Now that summer is here parents and teachers are talking about the dreaded summer slide. With a little guidance, kids can avoid the learning loss that can happen during the summer. Let’s take a look at what it is, how it can affect homeschoolers, and how to prevent it for our kids this summer.
What is Summer Slide?
Summer slide is the tendency of kids to regress in academics over the summer. Teachers usually spend the first couple of weeks of a new school year reviewing last year’s skills in reading and math because of learning loss experienced during the summer. Over time, this learning loss is accumulative which can lead to more difficulties as kids progress through school. A 2020 study shows that mid-late elementary aged students lost 27% in math and 20% in reading during summer break. That’s a HUGE step backward!
Does Summer Slide Affect Homeschoolers?
Summer Slide can hit all kids regardless of where they are educated. Homeschoolers often take longer breaks during other parts of the year so the “slide backwards” isn’t always during the summer. Family emergencies, moving, and the birth of a new child are life events that can put the brakes on our homeschool plans for weeks at a time. It’s hard to push through those times because we can’t just send our kids off to a regular school while we deal with whatever life has thrown at us.
#1 Way to Prevent Summer Slide or Learning Loss?
Read. Seriously, reading is awesome for preventing the summer slide.
Read to your kids every day. Make it a daily habit to grab a book and sit down with your kids for some snuggles and a story. No matter how crazy life gets, most people can find 20 minutes most days to read to their kids.
When my kids were wiggly toddlers, I realized that reading while they’re eating was a fantastic way to keep their attention. This habit continues for us years later during the school year and when we’re on break.
According to Jim Trelease in The Read Aloud Handbook, “The best S.A.T. prep course is to read to your children when they’re little.”
Have your kids read to themselves for 20-30 minutes a day from a variety of books. Having a selection of books in your house will encourage your kids to grab a book when they’re bored, just for fun, or to learn something new. Kids need new books as they grow, so I’m always looking at used book shops and garage sales to keep their books fresh and interesting.
We also make good use of our local library. However, our libraries (and many others) were closed for months at a time last year which reinforced the importance of my kids having access to quality books that we own. Having a large selection of books for your kids at home is an easy way to deal with “bored” kids. They’ll learn quickly that they can grab a book when they can’t find anything else to do.
Check out some engaging books perfect for summer reading in these posts…
- Gardening Books for Kids
- 25 Nature Books to Get Your Kids Exploring
- Patriotic Books for Independence Day
- Beautiful Butterfly Books
- Adventurous Pirate Books
Other Activities to Prevent Summer Slide
Beginning Readers
Practice reading skills with kids who are still learning to read. Help them identify the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Show them how to sound out simple words while you read to them. For more fun check out this post!
Summer Math Fun
Sure, we can stock up on a summer math workbook for each kid, but wouldn’t it be better to add some fun to math? Here are some ideas…
- Puzzle and logic books
- Practice skip counting in the car
- Find shapes while out shopping or driving
- Find shapes and patterns while out on a nature walk
- Practice math, logic, and strategy with family games
- Cook together to practice fractions
Related Post – 6 Ways to Teach Math
If you feel your child needs help with math beyond what you can give them, summer is the perfect time to find a tutor. Many libraries offer tutoring services and high school kids may have more time to offer tutoring services during the summer.
It took a long time for me to finally admit that we needed to get a tutor for our oldest. There’s no shame in seeking out help whenever needed. You can read more about our math tutor experience in this post.
Summer Writing Fun
Summer is a great time for kids to keep a journal. For kids just learning to write, they can tell stories through pictures. Also, you can be their scribe and write the story that they tell you.
For older kids, they can combine a writing and picture journal into one. They can take pictures of their summer adventures, paste them into a notebook, and write about their experiences.
If you’re looking for more formal handwriting practice, check out Nature Poetry Handwriting Practice in Print and Cursive. These 10 poems also make wonderful memory work and inspiration for art and nature projects. Patriotic Handwriting Practice and Quotes is perfect around Independence Day!
Help Them Answer Some of Their Endless Questions
Kids are filled with questions! Why? How? What is? Can I? Is it possible? What if?
Use this down time to help them explore and find answers to some of their questions. Next time they start down this road, do a quick search online, at your library, and in your own books to help them find books, articles, and videos that may answer their questions. Lead them to the resources and help them sort through what they find. Don’t just answer the question for them.
Encourage them to put together a project, report, skit, song, or something else to show what they’ve learned!
Related Post – Animal Mini Book Project
Learn a New Skill
I love planning a new school year by asking my kids what they want to learn, but we should ALWAYS be asking them and watching for when something sparks their interest. A new skill may be a motor skill like tying their shoes or zipping up a jacket. I love focusing on fine motor skills and big body movements when looking at new skills to learn.
This summer kids can learn to…
- Ride a bike
- Climb a tree
- Swim
- Identify local plants and animal prints on a nature walk
- Whittle a stick with a pocket knife
- Set up a campsite
- Start a campfire
- Paddle a canoe
- Take care of the family pet
- Cook a meal for the family
- Wash clothes and dishes
- Grow a plant
- Sew
- Basic first aid skills
- Read a map
The possibilities are endless!
Bored Kids = Creative Kids
The best learning experiences often come from being bored! Don’t take these learning opportunities away from your kids. This is a fantastic way to prevent the summer slide even if it doesn’t look exactly like reading and math practice.
We don’t limit electronics as much as we did when our kids were younger, but I try very hard not to give into electronics when they’re bored. It’s so hard to avoid that temptation as adults! I don’t want to start them on the habit of grabbing a device every time they’re bored. This is where a large selection of books, craft supplies, activity books, games, and puzzles come in real handy.
Boredom is when questions pop into their head, which leads to research, exploring, experimenting, and discovery. Don’t try to fix their boredom for them by handing them a device.
As homeschoolers, we aim to raise kids to be life-long learners. That’s the end goal, but it can sometimes take a bit of work to keep our kids engaged with learning during school breaks whether they’re planned or due to a family emergency or life-changing event. Reading to our kids, encouraging them to read, and these other fun activities will help prevent the summer slide.
How do you keep your kids learning during summer break? Share your tips in the comments below!
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