It may surprise you, but not all slides are a good thing in the summer.
In fact, what’s termed the “summer slide,” in particular – when school-aged kids don’t read over the summer and “slide” back in their progress – can really end up costing you.
“When school is out for the summer, some kids aren’t going to pick up a book for three months,” said Amy Schardein, early childhood librarian with the Kenton County Public Library. “They’re going to watch too much TV and aren’t going to learn new things. That’s when we see them lose several months of school progress. And that adds up. Four years later, they’ve lost a whole year.”
According to the National Summer Learning Association, losing academic skills over the summer months is one of the most significant causes of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth, and one of the strongest contributors to the high school dropout rate. For many young people, the “summer slide” contributes to gaps in achievement, employment, and college and career success.
But all of this doesn’t mean you have to be super strict about what your kids are reading or have them writing book reports at home, Schardein said. The trick is simply to keep them reading.
“They can read whatever they want,” she said. “If you enroll with a library reading program, all your child has to do is write down the title. We’re not picky and aren’t looking at reading levels. In the summer, it’s important to let children read for fun. It builds motivation and fluency.”
And preventing the “summer slide” isn’t just about reading. It’s about enrichment activities, too ““ activities that aren’t schoolwork but are fun, enjoyable programs your kids can participate in that will keep their brains active.
For instance, Schardein’s kids are engaging in computer coding programs, Boy Scouts and sewing classes this summer.
“It’s not schoolwork, but they’re learning, and that will keep them from sliding back in their progress,” she said. “It will keep them from going stale.”
Healthy Headlines collaborated with the Kenton County Public Library to provide a summer reading list. The books on the list promote healthy living for younger-elementary children. Families can download the list here and visit their Kenton County branch to find these titles (and many more). Plus, now through August 25, Healthy Headlines Facebook fans are able to enter a weekly contest to win a library bag full of swag and books from Kenton County Public Library’s reading list.
