21
Ways For Kids To Avoid
The Summer Slide: Boredom
Busters For All Ages
By Christina Katz
Y
ou have probably heard about the summer
slide—the way kids can lose a lot of the skills,
knowledge and motivation they learned during
the school year over the lazy, hazy days of summer. And
though I am sure you don’t need your child to become
the next Einstein or Madame Curie, you probably want
to make sure your child will retain all that was learned
last year in order to be prepared for the academic year
to come.
And sure, a little strategic screen time here and there
can be educational when we intend it that way, but the
key to keeping summer fun and instructive is to mix up
informative play and educational screen time. This is
also a great way to stave off the inevitable choruses of
“I’m bored” or “We’re bored.”
This summer, set the tone that a little learning is an
important part of each day, so kids still enjoy the
relaxation of summer while keeping up the habit
of learning.
18 | S T. J O H N S parent M A G A Z I N E
Here is a roundup of 21 ways to keep your kids’ minds
active all summer long, so your kids will have a happier
summer and you won’t worry about the transition back
to school come fall:
1. Ask for insight. Check with your child’s teacher
before school gets out to see what kinds of educational
goals she recommends for your child. Don’t compare
your children’s academic performance to siblings
or friends. Everyone learns and grows differently.
Aim to support your child wherever he or she stands
academically right now to maximize the enjoyment
of learning.