(ARA) – Parents helping a child
prepare for that first post-summer-vacation
reading quiz often find themselves wondering if
he has forgotten everything he learned the year
before. Research shows that the “summer
brain-drain” phenomenon is no figment of the
imagination. Over summer vacation, children can
forget more than two months worth of school
instruction.
“Research by experts verifies what parents and
teachers have long known – over the three short
months of summer vacation, most children forget
a significant amount of what they learned during
the previous school year,” says Ron Fairchild,
executive director of the Johns Hopkins
University Center for Summer Learning.
In fact, Johns Hopkins research shows that
teachers typically spend four to six weeks
reteaching last year’s lessons. “Parents can
help children stay in shape academically by
making learning a year-round habit,” says
Fairchild.
So how can parents help children keep their
brains in top condition for back-to-school
excellence?
“First, make it fun,” advises Wendy Bronfin,
vice president of education and product
development at Educate Products, makers of
Hooked on Phonics, the brand that over 2 million
families have turned to for teaching their
children reading, math and study skills. “There
are a lot of great ways to integrate learning
into your everyday activities, even while on
vacation. Summer is a great time to spend with
your child and foster a lifelong love of
reading.”
Bronfin suggests coaching your child through the
following year-round fun brain exercises:
* Keep kids reading. Before school starts, help
your child choose a short list of books to read.
While you can suggest a book, author, series or
subject you think your child might enjoy, let
the child choose what he wants to read.
Reinforce the idea that reading is fun.
* A library visit is a great way to occupy a
rainy summer afternoon. Suggest that your child
invite a friend. Make sure everyone in your
library party checks out something new and
begins reading it that day. Make trips to the
public library a regular family outing!
* Help your child prepare for the inevitable
“What I Did on Summer Vacation” report he’ll
have to give when he returns to school. Before
taking a family vacation, read with your child
about the destination.
* Help your child look up online the lyrics to
fun summer-themed songs. Kids find computers fun
and the technology can be a great way to boost
their interest in reading.
* With summer comes a host of children’s movies.
Before you take your child to the latest hit,
sit down with him and read the book version
first. Then see the movie and discuss which
version he liked best and why.
* Make reading aloud a family experience. At the
end of a long summer day, take turns reading
from a classic book the whole family can enjoy.
Set aside a regular family read-aloud time,
usually 20 to 30 minutes, or as long as it takes
to read a certain number of pages or chapters.
This can become a favorite family tradition.
* Demonstrate that reading is part of everyday
life by encouraging your child to read things
found on summer vacation, like a newspaper from
a new town, travel magazines, barbecue recipes,
maps and game instructions.
* Play games that encourage reading and
learning, like the classic I Spy game or a
letter-sound treasure hunt, during which you
hide around the yard treats or toys that all
begin with the same letter.
* Try an activity kit. The Hooked on Phonics
Super Activity Kits are filled with hours of
brain-building, fun activities. The kits use a
DVD loaded with MP3 songs, music videos,
cartoons and adventures with Lou the Hippo to
help keep kids educationally active during the
summer. Each kit includes an activity pad,
write-on/wipe-off journal and special erasable
crayons and stickers, all in a convenient
resealable package. Hooked on Math products are
also especially relevant since research shows
summer learning loss is more pronounced with
math.
Hooked on Phonics products can be found at
participating retailers or online at
www.hookedonphonics.com or www.amazon.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
