Top Tips for Keeping your Children’s Minds Active over the Summer Holidays

July 8, 2017

• Advice for Parents

The concept of summer learning loss is not a new one. In 2012, Huffington Post UK reported on a study by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) which found that children tend to fall behind academically during the summer break. Teachers added that they had to reteach 4-6 weeks of content when pupils return to school after the Summer Holidays.

This article is, by no means, a call for children to be subjected to stringent study regimes or challenging projects in those long hot weeks. It is important to make the most of the freedom afforded by the summer holidays to explore your child’s interests and rejuvenate their energy supplies in time for the next school year. That being said, parents should be careful to not lose out on the opportunity to stimulate their children’s minds in exciting ways.

Practical problem-solving:

Though we may not always know it, solving everyday problems often involves drawing on the basic Maths we learned at school. The systematic thinking, trial and improvement, and mental arithmetic you use while doing an algebraic equation can help you out when cooking or baking. Why not ask your child to measure out the ingredients when you bake? Or, outside the kitchen, ask them how many seeds are required to cover a flower bed with a certain surface area?

Museum trips:

Any place where kids can be introduced to new objects and learn to describe and analyse them is bound to be thought-provoking. Museums are an example, but other choices could be exhibitions, zoos, and heritage sites. Visiting locations linked to different subjects- a historical castle, a science museum, and an art gallery- can also help to discover what your child finds interesting.

Physical fitness:

It can be tempting- during the summer months- to put your feet up with a cool drink and hard to distract your children from their screens. Why not make the most of the warm weather and get them moving out and about? There may be a fun family activity you can all do together or a sport that your child enjoys in particular. Whatever it may be, make sure that it provides incentive for your child to keep fit.

Indoor games:

They may be most associated with wet play, but card games and board games when you have free time can be an excellent way to keep your child’s brain ticking. Card games can help to improve their focus and numeracy skills, while board games can assist with literacy, strategic thinking, and coordination. Besides, it’s a great way for the whole family to get involved.

Bringing in technology:

With the influx of technology in day-to- day life and the labour market, there’s no getting away from the importance of honing your child’s skills in this area. If you’re sighing now, we can assure you that we don’t mean the Xbox! Why not test the whole family on an educational app from the huge variety available on Educational App Store? Or collaborate with your child on a tech project: assembling electronics or tech toys.

Make these Summer Holidays one to remember by ensuring that your child does not forget what they learned during the rest of the year!

Let us know what you have planned for the Summer Holidays?