Vacation Activities

Post 197

School will be over soon (or already is) and summer is spreading in front of us like a long golden path. Time for family fun, relaxation, and no school schedules. Sounds wonderful, right? But then we worry that our children will become bored with nothing to do. What will they do with themselves over the long weeks ahead without the structure of school?

A lot of families choose summer camps for their little ones. These can be great. Some are geared toward a particular interest such as art or sports. Others are more general with games and swimming as the main highlights. Then there are the families who choose to not schedule anything during the summer. The idea is that everyone needs a break from the constant running around that happens during the school year. Either way, you know your child and what will work best for them.

The main thing I would encourage you to do is to keep your little one reading consistently during summer vacation. As a teacher, I have found that students often drop back at least one reading level over the summer. The way to prevent that is easy…keep reading! Just having your child read regularly to you at night is good. Another simple way is to let them be part of the free reading clubs that most libraries run during the summer. They usually involve prizes and incentives for books read. Whatever you decide, encourage your little one to read books at the reading level they are on and even on the one above that. (If you don’t know their reading level, ask their teacher.) Librarians can show you where the leveled books are. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with them reading an “easier” book on occasion. It’s fun and a great confidence builder. Also there are lots of online reading program that are fun and will keep your child moving along. The point is to keep them reading!

As a final note, I have personally found that it is actually a good thing for children to get bored, especially near the end of the summer. It means they have wound down from the past school year and are ready to take on the challenges of a new one.

So, keep the reading going and take care! 🙂