Summer learning loss exists - we know this from memory research: if knowledge is not practised over a significant period of time, it will be much harder to recall. There are lots of ways that you can keep your children learning over the summer to help avoid this. In fact, the summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to keep your child moving forward and even "catching up" if you feel this is required.
1. Twenty minutes a day soon adds up - if you can manage six days a week, they will have done two hours of practice without really noticing. Short regular bursts at a consistent time in a place free of distractions works best. This can be incentivised in whatever way works for you and your child. In our house, screen time is not an option if the 20 minutes have not been done. There may be some kick-back if this is a new idea so make sure you talk to your child first about why this is a good idea. Within a short time, the routine will become habit and accepted as what happens.
2. Maths. Times tables and number facts underpin all maths well into secondary school. Daily practice is readily available via many apps and websites. I prefer "Hit the Button" as it has nothing apart from the maths practice to distract from the task in hand. If your child doesn't know a certain times tables, they may need to write it out several times to embed the knowledge before practising on the app. There are also many reasonably priced books available with 10 minute exercises to cover all years of the maths curriculum to keep your child's maths knowledge fresh all summer long.
3. Reading. Encourage your child to read every day - to you, to themselves, to anyone who will listen (or pretend to!) If you get a spare moment, sit down and read ... and let them see you reading - just because you want to. If your child reads to themselves, you could read the same book so that you can discuss it with them.
4. Writing. Children need to keep their writing skills going over the holidays - with a pen or a pencil in hand. As a child I enjoyed keeping a holiday scrapbook and I have friends who have this as a really successful summer holiday tradition. Not so in our family, we have tried ... but from day two or three the notebooks are abandoned and all is left is a slight sense of guilt. What has worked well for us is a summer "project" where the child chooses a topic and collates fact files of information in whatever creative way they choose. Simply copying facts from a book is excellent handwriting practice, along with the new knowledge they will be picking up as they read and write.
5. Learn something new. Perhaps your child would like to learn a few words of a new language - there are some great resources and apps online for this. Perhaps it's restarting a regular practice habit on a musical instrument that is gathering dust. Perhaps a family project of learning one new English word a day and trying to get it into conversation. The options are endless.
The key thing to remember is that learning is important, learning can be fun and that children (no matter what they might say to you!) enjoy it.
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