Is Your Child Bored Yet? 3 Educational Activities to do This Summer

Dear Parents:
I am a first grade teacher and I know the importance of having a fun, relaxing summer. I also know how important it is to be able to find fun but educational things for your children to do in order to help them maintain their reading and writing skills. I always have parents ask me “What can I do with my child over the summer?” Here are a few ways to engage your child in learning while still enjoying their time off from school. These activities can be adapted as needed.

1. Read, Read, Read! When students start school in the Fall, I often find that many of them have dropped in their reading level from the spring. I want parents to know how important it is to set a little time aside each day for reading, even if it is just 15 minutes. One suggestion is to visit your library. Children always don’t get to read what they want to in school. Now is the chance for your child to check out books that interest him/her the most. Most local libraries have a summer reading club. It is a great way to discover new books, engage in creative activities, and maybe even meet new friends. Or they can reread the books they already have. It is a great way to build fluency and review vocabulary skills.

2. Begin a writing journal. Get your child a notebook and have your child begin to write on what they are interested in. They can go outside and write about what they observe in nature. They can write about your family vacation or write a letter to a friend. Have them write about how they are feeling, or about the weather. They can even help you write the grocery list each week. If your child is just starting out with writing, he/she can make pictures instead and label them. Strong writers will often make strong readers and vice-versa and it is a great way to maintain their current skills (and even strengthen them) for the next school year.

3. Take pictures! If you don’t want your child to use your digital camera, get them a disposable one. Have them take photos of their friends/family and summer events. After you develop the pictures, your child can then create a timeline of their summer. Or they can choose a few pictures and write a story about them. You can also put them in an album for your child and have them create fun captions for them.

These are just a few simple ideas on how to have fun with your children this summer, while creating educational opportunities at the same time. No matter what you decide to do with your children this summer, remember that spending quality time with them is the most important thing.