Category: Summer Learning

Summer days can be slow and lazy but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. We’ve made a list of a few favorite summer reads for beginning and middle readers that is sure to inspire curiosity, kindle imagination, and keep you and your kids on the edge of your seats.

1 – Summer Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow

Summer Walk’s beautiful illustrations will captivate a young reader who has a fondness for creepy-crawly creatures. Learn to identify 24 different bugs and expand the learning to your backyard or park.

2 – Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari’s story of overcoming fear is one that is instantly relatable to all ages, and the setting, poolside with the family on a sweltering day, is quintessentially summer. Follow Jabari and his loving and supportive father as he plucks up the courage to jump.

3 – Wildwood Chronicles: Wildwood by Carson Meloy

Meloy’s Wildwood trilogy is a delightful story filled with fantastical creatures, an enchanted forest, and unlikely friendships. Equally whimsical, funny, and suspenseful, you will have a hard time putting this book down. The colored illustrations are an added bonus.

4 – What’s in the Garden? By Marianne Berkes

Berkes’ What’s in the Garden is a cornucopia of colors and tastes for the reader to behold. Learn how vegetables and fruits grow and what to make with them. Berkes even includes simple recipes to try out at home. A great way to introduce where food comes from – and perhaps a way to coax your child into eating some green stuff!

5 – Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

Chin is a master of landscapes. Reading Grand Canyon is perhaps only second-best to seeing the geological phenomenon in person. Go on a summer road trip to one of the most famous, awe-inspiring locations in the U.S., and take some time to learn about the history, geography, and geology while you’re at it.

6 – The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Middle readers will love trailing along with the Penderwick girls as they adventure around the beautiful Arundel estate, getting into all sorts of mischief. A funny, heartwarming, summer read that is great for the whole family.

Happy reading!

Nothing beats a good book – and that’s especially true when it comes to reading outdoors. Summer is the perfect time to pick up a book and read. Unfortunately, not all children are natural readers, and some would much rather run around with their friends during the summer months. The good news is that there are many things you can do as a parent to encourage summer reading.

Take a Trip to the Library

Yes, libraries do still exist and they can be the perfect place for a little family day trip. On the next rainy day, bring your child to the library and let them explore the wonders found on every shelf. Teach them how to find the books they want and the subjects will pique their interest, and be sure to mention any summer reading events that are happening at the library. Showing your child all the fun reading opportunities available can be all you need to keep them reading throughout the summer.

Create Summer Reading Plans

With school being out for the summer comes plenty of free time for reading. Create a summer reading plan for your children, and get excited about it. Go to garage sales to find new books for them to enjoy, and maybe even set up a special time for the two of you to read the books together. Dedicating a specific time each day for reading will keep your child’s school skills sharp throughout the season. An hour of reading after dinner or before bed are some popular suggestions.

Get Them Involved in a Reading Challenge

Many libraries offer reading challenges for kids to participate in during the summer months. Oftentimes, they’re as simple as reading 10-books, and once the books are completed, they get a free book of their choice. Now, even if you can’t find a local reading challenge, you can always create one within your own household. Set a specific amount of books to read, and implement a reward system to keep your child excited and reading.

Read About Relatable Topics

It can be hard to get children involved in summer reading, especially if they aren’t particularly fond of reading in the first place. The key is to find something that is relatable, and that will pique their interest and curiosity. If your family is going on a summer camping trip, pick up some books where the characters do the same, or even a how-to camping guide that you can read together. Find books that talk about the things your child will be doing this summer. Provide something that they can relate to, and they will be excited to read up on it.

Combine Movies and Books

The truth is, some children simply have a hard time getting into reading. Reading about imaginary characters in a mysterious world isn’t for everyone. But movies are something that all children enjoy. With the summer season comes some rainy days, and this can be the perfect opportunity to pop in a movie. The trick? Pick a movie that is based on a book, or books with the same characters in it. For example, Finding Dory is going to be a smash hit this summer for both kids and adults, and there are many books that will certainly follow the trend. However, even picking up some books that talk about marine life can keep your child excited about reading.

Summer and reading is a favourite for many people. Unfortunately, it’s also quite the opposite for others. Keep your child’s school skills sharp with these summer reading tips, and they’ll be fully prepared for what’s to come when the new school year starts.

With the school year over and the excitement for summer here, many parents (and even students) find themselves wondering how they can keep school skills sharp during the summer months. With all the hard work students put in throughout the school year, it would be a shame to see a loss of progress simply because they aren’t exercising their brain on a daily basis. Fortunately, summer school isn’t the only option, and there are many fun and exciting things parents (and all students for that matter) can do to keep their brain active. More importantly, the following will also keep their school skills sharp throughout the summer season.

Go Hiking

You’re probably wondering how hiking can keep your child’s brain engaged and active, and the answer is simple. Exploring the outdoors provides many learning opportunities for kids, teenagers and adults of all ages. With every step, you can take the time to examine animals, plants, geology, and the history of your surroundings.

You can further the educational experience of hiking, all the while piquing your child’s interest with some books. Swap out the regular nighttime for stories that cater to the curiosities of the outdoors. Whether it’s about volcanoes, birds, rocks, flowers or dinosaurs, a nighttime story can get your child excited about an educational hike.

Read Together

Speaking of nighttime stories, this can be an excellent way to keep school skills sharp throughout the summer months. But reading doesn’t – and shouldn’t be limited to bedtime. Since nothing beats reading a good book in the summer heat, you probably won’t need much to encourage your child to keep up on their reading. However, if you do need an idea to keep your summer-loving student motivated to read, introduce the 10-book challenge. Once 10 books are read, you reward them with a special prize – and that prize can very well be a new book for them to read.

Summer Camps

What kid doesn’t love summer camps? With the wide variety of opportunities available, you can find a camp that keeps your child supervised, active and learning well throughout the summer months. Find one that caters to your child’s interests, whether it’s sports camp, eco camp, science camp, or something else – and let their learning prevail while doing something they love. Summer camps are an excellent way to teach your child social skills, survival skills, geological events and so much more while also keeping their brain active.

Student Books and Worksheets

Give your child some student books and fun worksheets to do on a daily basis. Even a 5-minute activity of math equations can work wonders. However, this tip can be a little difficult to get your child on-board with, especially if he or she isn’t a fan of school. A little reward system may need to be put in place to ensure they work towards keeping their school skills sharp. You also want to remember that it is summer break, and your child deserves to have just that – a break. Bombarding them with schoolwork while all of the other kids can encourage a negative experience and association with learning, which is never a good thing. So keep the student books and worksheets to reasonable amounts.

Gaming and Apps

There’s no denying that there are many games and apps available that aren’t educational. However, there are just as many that are highly engaging and that can keep your child’s school skills sharp during summer. The best part is that the educational aspect is often masked with entertainment and fun. So, they’ll never decline the opportunity to play learn games and apps.

Encourage a positive learning experience while also keeping your child’s school skills sharp with these awesome summer activities.