Seven Inventive Ideas to Stop the Summer Slide
By Scott B. Freiberger
As most of us know, summer is typically a time when unenthusiastic youth become even more unmoved. With summer camps and many outdoor events cancelled due to COVID-19, planning enlightening activities that spark scholastic spirit becomes even more challenging. While “summer slide” may jog memories of slippery theme park water slides, the term actually refers to slippage in reading and math levels that tends to occur during the summer, from one grade to the next, when children prefer to practice their gaming guile over polymath pursuits. Can we keep children engaged in cerebral celebrations over innocuous inclinations? Don’t throw in the Tinkerbell towel just yet! Here are seven inventive ideas to stop the summer slide.
1. Establish a Conversation Corner
In the delightful Dairy of a Terrific Teacher, accomplished children’s book author Christopher Holley (“Mr. Hollywood”) sets aside a “time out” corner for Timmy, a stealthy student who wreaks educational havoc all over his kindergarten classroom. While written to be witty and whimsical, how about establishing a household conversation corner? Tap into unrealized aptitude and guide children to prevent potential “Terrible Timmy” mishaps.
Read Aloud to Make Us Proud
Research suggests reading to children from a young age has proven educational and social benefits. The more you read with your children, the better their communication and social skills should become. Arrange an area where family members can converse comfortably. If children aren’t interested in a book, choose another one. Make the learning journey both personal and joyous.
After reading a story, ask children to explain, in their own words, about the characters and what transpired. Expose children to a wide variety of words to enhance language and vocabulary development, and influence later literacy achievement. Reflect yourself. Include books that reflect your child’s native culture and language. Help each child to feel proud. For non-native speakers, reading in a native language should also make it easier for children to acquire English. Consider yourself the family fairy godmother, and read with children now to pave the path of a future as bright as a marvelous magic wand.
2. Puzzles, Robots, and Books... Oh My!
While you may push puzzle pieces aside as childish claptrap, there are surprising benefits to producing perfect puzzle pictures for both children and adults. In children, playing with puzzles has been found to enhance diagnostic skills, augment aptitude, reinforce hand-eye coordination, and strengthen self-esteem. In adults, putting together puzzles has led to enhanced evocation and more precise problem-solving, increased IQ scores, and raised visual-spatial reasoning. There is also evidence of lowered stress levels and a delay in Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Like people, puzzles come in many shapes and sizes, so here’s to planning a novel puzzle pastime!
Robots
and technology can also improve teaching and learning within children’s
classrooms, schools, and communities. By integrating digital tools into playing and learning,
children are able to develop a skill called computational
thinking, the process of deciphering a problem via detail
and precision. Computational thinking
may lead to better reasoning
and problem-solving.
With strengthening science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
skills in mind, consider a family-friendly affair to build a robot
together.
Of course, stack a bastion of bodacious books nearby. Select stories that emphasize building character, environmental conservation, making good choices, and developing positive self-esteem. Heck, you could even take toddlers on a magic toilet adventure! Provide opportunities for children to tell you a story. For young readers, especially, consider writing out a story as the children relate it; then, point to the words as you retell it. According to literacy expert Timothy Shanahan, after repeated storytelling, young children should be able to begin recognizing basic words such as “I” and “like.”
3. Keep Cool with Coding
With a plethora of free coding classes and apps available, consider delving into coding for kids. Instilling a doting for coding does not have to begin with a series of troublesome tasks, and conceptualizing coding and programming logic should empower children to solve problems with acuity and advance analytical reasoning readiness. According to one website, children as young as five can have fun while finding out coding fundamentals. Free educational programming websites include Blockly, Code.org, and Scratch. For older children (10+), try Code Combat; teens (14+) may also appreciate Code Academy.
4. Virtual Day Trips
To enhance excogitation, choose an interactive celebration! Empower children to think critically via media-rich visual tools for modeling and visualization, as online experiences can spark cerebral conversations and educational enlightenment. Virtually visit fantastic farms, sprawling zoos, national parks, historical sites, and even outer space! (I offer a wealth of online resources here.)
Questions to ponder:
- What did you think of this virtual field trip?
- What questions do you have?
- What is the most interesting thing you learned?
- What else would you like to know?
- Based on this experience, would you visit this attraction in-person? Why or why not?
- Where would you like our next virtual visit to be and why?
5. Go Camping… Online!
With fun, free options available, consider virtual untrodden treks and small-group learning situations at online summer camps. Learn what makes hot air balloons rise, marvel at art and natural history museums (some with curbside material pick-ups), create crafts, or learn with Legos. Take yoga breaks or bust out board games. Online summer camps can also teach children about cooking, fitness, games, and music. How about home harvesting? Consider selecting seed pods experiences for siblings to savor.
6. Let Them Write
Provide many magical moments for putting pen to paper. Write notes or short letters…It won’t be long before [your child] is trying to write back to you. Consider jovial journal entries once each day or twice a week. Make it fun! Ask children to pen their pursuits, envision new encounters, or posit opinion pieces rife with radiant illustrations. The concept is to communicate rather than generate grammatical perfection (grammar structure should develop in a more practical and natural way). Ask questions to provide opportunities for children to reflect on what they’ve heard and read. This enhances higher-level cognition. Online publications and resources organized especially for children include Diary Land, Stone Soup, The Telling Room, and Tikatok.
7. Volunteer!
Mahatma Gandhi had stated, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” In one article I had suggested five ways for teachers to remain impactful during remote learning via a social-emotional learning lens. In a separate, relevant article, I had suggested schools infuse service learning into curricula to develop 21st-century skills and help children connect real-world problem-solving with a desire to make a difference. Peruse a plethora of worthwhile projects and causes to consider. PointsofLight.org is one positive place to start. Filter by issue or opportunity, or search by keyword or zip code. Virtual volunteer opportunities can also be found here, there, and everywhere. Remember to always keep the light of positivity well-lit. In the words of Harvey S. Firestone, “It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed.”
It’s saddening to not be able to safely suggest swimming, surfing, or simply socializing in-person with a flock of family and friends. However, with children in mind, stay informed, heed warnings, and take prudent precautions to ensure that you and your family remain healthy, happy, and safe. Have a sensational summer!
BIO
Scott Freiberger is an attentive administrator and a passionate pedagogue who advocates for ELLs/MLLs and students with special needs. Follow him on Twitter: @scottfreiberger
