| The words "Schools Out For Summer" strike joy into | | | | writes so long as they spend time writing so they can |
| the hearts of children and often a sigh of relief for | | | | work on handwriting skills as well as keep in the |
| parents who are just as eager to take a break from | | | | groove of putting words on paper. One easy writing |
| homework as their progeny. However taking a | | | | prompt is to have the child describe people, places, |
| complete break from the books for the entire summer | | | | objects, pets and other animals, insects, and games. |
| can be problematic. | | | | Lists are another easy writing prompt -- favorite things, |
| Studies have shown that children forget between 1 | | | | worst things, etc. Then on another day you can use |
| and 3 months of school during the summer vacation. | | | | those descriptions and lists to generate another writing |
| While reading is the least effected, the most impacted | | | | prompt. |
| subjects are spelling and math. Obviously it is important | | | | Math skills might seem the hardest thing to work on |
| for children to have time to play and relax -- to just | | | | during summer but in fact these can be the easiest. |
| enjoy being kids during the summer. Children should not | | | | Math does not have to come out of a book and you |
| be pushed into a high-pressure study schedule over | | | | can easily work a lot of math lessons into those long |
| summer vacation. But parents can take steps to slow | | | | car rides or plane trips as you go on a family vacation. |
| down that loss of knowledge and erosion of skills. | | | | Try counting car headlights (counting by 2s) as you |
| First and foremost, keep children reading over the | | | | drive or fingers in a restaurant or plane (counting by |
| summer but try to work in some nonfiction as well as | | | | 5s). Find various shapes around the house and then |
| fiction onto the reading list. Take a lesson from many | | | | trace them to create yet more complex forms. Get |
| experienced teachers and pick a few spelling words | | | | the kids involved in cooking and learning about |
| from the books children are reading. Perhaps tie test | | | | measurements. Give the kids a ruler and notebook and |
| results into some special summer reward and you will | | | | tell them to measure various objects around the house. |
| have eagerly awaited spelling bees. | | | | Empty out your pocket change and have the kids sort |
| Writing is one skill that often erodes during summer, but | | | | it and create word problems with the coins. |
| you can give children a writing journal and a weekly | | | | There are lots of activities you can do at home |
| goal. They can write about whatever you think will | | | | without the expense of special tools, workbooks or |
| interest your child. They can report on their baseball | | | | programs that will actively engage your child in learning |
| games, make up elaborate games, or simply report on | | | | and help keep their school skills sharp. They will not |
| the books they are reading. There are lots of great | | | | even notice they are learning because they will enjoy |
| writing prompts out there for kids if you run dry of | | | | these projects so much. |
| ideas. It does not matter so much what your child | | | | |