How To Keep Kids Engaged In Education Over Summer Break

Keeping kids engaged in learning during the summertime offers its own set of rewards and challenges. The challenges are obvious. Most kids don’t want to do anything resembling homework during swimming pool season. The rewards are also obvious. Kids who continue to learn throughout the summer have less catching up to do in the fall. The following four tips offer you some entertaining ways to keep your kids’ learning levels up, and usually, without an argument.

Do a Summer Reading Program

Reading counts as one of the foundational skills of education. However, summer reading doesn’t have to include boring texts to be effective. It’s okay for a summer reading list to include books in the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson series. It can also include comics and graphic novels. Anything that entices a kid to willingly pick up a book and read during the summertime counts as a fair game.

Educational Video Games

Video games play a big role in education these days. What’s more, they appeal to kids in the same way that comics appeal to kids. In other words, you won’t have to force them to play the game. What they may not realize is that they’re learning in the process. According to CNET, some good educational video games include Minecraft, the Little Big Planet, and Kerbal Space Program to name but a few. Games keep kids engaged, and engaged kids learn.

On-Site Educational Opportunities

If you’d like your kids to experience something more hands-on, then you may want to think about sending them to an educational summer camp. Nowadays, a camp exists for just about every kind of learning experience a kid would want.

There are STEM camps that teach kids about coding or astronomy. Videography camps teach kids about video making and editing. Art camp centers around art education. Some of these are even sleep-away camps, which are great options for kids who want the full camp experience.

Cook Together

Aside from being fun, cooking offers you a subtle way to get some math and language lessons into your summertime activities, according to the Paths to Literacy website.

For example, kids have to measure each item, giving them some basic math practice. They have to read the recipe, which strengthens their literacy skills. Cooking together also creates an opportunity to build social skills. Who knew cooking dinner could be so educational?

There is a reason that the word edutainment now exists. It builds on the idea that learning and entertainment go together. The best summer learning activities always include elements of both: learning and entertainment.