You may, or may not, have come across the term 'the summer slide' but you're not sure what it even means!
The 'summer slide' refers to the tendency for children to lose some of the academic gains they made during the previous school year over the summer break. Research indicates that this phenomenon can set back children's reading and maths skills by several months. According to a study by the National Summer Learning Association, children typically lose about two months of reading skills and one month of maths skills during the summer. This is simply because they aren't regularly using these skills during the summer break.
The summer holidays are an important break for the children to relax and reset and we definitely don't want to to try and replicate school during this time to avoid the 'summer slide'. So that is why I have put together some top tips for you to keep their minds active and learning but in a fun, hand's on way!
Reading Together: Make reading a daily habit. Choose books that your child is interested in, and set aside some time each day to read together. You can also visit your local library and some even often have story workshops etc.
Educational Games: Incorporate educational games into your playtime. There are many board games and card games that build maths and literacy skills while being entertaining. But you can also make your own fun, hands-on games! Check out my instagram page for lots of idea!
Cooking and Baking: Involve your child in cooking or baking. This activity not only teaches them valuable life skills but also incorporates reading (following recipes) and maths (measuring ingredients).
Handy flashcards: Have some flashcards handy and focus on a few sounds a day. If there is a particular sound they are struggling with then this could be the one you focus on in a game! This will keep these phonic sounds fresh in their minds so they will ease right back into their phonics sessions when they return to school!
Keep a summer diary: Encourage your child to keep a summer journal or write letters to family members. This practice enhances their writing skills and helps them process their summer experiences creatively.
If you are still looking for that extra bit of support and want the stress of coming up with different ideas taken away for you...then why not join our FREE summer holiday phonics & reading challenge!
This challenge is designed to be engaging and educational, providing activities for the whole 6 weeks that build phonics and reading skills in a fun and interactive way! They are designed to be simple and easy to set up and offer ways to adapt across the weeks to continue building their learning. You will be invited to join a Facebook support group where I will be on hand to answer any questions and give my top phonics tips!
We even have an amazing prize bundle to give away to one of our challengers! Kindly donated by Learning Resources UK - www.learningresources.co.uk
Interested? Just simply visit Summer Holiday challenge | My Site 1 (littlelearnerstutoring.co.uk)
We can't wait to have you join us for a summer of fun and learning!
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