Five simple tips for summer time learning

Today, Indiana Fox 59 Morning News invited me to come and share some tips for keeping the learning ongoing during the summer time. Some of you may be thinking “Hey, its summer so let the kids chill!”  I agree, kids should spend time relaxing and enjoying their summer but there are ways to keep the learning going without having to make it feel like summer school…

Oh, and before I go on – let me give a big SHOUT OUT and thank you to my friends on Teach Preschool on Facebook. I asked the folks who follow Teach Preschool on Facebook to help me come up with a few ideas and they came up with far more than I could talk about in this news segment. After reading all of their amazing suggestions, here are the tips I decided to share…

Tip Number One:  Create a bucket list

Yesterday, I shared my nieces Toddler Fun Bucket but for children who are a bit older you may wish to create a bucket list.  No need for me to write about this because there are already some wonderful articles about creating a bucket list from Living Montessori Now and Little Wonders Days.

I created the summer bucket list form (see above) to share in my news segment but the pdf isn’t on my home computer so I will add it tomorrow for those of you who would like to download a copy…

Tip Number Two: Read, Read, Read

Reading is one of the most important ways to promote learning during the summer. Reading can be done anywhere – anytime. Include favorite children’s books or magazines to read together and invite your child to read environmental print that is around you everyday. Environmental print can include the back of a cereal box, a menu, a grocery list, and a recipe.

Learn more ways you can promote reading during the summer with these five simple tips shared on Spin Doctor Parenting: “Help Your Kids Prevent Summer Brain Drain” .

Tips Number Three: Cooking with kids

Cooking is such a wonderful and fun way to promote all kinds of math, science, language, literacy, and daily living skills.  Cooking with kids is something I will have to write more about – as the ideas of how children can learn though cooking are abundant! Be sure to have handy a few children’s cookbooks to promote more reading as well. And don’t forget clean-up time – a little time learning to clean up teaches responsibility and a responsible student is a successful student…

Tip Number Four: Board Games

Be sure to introduce your child to a few new board games over the summer. Board games promote strategical thinking, a sense of fairness, playing by the rules, taking a turn, as well as all kinds of core concepts for learning. Sometimes, playing board games with a young child can seem difficult because of that “fairness” or “I want to be the winner” issue. Be patient and keep it fun but remember – the best place for a child to work through some of these issues is in an environment where he or she feels safe and secure….

Tip Number Five: Get Outside and Play

Out door play is a critical component to addressing the needs of the whole child – the whole learner. Out door play offers many opportunities for exercise, play, and exploring the child’s natural environment. You don’t want to structure every moment of your child’s summer but throwing in a scavenger hunt or a family walk in the park and then journaling about it later is a great way to build memories, get a little exercise, and promote learning.  To learn more about what kids can do for outdoor play – visit – Let the Children Play!

I hope your child’s summer is filled with many wonderful opportunities to learn, play, and relax with the family!  You can view my tips for summer time learning on Fox 59 by clicking the “play” button below or go to Fox 59 Website!

If you are viewing this post by email or in a reader, you may need to come to the blog to see my latest news segment: Summer Time Learning!

And one more blog post with summer time ideas from Educational Creativity!