Reading Keeps Summer From Turning Kids' Minds Into Jello

Reading Keeps Summer From Turning Kids' Minds Into Jello
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=John_Maellaro]John Maellaro

As another long summer away from school approaches, many parents are wondering how to keep their children busy doing something constructive. While certain T.V. shows and video games can be educational, nothing seems to beat good old fashioned reading. Or for very young children, being read to. Summer reading programs are a great way to provide children regular opportunities to read books, play writing games, and listen to stories. While children might be more focused on the fun and prizes involved, educators know that these sorts of programs help little kids get ready to read and help big kids raise scores.

    A study conducted by Jimmy Kim at Harvard's Center for Evaluation found that reading four or five books over the summer months had an impact on fall reading achievement comparable to attending summer school. Another study concluded that children who read more than a half an hour per day during the summer had significantly higher reading comprehension gains by the fall compared with children who did not. In addition, the study showed that children whose parents read to them at least twice a week over the summer also improved comprehension skills more than children whose parents did not.

Fun Summer Activities With the Kids

Fun Summer Activities With the Kids
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kristie_Patel]Kristie Patel

School's out for summer! How long until you hear the dreaded "I'm bored". Planning ahead can help keep the days running smoothly. Here are some activities you can do with your family this summer that wont break the bank.

Library - many libraries have summer reading programs or story times. You can also just visit the library to check out books. Check out local bookstores for summer programs as well.

Zoo - Avoid the heat of the day and go in the early morning to get the most out of the zoo. Look into memberships or discount days.

Children's Museum - These can be less crowded during the summer months since there are fewer school field trips. Call ahead to find a day where there are no camp or school visits.

Outdoor Fun - Make time to play in the front or back yard. Bubbles, sidewalk chalk, scavenger hunt, kites, frisbee, and scooters all make for great outdoor fun. If you have an area with dirt invest in a small shovel and pail.

Summer Reading Picks For Teen Girls

Summer Reading Picks For Teen Girls
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Marlene_Wallach]Marlene Wallach

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are perfect for JAM summer reading. Whether you're lying on your camp bunk, lounging on a beach chair, or camping out in a tent, make one or more of these great reads part of your summer.

We've compiled a special list just for you, with some classic reads and contemporary picks that we're sure you will want to check out.

So here goes:

Two Classic Picks

Thrifty Ideas for Summer

Thrifty Ideas for Summer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Heather_Brickell]Heather Brickell

Wow! Can you believe it's that time of the year again? The kiddos will soon be out of school for the summer and we will be planning our family vacations!

I don't have to tell you that the price of gas is at an all-time high; therefore, many of us may opt to stay closer to home for vacation this year. Living in Central Florida definitely has its perks to lots of variety when it comes to things to do.

Here are some fun and frugal things for you and the family to take advantage of:

* Take a day trip to Orlando to visit Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney is FREE to the public and is filled with everything Disney! You can stroll from store to store and eat in Disney inspired restaurants without paying the price of admission to Disney World! Don't forget to visit the Lego Store (My son's favorite) and the Ghiradelli Chocolate store for a FREE piece of yummy chocolate!

Guide to Creating an Awesome Summer Reading List

Guide to Creating an Awesome Summer Reading List
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jules_Mariano]Jules Mariano

The art of reading is not dead - far from it, in reality. Students and other young people are still picking up books and indulging on reading, especially during the summer time. After all, during the summer, there is a lot of uninterrupted time to read. But with all the books you can pick up in the bookstore, which ones will you start with?

If you are feeling lost with regards to which books to read this summer, you can follow this simple guide:

21 Summertime Activities That Extend Learning

Author: lizziemilan
Research shows that except kids continue summer learning, they may lose up to 30during the summer of understanding gained during the school year. Can your teenagers afford to lose this information? Instead, try these free or reasonably priced ideas that focus on language arts, math, science, art, social studies--all part of the prospectus last school year. Both of you will make this a summer to remember.
1.Fragrance bouquet. Gather wild flowers to add a pleasurable scent to indoor space. Strip the leaves and take away blooms from stems. Let to dry and place in a small basket. Wild roses, honeysuckle, and wild phlox make a lovely fragrance.

ADHD Summer Camp Can Help You to Develop Your Kids

Author: bachman summer
Being different is one of the main things that you have to deal with life because if you are different then people would blame you as people don\'t accept anyone who is a bit different than others. Now if your child is different and he had been dealing with certain problems then you should try and support him in the best possible manner because the more you support him, the more confident he would feel. You should also be careful in not only supporting him in all the steps of his life but also should not criticize him as it would let his moral down.
ADHD Summer Camp can one of the options that you may consider while thinking about learning and development of your kid as your kid would not only enjoy these camps but would also learn new things. He would be able to learn new things in life that he can test in his day to day life so as to see that how much he has learned and how much is left. This would motivate your child to not only to learn more and more but after attending these types of camps you would also see that he would start setting targets for his own development and would have fun in achieving them.

Smart Kids: Use it or Lose it This Summer

Smart Kids: Use it or Lose it This Summer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Dean]Nicole Dean

The brain is like a muscle -- you use it or lose it. During summer vacation is your child "losing it"?

Picture two different athletes. Athlete A is on a schedule where she trains ten months and then takes two months off. Athlete B trains year round. When Athlete A goes back to training after her two months of being a couch potato, she's going to feel sluggish, slow, and frustrated, while Athlete B is still in prime shape.

So, how do we, as parents, keep our children's brains in tip-top shape? Exercise your children's brains with these activities.

Writing Skills: Do your children have a favorite series of books, like The Magic Tree House or Harry Potter? They can write the next book in the series! Brainstorm the plot with your children. Provide them with a special notebook for writing the story -- and let their imagination take them on a journey. A chapter each week will really add up!

