If you’re a parent, you have probably heard about the “summer slide.” Research has shown that students can lose up to two months of reading and math knowledge as a result of being out of the classroom during the summer months.
It makes sense when you think of the old adage “Use it or lose it.” If you don't practice or use certain skills, you may forget or lose those skills.
With school starting soon, how can you help get kids ready? Here are four things to do to get kids’ minds working and get them excited about learning:
In addition to combating summer brain drain, involving kids in preparing healthy meals and snacks may help get them interested in healthy eating. Try making one of these delicious Sneakz recipes with hidden veggies to give even picky eaters’ diets a boost.
Little ones might practice new vocabulary by naming foods and herbs, learn about fractions by measuring ingredients, or observe the chemical reactions that take place when mixing ingredients or cooking food.
Older kids might work on planning a family meal, reading a recipe and following directions with a bit more independence. Shopping for meals at the grocery store can be a great place to practice math skills.
This guide to cookery skills by age gives some additional ideas for how to get kids involved in the cooking process and what they’ll learn.
Another entrepreneurial idea for kids excel in a certain area like art, music or a sport is to offer to teach others that skill. Teaching is a great way to cement learning. The child might charge a small amount of money to give lessons, but a better idea might be to barter with another child in exchange for receiving lessons in another subject and learning a new skill.