find books about that topic. Let them research using kid-friendly search engines such as Kiddle or Kidrex. Create a finished product about the topic. Check out this article for more information on passion projects. 

5. Summer Journal

Keep a summer journal. Take turns writing the journal entries. Focus on getting ideas out instead of writing mechanics. Here are some summer writing prompts to help. Think of how great it will be to have these journals to look back on throughout life.

6. Real Life Math

Real life math. Bake something together. Discuss the different fraction amounts, think about how to double or halve a recipe.  Make a family meal budget. Have your children get involved with staying under the budget using ads from local grocery stores. 

Jackie Fioritto

Jackie Fioritto

Hi, I’m Jackie. I am a teacher who recently became a stay-at-home mother of two. My husband and I moved to Des Moines from Green Bay, Wisconsin a few years ago. Originally, I am from Chicago, Illinois. My family has loved exploring Des Moines and all that it has to offer!

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