School’s nearly out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean that learning has to stop!
As the end of term approaches, most kids are ready for a break from formal lessons. But did you know that time away from the classroom can affect their attainment in the long run?
Research shows that achievement levels often slump during the holidays. And the so-called ‘Summer Slide’ can make it difficult for kids to settle back into school in September.
The good news is that it’s possible to keep kids learning while they have fun this summer. Here are some ideas to occupy little brains and get them ready for back to school, too.
Maths and English Fun
Having fun with maths and English is a great way to keep children learning during the summer holidays, and just a few minutes practice each day can really boost their progress.
While most kids might not warm to the idea of school holiday sums, there are lots of great apps that make learning fun and reward practice with prizes!
Discovery Education’s award-winning DoodleLearning apps are the perfect summer learning tool. Designed to be used for just ten minutes a day, DoodleMaths and DoodleEnglish transform learning into a fun adventure, rewarding kids’ progress and building their confidence.
Using the apps, kids can enter the popular DoodleLearning Summer Maths and English Challenges, which sees thousands of kids take part each year. This year’s challenges have an underwater theme, and every child who completes either challenge by ‘Doodling’ for 14 days will receive a special pin badge and certificate.
To help kids join the challenges and keep learning this summer, Discovery Education is giving families 2 weeks’ free access to DoodleMaths and DoodleEnglish between 1st July and 18th August 2024. Parents can sign up by visiting doodlelearning.com/challenge-promotion and entering the code 2WKS_SUMMER.
A University of Bath study showed that children who use DoodleMaths for 20 minutes a week are four times less likely to experience learning loss – which makes the DoodleLearning apps a great choice for preventing the summer slide! Visit doodlelearning.com/impact to read the full study.
Summer Science
Summer is the perfect time to get hands-on with science, and the great outdoors provides the perfect laboratory for curious kids.
The Wonderseekers science charity has lots of free experiments that are easy to conduct outdoors, from stargazing to butterfly spotting. British Science Week has great free activity ideas too, such as a fun project to make a water clock that teaches about force and gravity.
Water experiments are always popular with little ones and easy to set up in the garden, if the weather is warm! Why not try some simple floating experiments to teach about buoyancy? All you need is a bucket, some water and a collection of objects. Older kids can extend their learning by making a boat from modelling clay too.
Holiday Reading
Books are a great way to beat learning loss, and there are lots of tips and tricks to switch kids onto reading this summer.
Start by visiting your local library to sign up for a summer reading challenge. Most libraries run these during the holidays, giving kids the chance to earn points towards a certificate. A trip to the library can be a fun day out, especially if you haven’t visited before. Let your kids choose their own books and enjoy exploring the shelves!
Another fun tip to encourage reading is to start a family book club. You can take turns choosing the book and get together to discuss it. You might even create special reading passports, where kids can earn stamps that count towards holiday treats and rewards. We have some fab bookmarks to colour in for any summer reading challenge.
Creative Coding
When it comes to school holiday activities, most parents want kids to spend less time on their devices. But with the right guidance, tablets and laptops can provide a summer learning boost too.
While many kids enjoy watching movies and tv shows on their screens, it’s important to balance this passive screentime with educational screentime – and activities such as coding are great for this.
From designing computer games to developing apps, coding is a fun introduction to computer programming. And because it combines kids’ love of technology with practical skills building, it’s a great choice for summer learning.
If your children’s school subscribes to a service like Discovery Education Coding, why not speak to their teacher to find out how you can access this at home? You can also check out the EU Code Week website, for puzzles, games and fun coding challenges.
We hope these tips will help you to keep your kids learning – and having fun – this summer. Don’t forget to claim your 2 weeks free access to Doodle. Simply head to the DoodleLearning website and enter the code 2WKS_SUMMER to get started.
Have a fun-filled summer everyone!