Ah summer break! A time to relax, refresh, and enjoy time away from all things academic. Sure, there are concerns about losing what was learned during a unique year (and a half) of schooling. But the pressure can ease up a bit so that building in enjoyable literacy-based activities will be more meaningful for our youth. Overall, the purpose of emphasizing reading over the summer is to help children retain literacy skills, maintain comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary skills, and boost self-confidence in their abilities. In addition, reading is the foundation for learning in all other subjects so just a few books can make a difference.

If you have young ones at home, you’ve probably heard something similar to this more than once, “It’s summer break! I don’t need to read!” Yep, for most of our children, summer break is just that … BREAK – a break from getting up early, a break from reading and writing, a break from homework. But you and I know that a total break can lead to a ‘break’ in learning progress. The term ‘summer slide’ is not new to most of us – the loss of hard-earned skills achieved during the school year. This loss can make returning to school much more challenging, especially if peers are on pace. Really, the goal of continuing to read over the summer will help our children retain literacy skills, build comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary skills, and feel more confident and successful overall. Besides that, reading is the foundation for learning in all other subjects (yes, you do have to read in math!). Just reading a few books during the summer can make all the difference!

School’s out, summer’s here, and most of us still need to stay home because of stay-at-home directives in our local areas. In most cases, this isn’t too much of a challenge since a large yard or a nearby park can offer space for getting the wiggles out. But, for the learners that also want to keep their minds sharp (or for the parents that want this for their kids), there are free online learning resources for every type of learner at any age. Below are 25 online resources that might spark your learners’ interests. So, grab a bowl of ice cream and check these sites out.

Here it is – summertime – which means school’s out and there is A LOT of time to fill. You’ve probably spent more than a few hours looking online for things all of your young ones can do, from toddler to teen. I’ve also done my research and found some fun activities that combine inside and outside, adaptable for all ages and group sizes. Explore and enjoy!