Combating Summer Brain Drain - Part II

So how do you keep your child's brain stimulated during the summer "drought"?  

You can do a few, big, obviously educational outings here and there, like the Science Center, Botanical Garden, Zoo (stop and read the facts about the animals or watch a show where they teach), any museum, The Magic House, Museum of Transport, etc.  They're easy to go to, but you do have to engage while you're there or they become all about the snacks and the gift shop. Before you known it, your child will be whining that they're hot and bored.  

In between these special "field trips," you can do smaller learning around the house.  Try a new recipe together from a new country, read a book together, try to build a potato launcher, whatever you are interested in.  

The more "hooks" they have from their first-hand experiences, the more they will retain the thousands of little tidbits that come up in school.  They'll know what tumeric is when they're studying ancient Egypt or what “projectile” means from your summer fun.  

Join a summer reading program (at the local library, Barnes and Noble, the fire station).   I'm not a big fan of extrinsic rewards (tangible rewards that don't come from inside us) but these book clubs are cultural traditions and as long as it doesn't morph into a bribery addiction between your child and you (any time s/he needs to do something, you have to figure out a reward), these clubs won't hurt.  

Next, does your child like screen time?  Let them play math operation games, read on your Kindle, try Type to Learn, or whatever rote skill practice you can find to their hearts’ desire.  These games will build skills and they're just not as addictive as real video games.

Lastly, let them get good and bored.  The creativity within them will only emerge in the absence of flashing lights and beeping games.  Their boredom is the fertile ground that grows story writing, skits with siblings, videos with neighbors, musical instrument practice, and made-up games – in short,  brilliance.

These are all proactive, positive actions you can take to limit May's erosion.  A few defensive tactics will help their intelligent retention too:

1)      Severely limit their screen time. (Hint: Some days should have no video games, movies, or TV).

2)      Resist the temptation to be their entertainment director. They need to learn to entertain themselves.

3)      Severely limit their screen time, Wait, did I say that already? Screen time is your child's biggest enemy.  More on that another day.  

Your child needs experiences and time to process more than they need tutoring or schedules or quizzing.  Summer drought can turn into the summer rain forest, and your child might actually return to school excited to learn. 

Want to get a glimpse of students engaged in learning? Come visit The Fulton School where our students are at the center of all we do.

The Fulton School blog is written by head of school, Kara Fulton Douglass.