Extensive research has revealed that Pre-K and Pre-School children can lose up to 22% of what they have learned during the year over the summer vacation period, especially if they are not continually stimulated during this time. As a result, it is strongly recommended that you start planning now to ensure that your child continues learning as much as possible during the longest vacation of the year – while still having fun too, of course.
Encourage your Child to Read Daily
When asked for ideas to help encourage Pre-K and Pre-School children to keep up with learning during the summer, most teachers will reply with, “Read as much as possible.”
When reading aloud to children of Pre-K and Pre-School ages, you will help them gain valuable reading skills, especially if you point out words as you go along. If your child is already able to read on their own, ensure that there are a few age-appropriate books that they can access easily. Children who sit and read unsupervised will also develop far better concentration skills than those who don’t.
Enroll your Child in Some Form of Summer Program
These days, there are several summer programs and camps that cater for Pre-K and Pre-School children. Many camps focus on one aspect such as academics, art or even sports/athletics. There are also a lot of options with regards to once a week, full day, overnight or even part-time each day, meaning that you should be able to find at least one educational summer program for your child to get involved in.
Find and Attend Various Child-Friendly Programs
If you are fortunate enough to be able to spend the summer with your Pre-K or Pre-School child, you will find that there are many child-focused programs that are set up to run during this time of the year.
Most community libraries host a wide range of events such as craft sessions and story time reading, and in a lot of cases, these are either free or extremely affordable to attend. When it comes to craft sessions or other activities where materials are needed, a small fee may be charged and you might be required to book in advance.
Other places that you can take your child to that will provide them with fun learning experiences include museums, a nearby nature reserve, planetarium or botanical garden. Your child can then be encouraged to draw pictures of the various plants, wildlife and other items they have seen on their trip.
In cases where you may have to finish projects around the house and won’t be able to take your child on an excursion on a particular day, it is possible to download a range of fun and challenging worksheets that they can complete. However, if you do this, it is recommended that you not pressure or overwhelm your child with them, as it could result in them not wanting to engage in any other forms of learning during the summer.