6 Ways to Beat the Summer Slump

Summertime is a time to relax and recharge, for both you and your kids. But that doesn’t mean learning and engaging curiosity have to fall by the wayside. On the contrary, seasonal breaks provide kids uninterrupted hours to explore what interests them most. Below you’ll find a series of suggestions on how to keep the learning going at home to avoid the summer slump.

6 Ways to Beat the Summer Slump Through Learning

1. Journaling and Blogging

Personal writing is like intrapersonal time traveling. You can revisit a moment in your life and hear back your thoughts and feelings in your own words. School breaks are an excellent opportunity to have young people track growth and change over time. Encourage them to reflect on a novel, track a plant’s growth, document care of a pet, or more simply, just log ideas and impressions.

The best part of this writing is that it’s low stakes and low anxiety because you can’t be wrong. Learners can begin by thinking about the different types of writing. If you want your kids to go public with their words, encourage them to start a blog (responsibly, of course!).   

Journaling doesn’t have to be a chore. Start with something as simple as a creative writing prompt. One five-minute creative writing prompt can boost creativity, critical thinking, and inspire other ideas for learning throughout the day. A simple five minutes of writing could become their favorite part of their day.

2. Sports Probability Project

Got a sports enthusiast in your class or household? Many sports leagues share a great source of data and statistics to study a variety of mathematical topics. Fans of longshot teams will enjoy projecting how many wins a team needs to score in the remaining games to make the playoffs.

Devotees of individual players can track game performance and look at what players are likely to achieve by the end of the season. BrainPOP can provide kids with background knowledge or context on probability, statistics, and averages. 

3. Write a Story or Rewrite a Classic

Storytelling is a universal tradition in cultures around the globe. Channel kids’ creativity to write a story from their own traditions and cultures.

Another fun activity is to rewrite a classic story from a different character’s perspective. Author Jon Scieszka is famous for writing “fractured fairy tales.” His book, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, is told from the Wolf’s point of view.

Consider writing a story from a different perspective. How do the characters differ or how are they the same? Does the theme of the book change? Rewriting a story is a great exercise in better understanding story structure, while also strengthening your child’s critical thinking skills.

4. Book or Movie Club

Start a local or in-house book or movie group! Have kids vote on classic movies or books to watch or read over the break. Discuss the themes, characters’ decisions and motivations, and the art of great storytelling.

Also, you can try different themes for your book or movie club. Maybe your kid likes adventure and mystery? Perhaps try detective, drama, or fantasy. By starting a new book or movie club, this gives your child the opportunity to embrace favorite characters, while breaking into new genres.

5. Oral History Project

School breaks offer a great opportunity for kids to explore their family history. Has their family lived in the same place for generations, or have they come from faraway places? What were the summers like for their parents and grandparents when they were growing up? Maybe learning more about your family’s history could help inspire new summer activities.

6. Summer Music Project

Today’s songs and sounds may differ from long ago, but music has been iconic during this time of year for centuries. Invite your kids to explore the spectrum, from classical music to pop jingles. Artists from all genres and time periods have penned hit music tracks, from Mozart and Beethoven, through Elvis and the Beatles, and up to contemporary artists. Kids can then create a summer music playlist to share with family and friends. Or write their own!

Consider creating a family summer playlist to listen to during activities, vacations, or road trips. This activity gives the entire family a chance to learn about new music genres together.

Explore New Learning and Reading Activities to Beat the Summer Slump 

Creating and sharing memories is one of the best parts of the summer break. Through writing imaginary tales and reading adventure stories from around the world, kids can return to school in the fall fully charged and full of new ideas!