3 Tips to Avoid the Summer Slide
The summer slide, summer learning loss, summer set-back…People refer to this phenomenon by many different terms.
If you HAVEN’T heard of the summer slide, well, where have you been?
Sometimes people use the term in such an intimidating way, that it turns parents off.
I think it is important to be aware of why teachers do take it seriously, and how you can combat it at home.
The summer slide is when students regress in skills they learned the previous year. When they return to school in the fall, students need to relearn many skills before they move forward.
This loss of skills each fall snowballs each year, making “catch-up” even more challenging. We all know learning gaps become wider and wider each school year.
Recent research shows that students lose 20% of reading gains over the summer, and 27% of math gains.
Research suggests that students lose 20% of reading gains and 27% of math gains during the summer.
Who is most at risk for this summer-slide?
Young students - they are at a crucial stage in development. Foundational reading and math skills require frequent practice and repetition to stick.
As I already mentioned, it is imperative to keep the learning gap as small as possible during these early years. They get harder to close with each passing year. This is why I’m passionate about early-intervention and quality early-childhood education.
Research also suggests that lower-income students are disproportionately affected by the summer slide.
This is significant because teachers and students invest time each year into teaching and mastering difficult material. Why would either of those parties want to relearn those skills the next year?
Time would be better spent on a quick review (always essential and important) and moving forward with momentum.
Parents may not always love the idea of summer school or generalized summer work packets, feeling like kids deserve a break or that taking over the roll of teacher during the summer simply isn’t feasible (or enjoyable).
And yet, trying to recover lost skills when the school year begins can end up being far more difficult—and definitely less enjoyable.
Summer learning loss exists because many parents do not know how, or they do not have the means, to engage their children in learning over the summer. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the idea of taking on the teacher role, simple, authentic learning experiences can be a conversation in the car, during breakfast, or during a few minutes of play and reading after dinner. No need to overcomplicate if you can’t or don’t want to!
(To be clear, I’m well aware that some parents are able to spend the majority of their time with their children over the summer. And many parents are not.)
As a whole, we need to stop thinking of learning and school as synonymous.
They are not.
As a parent, you may be resistant to written homework over the summer. I understand that. Please don’t rob your child of learning experiences though.
Reading is not homework - it is essential. My biggest tip is to avoid speaking about reading as a chore, assignment, or something that has to be done.
Read my blog here about cultivating a culture of reading at home this summer.
Summer is a great time to practice transferring academic skills to more of a life skill set. For example writing during the school year can be translated to writing a summer journal or scrapbook over the summer.
This is authentic practice of skills learned that doesn’t feel like a chore, and applies to real world.
Your child can practice math skills learned during the year when adding up the tab at the snack stand, or when playing a board game. You don’t need to feel pressure to be doing worksheets or packets.
If your school sends home a packet, your best bet is to spend 10 minutes a day on it, tops. Incorporate some hands-on activity to make the learning more sticky. Doing the whole thing in one day may get it out of the way, but it won’t be very helpful for your child’s long term learning.
Also - if you like a workbook, GO FOR IT! I know plenty of kids who get satisfaction of completing a worksheet. I'm pretty sure I was one of those kids. I just wouldn't rely on it as your only source of learning.
Summer Learning Planning Pages!
When you download this resource, you’ll get:
Milestone skills and interest inventory to help you make sense of what your child should work on during the summer
Summer activity brainstorm page
Weekly planning page
Summer reading tracker - this is NOT your traditional reading log, but a fun coloring page that motivates your child to read more.
All of that being said, here are my top 3 tips for beating the summer slide this year:
Consider major milestones and interests
Have an idea of major milestone skills your child mastered this year, and what major milestone skills your child struggled with this year. Also, compile a list of their biggest interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes. This simple inventory will help you plan summer activities, adventures, and experiences!
Make a plan with a summer formula and rhythm
Ok. Close your eyes and visualize the summer. Think about what you’d like to do each day to enhance your child’s experience and learning.
Overwhelming? Yes, I thought so.
Let’s consider an alternative. Let’s go into the summer with a plan - including a basic formula and rhythm.
First, let’s make a summer learning formula. A little bit of this, a little bit of that.
Here’s an example of a formula that includes things that matter to me as a teacher and a mom:
Reading time
Writing time
Math time
Creative time
Free play
Outside time
Tech time
Think about the frequency with which you will incorporate each part of the formula. You can also change these to make them work for YOU!
Now think of your daily and weekly rhythm:
Wake-up
Learning Time (reading, writing, or math activities)
Free Play
Outdoor Adventure
Lunch
Quiet time/reading and/or writing time
Afternoon outdoor adventure or outdoor free play
Creative play/Project
Tech Time
Dinner
Reading
Bed
Maybe your summer looks a little more like this:
Wake-Up
Learning activity with breakfast
Day Camp
Craft or project with snack
Outside play
TV/tech
Dinner
Free play
Family reading time
Use the weekends for some journaling, summer scrapbooking, etc.
Some people like to create daily themes!
There are a MILLION variations you could do on this…but here is one example:
Make it Monday
Trip Tuesday
STEM Wednesday
Thinking Thursday
Fun Friday
My biggest tip for making this work for you is to have a bank of go-to activities for each item in your formula.
This will help make planning much easier. And when I say planning, I mean no more than 10 minutes on a Sunday morning of thinking through how to make your week not just bearable, but enjoyable.
Don’t add anything to this resource list that is out of your comfort zone or something you would dread doing. That doesn’t help anyone!
Finally, please do not recreate school at home. It is unnatural and there are better ways to enhance your kids’ skills and learning in the home environment. Learn by doing. Create authentic experiences.
3. Short summer academic camp
Creating enriching learning experiences should not weigh too heavily on you. If you want to unload some of that burden, there are many summer enrichment camps and activities to support your child’s learning and give you a break in the meantime. There are nature camps, swim camps, sports camps, dance camps…so. many. camps!
I understand that there is often a financial cost to this, and each family has to make decisions that are appropriate and best for them!
HomeBloom Education hosts an 8-day mini camp for 3 age groups! Each camp runs for about an hour Monday-Thursday over 2 weeks in July.
Kindergarten Kickstart (rising kindergarteners)
Brain Booster 1 (rising 1st, 2nd, 3rd graders)
Brain Booster 2 (rising 4th and 5th graders)
More information HERE!! I would love to chat with you more about this. Don’t hesitate to reach out.
I hope this post was helpful to you. I know most posts about the summer slide suggest daily reading and writing. I wanted to take this a step further to help you actually plan the logistics of this.
Summer Learning Planning Pages!
When you download this resource, you’ll get:
Milestone skills and interest inventory to help you make sense of what your child should work on during the summer
Summer activity brainstorm page
Weekly planning page
Summer reading tracker - this is NOT your traditional reading log, but a fun coloring page that motivates your child to read more.
Leave a comment below with your thoughts and questions!
