While you want your kids to enjoy the carefree days of summer, you don’t necessarily want them to lose the knowledge and skills they attained over the previous months in elementary school. Studies of math and reading skills for elementary students have shown that test scores tend to flatten or drop during the summer months, when learning slows.
If you want to maintain learning retention, you can build on lessons they’ve already learned by working reading, math, and critical thinking skills into your daily routine. However, if you also want to follow the methodology of your Montessori program, planning immersive, hands-on activities that engage your kids is ideal.
How can you make summertime learning fun and exciting for elementary students? Here are a few options to consider.
Plan a Trip to a Nearby National Park
Summer is a great time to get out in nature and explore, and national parks offer a range of fun outdoor activities, along with lessons in history and conservation. These can help to reinforce what kids are already learning in elementary school, with the added benefit of outdoor recreation.
National parks across the nation may offer a range of activities, such as:
- Hiking
- Climbing
- Horseback riding
- Fishing
- Rafting
- Camping
Some also offer opportunities to participate in junior ranger programs that may include both virtual and in-person elements. At the very least, you can explore parks as a family and instill a love of nature and a commitment to conservation.
Join a Summer Reading Challenge
There’s no shortage of summer reading programs. Scholastic offers one of the most popular, with a series of challenges that encourage kids to read a range of books that could expand their exposure to different types of literature.
You may also want to take your child to a public library. Many offer summer reading programs, and librarians are often happy to make recommendations based on your child’s interests.
Don’t forget to speak with teachers at your Montessori elementary school before the end of school as well to find out whether they have a reading list that will help your child prepare for the next school year.
Grow a Fruit and Vegetable Garden
As interactive lessons go, growing fresh produce is not only fun, but it also provides knowledge and skills that kids can use throughout their lives. If you have yard space set aside, give kids a patch of the garden where they can plant their own seeds and tend them.
If you don’t have room for a garden, you could build or purchase a small planter bed instead. Before your kids return to elementary school in the fall, you can likely harvest some produce and choose fun recipes to cook as a family.
Send Kids to a Summer Program
When kids attend a summer learning program, they can enjoy fun and enrichment with a variety of activities. Depending on the program you choose, they may participate in arts and crafts, music lessons, and outdoor activities like hiking and swimming.
Sleep-away camps offer opportunities for kids to experience a measure of independence while bonding with their peers. These programs can also help children maintain a schedule that makes it easier to return to a school routine in the fall.
Keep Your Child in Learning Mode
Learning needn’t stop just because elementary school is out for the summer. When you plan activities like trips to national parks or choose a summer learning program, you can help keep young minds agile while having plenty of family fun.
If you’re interested in learning more about the programs available through the Montessori School of Flagstaff – Switzer Mesa Campus, contact us today.
