Early this summer I was invited to attend a PTO meeting at Plummer Motz Elementary School (my alma mater!) in Falmouth. The topic of discussion was the dreaded “summer slide” – learning losses that children may suffer if they’re not getting any intellectual stimulation during the summer months. The room was packed – clearly this was a topic of great concern to parents. I, along with a panel of teachers, education experts, and librarians, were there to offer tips and suggestions as the parents took diligent notes. I know that everyone left that meeting with every intention of maintaining a rigorous academic regimen for the next ten weeks… then there was camp. And playdates. And the week at grandma’s. And visiting relatives. And summer soccer league. And suddenly a back to school commercial popped up during “America’s Got Talent” and it was already [gulp]… August?!
Playing pretend is a great way to develop problem solving skills.
The good news is, your summer activities have probably already provided your children with a lot of the stimulation they need to keep their young minds alert and growing. Summer learning doesn’t require stacks of flash cards or work books full of word problems – a lot of the things you do every day keep young minds active and engaged. The Museum & Theatre’s philosophy (backed up by volumes of educational research) is that unstructured play is a vital component of learning. Whether it’s a board game, a tree fort, or just a game of “let’s pretend,” the activities children choose during their free play time are helping them learn essential life skills.
Here are a few suggestions for increasing the educational impact of your summer fun. Try incorporating a few of these strategies before school starts up in a few weeks!
Fun (and free!) learning opportunities are right in our backyard!
Plan it! Whether it’s a trip into town for the afternoon or a cross-country plane trip to a new city, planning any sort of voyage engages a broad spectrum of skills. Mapping a route, working within a budget, and scheduling activities are tasks children of all ages can participate in with the appropriate amount of guidance. Set parameters and challenges for a child to work with. Try planning a green day trip that uses public transportation, bikes, or pedestrian routes; set a tiny per-person budget and find out how many low- or no-cost activities you can find in a weekend; plan a “locovore” day, visiting only locally owned businesses and eateries (use Portland Buy Local for ideas). Giving a child ownership of an activity can inspire amazing creativity – and lead your family on new adventures!
Writing is a great way to be creative while exercising your brain.
Write it! There’s something really exciting about seeing your name “in print” – even if it’s on screen! Blogging is a great way for children to sharpen their writing skills and learn to build a cohesive narrative and find their own voice. You don’t need to have your own family blog to give kids a platform to share their adventures. Blogs of all types are always seeking guest bloggers – often, all you need to do is ask! Help your child search for blogs about their favorite topics (sports, authors, hobbies) or any of your summer travel destinations and contact the administrator to inquire about guest blogging. (Fun story: this very thing happened to us here at the Museum & Theatre this spring, and it resulted in some of our most fun, original, and popular blog posts! Click here to read about guest bloggers Courtney and Lauren’s adventures at the Winter Olympics.)
Twist it! If your July was packed with camps and travel, August may be a time for slowing down and getting back into your family routine. Even when doing familiar things, you can keep discovering and exploring. When you’re doing everyday errands or activities, challenge your kids to find some way to do them differently. If you walk the dog along the same route each day, find a new one (try Portland Trails for lots of ideas). If you explore the Children’s Museum & Theatre in the same order each time you visit, ask them to help you shake it up – try starting on the top floor and working your way down, or using exhibit guides to see familiar exhibits in a new way. If you’ve hiked around the Audubon grounds during the day, try something new, like a night hike. Little twists can start to make “same old” feel brand new!
There are only a few more weeks of glorious Maine summer left, and I’m looking forward to making the most of them! Here’s hoping you and your family will make some great memories while building new skills!
