Students can lose academic proficiency during school breaks, which could prove troublesome when returning to school.  School breaks including summer are an important time for parents to share in everyday learning activities with their children to enhance math, reading, writing, and study skills development.  While a break from school is great for recharging your children’s batteries, if students aren’t using the skills they acquired in the classroom, they could find themselves lagging behind once the school bell rings again.  Here are some great ways to inspire a love of academic discovery so your children have fun learning during summer vacation.

Writing.  Encourage your child to keep a travel journal.  Entries can include how far your drove, where you stayed, activities for the day.  Encouraging the writing process is fundamental.  Your child could collect postcards or take pictures and turn this journal into a vacation scrapbook. 

Math.  Ask your child to help at the various stores.  Teach him how to make change or to determine the “best buy.”  Cooking together teaches weights and measures as you follow a recipe.  As you travel, discuss the variance in gas prices and how that fits into your vacation budget.  Playing games as a family not only involves mathematical skills, but teaches logical reasoning, as well.

Rreading.  You, parents, need to set the example.  Turn off the television and read as a family.  Let your child know which books you like to read and why.  Maybe get some books about the places that you will visit while on vacation.  This stimulates an interest and a relevance to what you’re planning this summer as a family.  Motivate your child by enrolling him in with www.bookadventure.com.; this site offers prizes for reading!

Avoid Summer Learning Loss!  Have your child read every day!  Watch for those “teachable moments” when you incorporate learning into your summer fun!