Preventing Loss of Learning in the Summer

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 over the summer, students in grades 1–8 lose up to 34% of their learning.

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 the ones powered by K12, make it easy to incorporate learning into your day seamlessly. K12 offers plenty of opportunities for summer learning, including both general education and credit recovery options. Whether your child wants to reinforce complicated topics, recover credits from the previous year, 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:

Explore summer learning events.

National Summer Learning Week is July 14–18, 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 events and programs make it easy to find fun activities in your state.

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.

Try tutoring.

Tutoring programs are great for helping your student catch up on subjects they’re struggling with, but you can also use them to keep their education sharp over the break. Online tutoring programs, such as K12 Tutoring, make it easy to fit sessions into your summer schedule. Plus, every K12 Tutoring tutor is a state-certified teacher who can customize their lessons to your child’s learning style.

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 résumé 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 résumé 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.

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