Preventing Loss of Learning in the Summer

Summary: In summer, loss of learning—or the summer slide—can affect students of all ages. Help keep your child engaged in learning with these enriching summer activities.

Summer is here, and we’ve got your ultimate guide to prevent the summer slide and help keep your child’s mind sharp throughout the break. During the summer, when learning isn’t consistently reinforced, many kids tend to lose some of their academic progress. In fact, research shows that students in grades 3-5 lose about 20% of their reading gains and 27% of their math gains. Consequently, when fall rolls around and students return to school, teachers often spend about 5 to 6 weeks of the school year bringing students back up to speed.

Activities to Help Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Arguably, summer school is the number one way to help prevent summer learning loss. And online schools, like K12, make it easy to seamlessly incorporate learning into your day. Whether your child wants to reinforce complicated topics or explore an interesting subject, online summer school provides academic enrichment in a flexible setting.

There are plenty of other activities in addition to summer school that will keep their minds active and engaged while they enjoy the summer break. Here are some of our top picks for activities that help fend off summer learning loss:

Go on an adventure.

Historic battlefields, renaissance fairs, farms, natural landmarks and state parks, lighthouses, and museums are all fascinating destinations with plenty of opportunities to explore, learn, and discover new interests. On a recent trip to a state park with my young son, the two of us crossed paths with a sunbathing snake on our hike—sparking a passion for the slithering creatures.

Explore summer learning events.

National Summer Learning Week is July 15-19, and the National Summer Learning Association wants to connect you and your kids with exciting programs and events in your community. From aquatics and skateboarding classes to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and music) camp and LEGO building workshops, their Discover Summer search feature makes it easy to find fun activities in your state.

Visit your local library.

Beyond the free access to books, many libraries offer unique activities including learning camps and clubs. My local library has a weekly Pokémon battle club, while other libraries like the San Diego Public Library host educational events like the All Girls STEM Society NASA Astro Camp, where attendees build a robotic arm and learn from NASA guest speakers.

Learn math through recipes.

Cooking and baking reinforce math concepts and teach practical application through fractions and units of measurement. For inspiration, check out Education.com’s collection of recipes with fractions that help make learning math fun and delicious!

Play to learn.

K12-powered online schools offer the K12 Skills Arcade, an award-winning learning tool featuring educational games that automatically adapt to your child’s skill level and pace. Players answer questions and are awarded coins that can be used to play classic arcade games, puzzles, and more. Even better, you don’t have to be a K12 student to get in on the fun—the K12 Skills Arcade games are free all summer long!

Get career-focused.

While these activities are great for kids of all ages, high school students can use the summer break to consider their future beyond graduation. Volunteer work, job shadowing, internships, summer jobs, and resume writing are excellent ways for them to get insight into different career paths and develop new skills. The K12 Career Services Center offers an array of online resources that can help them get started, including resume templates, interview tips, and access to Tallo’s internship search engine.

While summer learning loss is a common issue, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to fill every free moment with a learning opportunity. Rest and relaxation are also important for you and your child. By incorporating some of these activities throughout the summer break, your child can stay engaged and intrigued by the exciting world around them—and prepare to take on their next academic year!

To learn more about K12-powered online schools, go to K12.com.