Plug Up the Summer Brain Drain

Avoiding Summer Brain Drain

No one will deny that a young brain needs to rest after a long school year, but most parents and teachers agree summer vacation is too long a period to go without any mental activity. Many teachers complain that the first month or two of the school year is spent bringing kids to where they were at the end of the previous year. The good news is, you can help remedy this problem. By making sure your kids do some light mental activity throughout the summer, you can assure they start the year ahead of the curve.

Challenge, Then Reward

Many parents feel that asking kids to do schoolwork doing the summer is a war they don’t want to start. So how do you get your kids to willingly do some academic brushing up over the summer? Try giving your child 10 math problems in the morning. Don’t force them to complete them by the end of the day, but let them know if they do you’ll take them for pizza or ice cream. Do the same thing for a week and say that on the 7th day you will take them to a waterpark or other fun destination.

Keep Them Curious

Tap into your child’s natural boredom and curiosity. If they complain they’re bored – and they usually do at some point over the summer – arrange some fun science experiments for them to do. Take them to the library and help them choose some summer reading. Things that would normally seem like schoolwork can be a lot more fun in the summer when boredom runs high and kids can do things at their own pace.

With a bit of planning ahead, any summer destination can be educational. Collecting sea shells at the beach, observing nature, even counting change at the grocery store can serve as a quick refresher course. Make sure to take advantage of every educational opportunity and your child will avoid the dreaded summer brain drain!