Every year, parents ask me, as a school psychologist, for advice on preventing their child’s educational skills from regressing during the summer vacation. Many of these well-intentioned parents consider buying workbooks and implementing a “school-like” routine during the laid-back summer months. However, I must confess that I am not a proponent of this approach, as I have personally tried it when my kids were young before exploring alternative methods. Engaging in academic tasks during summer can lead students to resent the intrusion on their carefree break, especially for those with learning challenges and individualized education programs such as an IEP and 504 Plan. Therefore, parents often wonder what is the best course of action to keep their kids learning but to not squash their fun!

In previous blogs, I have listed activities to help fight boredom and keep the brain active – including during the pandemic shutdown. I have tweaked the list to include more “outdoor” summertime-specific activities. This is the first article in this special series- and it will focus on MATH.

To begin start with these steps:

Step 1) Turn off the TV / Device/ Computer/ Phone

Step 2) Be an engaged parent and participate with them – even if for a short time.

DOING MATH WITHOUT YOUR KIDS KNOWING THEY ARE DOING MATH

COOKING CLASS IS IN SESSION!

Cooking/ baking from a recipe. Instead of giving a child a recipe – give them a few cookbooks. Let them pick out what appeals to them. Then actually cook or bake the recipe!

Be sure to discuss the budget for buying the ingredients, have them go to the store, find what they need, and pay for them (of course using the “Parents Bank”), bring them home, determine what temperature to store the ingredients, and then finally use them in their recipe.

SUGGESTION: Bring a calculator with you to the store if you believe that is needed to help with addition and subtraction. For some, this may ease the stress of having to do “mental math”.

Here are just some of the skills you are reinforcing: Measurement (of the ingredients), Time (how long it takes to prepare and cook), Money (the value of each item to purchase and your budget), Quantities ( from teaspoons to gallons), Calorie intake and other information on the panel of each food, and finally about Expiration dates. Also, look at all the reading that is involved in this process, too!

Cooking with kids creates childhood taste memories and also teaches them important lessons about following directions, using math (1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup equals 1/2 cup), expanding their palate and learning about other countries.

Margaret McSweeney, Host of KitchenChat

Extend the learning by having your child create their recipe or cookbook of their favorite recipes. They also can watch cooking shows or videos for inspiration!

HINT: Take photos of what your child is accomplishing throughout the summer and surprise them with a collage or scrapbook! This also will be a great way to show your child’s teacher what they have completed during the summer months.

GOOD ‘OL MONOPOLY and Other Board Games!

Monopoly is one of the best games you can play to teach a child about money. Even better is playing – Let’s Buy a House. It is easy and FREE! First, have your child go on sites such as Zillow, Redfin, etc., and determine what they can buy in your area (or another) given a “set budget”. They will learn about the measurement of lot sizes, room sizes, and more. The fake budget will help them get a reality check as to how much they can “afford” (a great life skill), and also is a pool as important as having a second bathroom? Have your child price out the cost of renovations if they pick an older home or one in need of repair. And, what about the location, taxes, down payments, and mortgage? All are important concepts – especially for older children who are closer to leaving the family nest than a younger one. (Caution: Make sure they know this is a “fake experience” and don’t have them set up times to talk to agents or do home tours! But, do consider taking them to public open houses – who knows – you may have a budding realtor in your midst!)

Extend the learning: Design a home by using graph paper, rulers, and a pencil. A simple gander at sights such as HousePlans.com will give some free and fairly easy designs for junior architects to use model.

Other board games to consider: Yahtzee, Parcheesi, Chess, Checkers, Trouble, UNO, and even BUNKO!

Suggestion: For people with learning challenges consider playing games as teams!

FOR OUTDOOR LEARNERS

There is so much “math” to be found in our great outdoors! A child can measure rain in a bucket, construct a baseball diamond, use a stopwatch to time a friendly race, and create designs using measurements of feet and inches with sidewalk chalk.

Recently, I saw a very clever outdoor activity where the babysitter decided to make a scavenger hunt using math clues! Each child was given a tiny compass, ruler, and tape measure. An example of a clue was … “Starting at the door walk 25 steps and then turn 45 degrees to your right. The next clue will be 18 inches off the ground.”

SUGGESTION: For kids with learning challenges consider giving them support from a friend by making teams of 2 or 3.

HINT: Having a small tool belt or cinch bag to keep supplies for these special activities that will be used throughout the summer will help keep a child organized and a parent sane! Also, consider having a bucket of clean water and a towel to wash messy hands before coming inside!

MY #1 RECOMMENDATION FOR MATH SKILL DEVELOPMENT that is STEALTH! (Drumroll)

It’s no surprise that block building is a fundamental skill for math! Teaching children how to construct block towers, and bridges, or count with blocks are key concepts found in early childhood developmental scales, taught in preschools globally, and, most importantly, it’s incredibly enjoyable!

The beauty of building with blocks is that you don’t need anything fancy- just blocks! You can use plain old wood ones, Legos ™, magnetic tiles, or old shoe boxes! Just add your child’s imagination!

HINT: For children with dexterity difficulties consider using bigger blocks and also those that grip easier. ALSO- be sure to have a bin ready to put back the blocks so there are no broken ankles in your future!

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EXTENDED LEARNING SUGGESTION: Introduce sign language for numbers, colors, types of measurements, and tools. This will be a fun extension of these activities and a wonderful way to teach this visual language.

Last thoughts – I am only scratching the surface with this list of ideas to help kids break the boredom and keep learning flowing during the summer months. Please comment below any ideas you have that are kid-friendly and educational. Would love to learn from you, as well!

Thanks for reading!

This is part of a series titled, “From Both Sides of the Table”.