Summer’s here. Now what?

School is out, the kids are wondering what to do, and parents are looking for ways to keep the adventures going. Summer is a fun time of year for families, but it can also be a time when kids lose some academic skills they worked so hard to build during the school year. 

Great news! Keeping those skills sharp doesn’t require hours of formal lessons or worksheets. Your everyday experiences can become exciting learning opportunities with just a little creativity. In just a few minutes each day, your student can keep their skills fresh. 

Here are a few ideas to kickstart your creativity: 

1. Visit Your Local Library

Libraries are one of the best free resources for families.

Ideas include:

• Join the summer reading program.
• Let children choose books that interest them.
• Attend story time.
• Participate in STEM activities.
• Complete reading challenges.
• Check out audiobooks
• Ask librarians for grade-level recommendations.

Tay’s Tip: 

Let the kids pick books they WANT to read—even comic books, joke books, cookbooks, or graphic novels. They all build literacy skills, and kids are more motivated to read more if the books interest them. 

2. Explore Museums

Museums encourage reading naturally.

Try asking:

• What do you notice?
• Can you read this sign?
• What did you learn today?
• Which exhibit was your favorite?
• Can you tell Grandma three facts when we get home?

After the visit:

• Draw pictures.
• Write three sentences.
• Make a mini book about the trip.

3. Cook Together

Cooking is packed with literacy and math.

Children practice:

• Reading recipes
• Following directions
• Sequencing
• Measuring
• Fractions
• Vocabulary
• Counting

Ask questions like:

• What’s the first step?
• What comes next?
• How many teaspoons make one tablespoon?
• Can you read the ingredient list?

4. Grocery Store Learning

Turn shopping into a literacy game.

Children can:

• Find beginning letters
• Read labels
• Lists
• Compare prices
• Count items
• Estimate totals
• Read the shopping list
• Sort foods by category

If you’re interested in keeping these ideas at your fingertips, you can download one here.