Stopping the Summer Slide: How to Keep Your Child Learning All Summer Long

Summer is a time for rest, play, and exploration—but without regular learning activities, many children experience what’s known as “summer learning loss” or the “summer slide.” This means they may forget key skills, especially in reading and math, which can make it harder to start the new school year strong. The good news? With just a little planning, you can keep your child engaged, learning, and growing all summer long—without sacrificing fun.

What Is Summer Learning Loss?

Research shows that students can lose up to two months’ worth of academic progress over the summer, especially if they don't have access to enriching experiences. The impact is even greater for students who face barriers to resources like summer camps, tutoring, or books at home. That’s why it’s so important to find creative, accessible ways to keep learning going during the break.

Great Ways to Keep Kids Engaged This Summer

1. Enroll in a Summer Enrichment Program

Summer programs can offer your child structured, supportive environments to keep learning. Look for:

• STEM camps that explore coding, robotics, or science experiments.

• Arts programs that include music, theater, painting, or creative writing.

• Outdoor and nature camps where kids explore local parks, learn gardening, or study the environment.

• Literacy-based camps that build reading skills through games, book clubs, and author visits.

Check with your local library, recreation center, school district, or community organizations—they often offer free or low-cost options.

2. Set Up a Simple Learning Routine at Home

Even 20–30 minutes of daily learning can make a big difference. Here’s how to weave learning into your summer days:

Academic Skill Builders:

• Math in everyday life: Cook together and measure ingredients, estimate prices at the grocery store, or use math apps like Prodigy or Khan Academy Kids.

• Reading time: Make a habit of reading together or independently every day. Use free books and eBooks through your public library, or swap books with neighbors. Let your child pick books they love—graphic novels, audiobooks, magazines, or chapter books.

• Writing activities: Encourage your child to write a summer journal, poems, short stories, or letters to friends and family.

• Educational online games: Try free websites like Khan Academy Kids, CoolMath4Kids, or apps like Moose Math and Todo Math.

• Educational board games: Play Math Bingo, Scrabble, Guess Who (for social reasoning), or Story Cubes for creativity.

Learning in Daily Life:

• Cooking: Practice math and reading by following recipes, measuring ingredients, and learning about nutrition.

• Budgeting: Give kids a small weekly allowance and let them track spending and saving goals.

• Gardening: Grow herbs, tomatoes, or flowers and learn about plant life cycles and responsibility.

3. Take Learning Outside

Summer is a perfect time to turn nature into a classroom:

• Go on nature walks and learn about local plants, bugs, or birds.

• Start a garden—even a small container garden can teach responsibility, science, and patience.

• Scavenger hunts: Create nature-based challenges like “Find something red, something round, and something that smells good.”

• Sidewalk learning: Practice spelling or multiplication with sidewalk chalk.

• Star gazing: Learn basic astronomy with apps like SkyView and talk about constellations.

• Visit museums, zoos, or local landmarks and ask open-ended questions like: “What do you think that animal eats?” or “How do you think that was built?”

• DIY science: Try fun experiments like making slime, baking soda volcanoes, or homemade bubbles using kits or tutorials online.

Making Summer Learning Stick

• Let your child lead: Ask what they want to learn—dinosaurs? space? coding? Then build activities around those interests.

• Use theme weeks: Make each week a mini “camp” at home—like “Space Week,” “Art Week,” or “Nature Explorer Week.”

• Track progress: Use stickers, charts, or family rewards to celebrate learning goals.

• Stay social: Plan group book clubs, playdates with learning games, or virtual trivia nights with family.

Learning doesn't have to stop just because school is out. Whether your child is attending a program, playing outside, or helping you cook dinner, there are countless opportunities to keep their brain engaged. The key is making it fun, accessible, and consistent.

Let’s make this a summer full of joy, curiosity, and growth—for every child.