Children enjoy summer vacation—that time of the year when they can finally relax without having to think about textbooks. However, avoiding learning for a long period can put them back a few steps educationally. During summer vacations, children often forget some of what they’ve learned the previous year and miss opportunities to further their learning. At St. Charles Borromeo, an Orlando Catholic school, we have a few tips to help your child continue to learn throughout the summer—without boring them with textbooks.
- Bring out the Legos.
You don’t need to put away these blocks or other building toys once your children have grown older. Both boys and girls benefit from playing with building blocks, as this involves motor awareness, hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. Plus, they’ll enjoy exercising their creativity while creating buildings from their imagination.
- Read everything.
Encourage every opportunity for your children to practice their reading skills. Anything age-appropriate, from fun comic books to restaurant menus, will help them continue to enhance their reading abilities and expand their vocabulary. Audiobooks can also be an excellent way for them to enjoy a story and learn more new words.
- Discuss movies.
After relaxing with your children while watching a great movie, take some time to encourage them to think about the movie. Ask them what they did or didn’t like, discuss the movie’s themes, and encourage them to think about the reasons why characters acted the way they did. To add more creativity to the discussion, ask them to come up with their own ending to the movie.
- Encourage their passions.
Everyone, both children and adults, enjoys learning about subjects they’re interested in. Try searching for age-appropriate materials focused on your children’s favorite subjects or hobbies. Field trips, magazines, or games can be a great way for them to learn without feeling like they’re learning—and they’ll have fun pursuing the topics that interest them most.
As an Orlando Catholic school dedicated to student’s educational and spiritual growth, the St. Charles Borromeo community believes that students should work hard, play hard, and pray hard—and that includes summer break, not just the school year. As you can see, encouraging your child to continue learning through their summer break can be fun and enjoyable. By the end of the summer, they’ll be ready to start the new school year without taking any steps backward educationally. We hope you and your family have fun learning this summer!
