Tips to keep your child from forgetting everything over the summer

Summer vacation is right around the corner, and as much as we love it, summer tends to have a negative effect on our children's retention.  Three months of being "free" of the usual school schedule causes kids to lose some of the great skills you and your child's teacher worked so hard throughout the school year for your kiddo to master.  

Here are some things you can do at home this summer in order to keep your child from forgetting all they have learned this school year:

• Ask your child's current teacher for any leftover material they may be discarding.  At the end of the year teachers are always cleaning out their cabinets to get ready for the next school year. Many times consumable materials that were not used get thrown away. These materials would be great for extra practice for your child to use when they "play school" at home this summer.
• Play school. Set time aside each day for your child to complete some school type work. Since most kids rarely sleep in, after breakfast set a side an hour or so where they can read books, write in a notebook or journal, or complete some math problems. This will keep their brain sharp and help them immensely for the following school year.
• Read every day. No matter what grade your child is in, reading is so important. If there is one thing you take away from this post it should be to read with your child every day. Right before bed and after their bath is a perfect time to wind down and relax with a few books. Make reading part of your nightly routine if it isn't already.
• Go to the library at least twice per month. Your local library usually has planned special events in the summer while the kids are off of school to entice them to come in and visit. Take a look at their schedule and see what sparks your child's interest, and while you are there pick a stack full of books for your nightly reading routine. 
• Incorporate educational skills into your child's summer activities. For example, take foam letters or numbers to the pool to use as both diving practice and reinforcing letter and number recognition.