Want to keep your kids learning this summer and fight summer backslide? Click here for some great resources and ideas!

How To Fight Summer Backslide in Your Kids

Are you looking for some ways to keep your kids learning this summer? As a homeschooling mom, I love taking a summer break. It is good to switch up our routine a little, and have a good stretch of relaxing summer days. However, I don’t like to see my boys only lay around playing video games all day each day! I also find that a little bit of structure and some responsibility for my kids goes a long way to making our summer go a lot smoother. I also find that having some structure and routine prevents my kids from the infamous summer backslide. No one wants to see their kids forget the reading, language, and math skills that they worked so hard to master all school year!

Today I want to share with you 5 ways that I fight the summer backslide with my kids!

Want to keep your kids learning this summer and fight summer backslide? Click here for some great resources and ideas!

1. A Daily Summer Review

I decided this summer that I wanted my boys to have some sort of daily review of the skills that they had worked on all year. I wanted a short (no more than 10-15 minutes) sheet that had a little reading, language, and math. So, I went ahead and created my own review packet, called “Summer Brain Boosters.” The point of it is so that my kids won’t go the whole summer without picking up a pencil and exercising their brains a little bit. I created a packet of 20 pages, with 2 activities on each page. I have made this entire packet available to you. You can download and print the preview below, or download the full packet (an entire summer review) on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store, 2 Teachin’ Sisters.

After you download the file, just print them, and cut them in half and you will have 40 separate brain booster pages for your kids to do! Also, your kids won’t be intimidated by just a half sheet! They will know right away that it is a short and sweet review or as my boys like to say, “it will be easy peasy!” I have folders for my kids where I can just slide their summer brain booster sheets in. (a few at a time, or the whole set if you’d like)

Have your kids do one every day, or as many times a week as you feel is best for your kids this summer. I plan on my kids doing them at least 4 days a week, skipping days where we have other activities planned and/or vacation days! So far I have completed Brain boosters Level 1 (Grades K-1). Here is a preview of it that you can download for free! This preview gives you 5 pages (10 brain booster activities) that you can start using now. If you are enjoying it, and want to keep using it with your kids this summer, head over to this product on my Teachers pay Teachers store and download the complete file of 40 activities!Click for a great summer review packet for kids grades K-1!

Click here to download a Free Preview of my Summer Brain Boosters Level 1 Packet!

Also, I am working on a Summer Brain Booster Packets levels 2 and 3 for older kids! I will update this post with the preview as soon as it’s finished!

2. Summer Reading Programs!

There are tons of great opportunities to keep your kids reading and learning through the summer with summer reading programs. Most local libraries have a summer reading program for kids of all ages. My kids look forward to going to our library each summer and signing up for their program. We try to go to the library at least every other week in the summer. My boys each take their reading logs and get prizes for continuing to read throughout the summer! They love it!

Also, Barnes and Noble has summer reading program to encourage kids to read in the summer. Click here to go to their website and download their reading journal. After your kids have read and written in 8 books in their journal you can take it to your local Barnes and Noble store and your kids can receive a free book from their list of titles! We are looking forward to completing this program this summer!

If your local library does not have a summer reading program and you are not nearby a Barnes and Noble location, there is another option for you! Bookadventure.com sponsored by the Sylvan learning center has an amazing free program on their website. This program is available all year long, however, I have used it mostly in the summer. They offer a large library of booklists and quizzes for kids of all ages and reading levels. They also have options for you to create accounts for your kids, set goals for them to earn points, and earn prizes (downloadables through bookadventure.com or you can set up prizes that you want to give your kids). You can design your own summer reading program for your kids! It’s a lot of fun and encourages comprehension of what your kids are learning through their short book quizzes. It is worth checking out!

3. Fun educational trips

Another great way to fight summer backslide is to give your kids some amazing educational experiences this summer. Check out some local museums, look for educational programs (many local libraries offer a lot of summer programs), visit zoos or aquariums, or explore nature with some outdoor activities! The are so many opportunities out there to keep our kids learning and still have fun with them!

4. Music Lessons

Music is scientifically proven to stimulate the brain! Kids who play instruments often have more academic success and improve in reading and mathematic skills! Also, music is fun and relaxing! My kids and I are going to be spending more time with our music lessons this summer! One of my kids wants to learn the guitar, and one wants to learn the piano! Playing music is going to be a regular part of our summer routine.

I am so excited to see their progress with their instruments this summer. I am teaching them myself but if you can’t there are a lot of options out there for you! There are tons of books that help kids learn to play an instrument. Also, there online music classes (many are free) where kids can follow video lessons or you and search your local area for music instructors! It will be an experience that will be valuable to your children for their entire lives!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure.

5. Fun STEM Activites

Plan some fun Science, technology, engineering, and math activities for your kids this summer! Get out their Lego bricks and see what they can build, plant a garden, and do some crazy science experiments. All these things will encourage your kids to use their brain and help to prevent that summer backslide!

There are also tons of science kits that your kids will love to play with that will keep them thinking! Here are some links to some great products, my kids and I recommend, that will keep kids learning as they play this summer!

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure.

What are you planning for your kids this summer? Comment below with your favorite way to prevent the summer backslide in your kids!

8 thoughts on “How To Fight Summer Backslide in Your Kids

  1. I tried to download the preview and it says oops. I would really like to see this. My son could benefit from this.

    1. It should be working now! I fixed the link. So sorry for the problems!! Let me know if you still have a problem with it. I hope it your son enjoys it!

    1. Yes! We spend a lot of time outside also!! Love all that our kids learn and experience by just getting out of the house!

  2. is this still available for purchase? i tried the link and safari couldn’t find the page

Comments are closed.