Benefits of Summer Learning Activities

Summer Vacation

These may be two of homeschool families’ favorite words! After months of hard work, everyone is more than ready for a well-earned summer break—especially parents. Summer gives homeschool families a chance to unwind, recharge, and reset for the next school year. It also provides opportunities for children to enjoy visiting relatives, camp, and extra playdates. Families have more time to spend together.

Children can enjoy more play time, which is important for their social, physical, and even cognitive development. Periods of unstructured play time encourage kids’ creativity. Play time also boosts their imagination and allows them to revel in the joys of childhood.

“Summer Slide”

Summer break can also be a time when we tend to let learning habits slack off. Much of what our children have learned can fade as quickly as a summer tan. Research shows that teachers spend only about six weeks reviewing material from the previous grade to make up for summer learning loss. Research also shows that students lose learning skills primarily in math and reading. This loss can negatively impact their next school year. But summer can be an ideal time to prevent “brain drain.” You just have to incorporate consistent review into your family’s routine.

Benefits of Summer Learning Activities

Perhaps you’ve never incorporated school review into your summer routine. It’s not too late to start this summer. You can weave summer learning into your daily or even weekly activities and include in your summer schedule. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or frustrating. Summer learning does more than just staving off boredom. It can significantly benefit your family in several ways.

Prevent “summer slide”.

Keeps students’ brains active and engaged!

Kids need physical activity during the summer to counteract laziness and lack of energy. They also need mental activity to keep their brains sharp and prevent learning loss. Even thirty minutes of learning activities per day can help students retain what they’ve learned during the school year.

Minimize amount of review time needed at beginning of new school year.

Regular summer learning activities can help to reduce the number of review lessons in the next grade. By reviewing throughout the summer, students will be able to remember what they have learned. They’ll spend less time trying to recall important concepts and functions when they start school again.

Boost retention.

The more you review, the more you retain. By participating in regular summer learning activities, your children will be more equipped at recalling and remembering what they learned the previous year. Summer learning will also help students retain what they learn in the following year!

Promote lifelong learning.

One of the most crucial lessons kids can learn is that they should never stop learning. Summer learning activities can encourage your child to develop academic habits. They can then build on those habits for the rest of their lives.

Improve academic performance.

Consistent review actually helps children become more successful students. Engaging in regular learning activities can sharpen focus, improve study skills, and encourage good reading habits. Summer review can also bolster students’ confidence and readiness as they enter the next school year.

Practice key concepts.

Summer provides the ideal atmosphere for children to revisit more challenging subjects. As they review these subjects, they will become more proficient in the courses that challenge them. They will also develop study skills. Study skills will help them to tackle new tasks and concepts in following years.

Inspire confidence.

Reviewing material and honing skills will lead to academic progress. Seeing academic progress will help to build students’ confidence. They’ll be more motivated to work hard and try new things.

Improve reading skills.

Reading is crucial for comprehending all areas of academic study. Research has indicated that competence in reading significantly increases students’ educational success. The better readers students are, the better learners they’ll become. Summer is a prime time to focus on reading so children will grow rather than decline in their reading skills. Local libraries and other places offer reading programs that can help children strengthen their reading skills and build reading confidence.

Discover new interests.

Summer is an ideal time for your children to explore fields that pique their curiosity. A more relaxed schedule allows your family to explore subjects such as art, music, gardening and geography. As students investigate new topics, they will also be applying principles they’ve been developing over the school year. These include reading, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Plan and prepare.

One of the benefits parents will appreciate is extra time to plan ahead for the next school year. Summer break provides ample opportunities to research curriculum and organize materials. Parents also have extra time to structure the upcoming school calendar and make adjustments.

Strengthen family bonds.

Families that learn together tend to build closer relationships with each other. A more relaxed schedule gives families a chance to enjoy more time together. Try simple activities such as making a craft, trying a fun science experiment, or taking a nature walk. Each can help to build special memories while reinforcing learning.

Benefits of Vacation Stations by BJU Press

BJU Press Vacation Stations are a great solution to preventing summer slide. These K-5-grade 6 materials present a fun and engaging way to keep your students’ brains active while preparing them for the next grade. There are many benefits to including this resource in your summer learning.

Reinforce learning in a fun way.

Vacation Stations offer a variety of activities to keep students engaged and make learning enjoyable. They also help prevent boredom by presenting challenging yet manageable tasks. Each summer has a theme. For example, rising sixth graders will enjoy fun-filled reviews in the Australian Outback. Vacation Stations make learning something to be enjoyed rather than endured.

Encourage independent learning.

Lessons are designed so that students can work at their own pace. This structure promotes time management skills and independent learning. As children gain more independence in academics, they will also gain more confidence as well. Eventually, children will be able to complete more schoolwork without adult direction.

Cover core subjects.

Vacation Stations review three core subjects: reading, language arts, and math. Consistent review in these areas will help students to retain pertinent facts from the previous school year. It will also reinforce students’ learning in the upcoming year. Regular review in math, reading, and language arts is crucial for students’ present and future cognitive development.

Learn on your schedule.

Families can have consistent review without the pressure of a regular school calendar. Daily assignments are purposely designed to be short. Each day is adaptable to families’ varying schedules. Shorter lessons provide an ideal way to keep children busy but not overwhelmed over the summer.

Enhance cognitive development.

Vacation Stations provide many activities that enhance cognitive development. Lessons develop critical-thinking skills, which aid in problem-solving and encourage creative processes. Uniquely devised tasks reinforce academic ideas and concepts. These activities help children to learn information more efficiently than through traditional methods of learning.

Engage multiple learning styles.

Review lessons emphasize a visual and hands-on approach that appeals to active learners. Vacation Stations are designed to support students’ varying learning styles. This helps children to grasp material in ways that are most conducive to their learning needs.

Supplement your homeschool.

Homeschoolers can use Vacation Stations as a complementary supplement to their regular curriculum. This approach helps to stick to a continual yet fun process of learning. Vacation Stations also provide a resource for parents to bridge gaps during breaks. These lessons will support families in all stages of their homeschool journeys.

Prepare for the next grade.

Vacation Stations don’t just review past concepts. The materials also introduce upcoming grade-level concepts. This will give students an advantage heading into the next school year. It will also heighten their confidence as they begin a new grade. Vacation Stations fill in gaps to help families transition more efficiently into the next school year.

Stay on top of academics.

Avoid “summer slide” by keeping your children engaged in learning. You can help your students keep their academic skills sharp through consistent review. If you’re looking for ideas, Vacation Stations are a great place to start.

Ensure a smooth transition into the upcoming school year. Order Vacation Stations today and give your children helpful reviews and fun activities to prepare them for a successful school year.

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Jennifer is a pastor’s wife and mom of two young girls and loves homeschooling them. During her own twelve years of being homeschooled, Jennifer developed a passion for reading and writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and relishes writing during her free time.