Frankly Fatherhood – Summer Learning Loss

While gardening over the summer, I try to involve my kids. They have their own gardening tools and gloves so while I’m weeding and watering, they tinker away at a pile of dirt. My five-year-old is very interested in an insect, trying to figure out if it’s a beetle or a pill bug. And my three-year-old is enjoying breaking up larger pieces of earth into smaller ones.

Conversations easily flow into what plants need to grow and the main parts of plants. We then measure how long Luca’s bug is and how tall some of my flowers are. Nico sorts his pieces of dirt into groups of big and small. Our gardening experience turns into a fun science and math learning opportunity and the kids are none the wiser.

As parents, we need to remember that we are our kids’ first and most accessible teachers, and while summer is all about taking a break from school, we should always look for chances to help strengthen our kids’ skills. Keep in mind that summer learning loss is a real phenomenon and that many kids’ academic abilities will regress over the two months off school.

So if you’re home with your kids this summer, here are a few ideas to set the stage for some fun learning:

• Plan a Party: Have kids write out invitations, shopping lists, and thank you notes. Give them a budget and ideas for entertainment.
• Make a board game: Insert some math, probability skills, and writing into making the most fun board game to play with the family.
• Grocery shopping: Keep a running tally and see who comes closest to the grand total. Can they figure out taxes too?
• Regular library visits: There is a good chance your local library has a fun summer reading program and activities.
• Make a video: After reading a book or a chapter, make a video of your child telling the story or re-enacting a scene.
• Cook/bake together: Measure ingredients, double up recipes, and follow the instructions. Talk about nutrition, food contamination, and the importance of cleanliness.
• Nature walks: Look for evidence of animal life or build a collection of different types of leaves, rocks, bark.
• Start a book club: Start a playdate with a mini-book club. Each child reads a book and talks about it.
• Word games: Alphabet eye-spy, rhyme games, 20 questions
• Decode secret messages: Create a cipher (A=1, B=2, etc.) together and then use math skills to create secret messages for each other.
• Sun safety: Talk about why sunscreen and hats are important. What else do you we need to do to keep our bodies healthy in the sun?
• Math BINGO: Bingo with a twist! Use simple math equations instead of calling out numbers to help with math fluency.

There are many more ideas online to help make learning fun over the summer. It’s important to encourage a healthy and positive attitude towards everyday learning so give it a try and have fun doing it!

Frank Emanuele is a proud father of two boys, a special education teacher, and a director of Dad Club London.