The long lazy days of summer usually mean late sunsets, picnics, swimming pools and road trips.
And while you certainly want your child to enjoy his or her time off, you also want them to keep up their academic skills.
Here are a few tips suggested by familyfungo.com.
1. Set aside at least 20 minutes each day for reading.
2. To keep writing skills fresh, buy children a notebook and let them decorate the cover. Then tell them it's their vacation journal and have them write down three things that happen each day.
3. To keep up math skills, buy books of number puzzles (found at any bookstore). Also consider investing in math-related computer games.
4. Find ways to make hobbies educational. A child who loves to collect baseball cards, for instance, could practice penmanship by writing fan letters to players. He could also work on math skills by tracking players' statistics and sharpen up on reading by taking out books on baseball from the library.
5. If you're taking a family vacation, bring home brochures that describe the history and culture of the places you'll be visiting. Try plotting out the trip on a map with your kids.
Source: Granite School District