Keep Kids Learning This Summer

Author: Matthew Sharp
Your child\'s education doesn\'t have to stop for two months, just because school\'s out. In
fact, summer offers many opportunities for learning and enhancing your kids\' abilities.
Here are some tips to keep your child learning throughout the summer:

• Expand the classroom into the natural  environment of home and community. Take your child along when you go to  the store, post office or library, and encourage his involvement in the  tasks at hand. At home, allow your child to help put away the groceries or  sort the laundry.
• Encourage choice-making. For  instance, allow your child to choose between a day at the beach or a walk  in the park.
• Any outing can offer the  chance to learn. Take your child to the movies, and allow her to practice interaction by ordering and paying for her own ticket and choosing a snack
  from the concession stand. 

How Will You Turn Your Summer Time Into Summer Fun?

Author: Della Turner
Most summer camps are basically a good fusion of fun, adventure, and creative sessions and are basically cover the time span of one or two weeks.

There are overnight camps, which are organized for older children, include food and accommodation. While the most of summer camps are planned keeping teens and children in mind, there are many that can suit adults as well.

Every summer camps are conducted by skilled coaches. They arrange a range of outdoor adventures to challenge the endurance of campers. Mountain hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and cycling are some of the outdoor activities that you may expect from summer camps.

There are also waterfront activities like swimming, canoeing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, water skiing, and snorkeling can also be included in a summer camp depending on the field you choose for your summer camp.

Summer camps also include a variety of entertaining sessions like tennis, basketball, golf, and archery to introduce children to new sports. Many summer camps also cover lessons in pottery, ceramics designing, mask making, sketching, calligraphy, collage, painting, and beadwork to expose kids and teens to latent skills and simultaneously exercise their imagination.

Keeping Your Brain Active Over the Summer

Author: Ellen Richards
Tips on preparing for exams and applying to schools.
Parents set the tone for their children\'s academic success.
Many people mistakenly believe that education begins in high school when students realize the competition involved in gaining admission to college. Parents and students do themselves a huge favor to remember that the earlier one fosters an appreciation for education, the more likely they will achieve academically.

What are some ways to bolster interest among students?

1. Consider summer enrichment programs in an area of the student\'s passion, such as sports, music or language. It is important that students explore various areas of interest to foster the development of a passion.
2. Encourage children to learn a foreign language. Knowledge of other languages prepares students to excel in an increasingly global economy, while also exposing them to a them to another culture which can enrich their overall learning experience.
3. Discuss your child\'s academic expectations in a meaningful way. Engage your child when he asks questions or seeks more information about a topic. Mentoring your child in this manner encourages intellectual exploration.

Lead your child down the path of self-discovery. Send the right message early: education is not about getting into college, education is about learning from new experiences and thinking critically about the world.

Join A Summer Tennis Camp To Learn, Play, And Enjoy With The Entire Family!

Author: cristcromartie
With the summer season approaching, joining summer tennis classes in a summer camp or an academy can be a great idea. There are also tennis camps organized by a tennis academy which help children learn the techniques of tennis. What if a tennis training academy comes to your doorstep? Well, it is not strange because there are mobile services offered by some companies which take family tennis sessions.
This means the entire family can participate and learn the game together. This sounds like lot of fun. Private session for tennis lessons is also part of such services in which a professional tennis coach helps the students learn and enjoy while keeping their body fit and healthy. From beginner to a tournament-level player, anybody can take such summer tennis lessons and develop their skills to move up the next level of learning.
Why Join a Summer Tennis Camp?

This Is Why Summer Is The Perfect Time To Get Started On Learning Music And Dance Classes

Author: Melissa Homme
As spring rolls along, it\'s time to start thinking about what to do with those summer months. For kids, summer is the perfect time to relax and enjoy youth. For parents, it\'s a tough time to figure out exactly what to do with all of the new time the kids have! There will be ample time for beach days, vacations and play-days with friends, but summer is also a great time for kids to experience something new outside of the normal curriculum provided during the year. Music and dance summer camps provide a great opportunity for kids to learn a new skill and build an appreciation for the arts during their time off. For adults, summer provides a more relaxed environment to pick up a musical instrument or dance class.
Studies have shown that children can benefit from learning with friends and peers, the same type of environment that they have at school. This type of learning allows them to build social skills, talents and communication abilities. Summer camps focused around dance and gymnastics provide the same social elements found at school, but they are structured in much smaller groups that provide more interaction. It\'s easy for kids to sit in front of a TV or video games for hours during the long summer days, but getting them in front of a teacher who is energetic and exciting during a summer camp is a great way to continue the learning process outside of school. As kids learn dance, aerobics, gymnastics and performing arts, they are having fun outside of the school environment but are still learning the basics of following directions and challenging their minds and bodies. Summer camps also provide the much-needed exercise that children should get during the year. Not only can children benefit from dance camps during the summer, but adults can benefit from taking dance classes during this time of year too.

How to Have an Awesome Summer Vacation

How to Have an Awesome Summer Vacation
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_T_Dupree]Jonathan T Dupree

Vacation Bible School is a great week of Bible stories, games, crafts, music, and more. In these tough economic times, VBS might be the perfect get away for you and your children. Saddle Ridge Ranch is a western themed Vacation Bible School that offers children the opportuntiy to spend a couple hours every evening playing with other children, learning about the Bible, and having fun!

VBS also gives parents a break for a few hours every evening. This gives you and your spouse the opportunity to sneak away to the movies and have free child care!;) You're able to make sure your children have a great week learning Christian values and you get a week off from your kids. You both win!

Register for VBS at your local church. Most churches do not charge anything for their VBS. They even provide a snack, or for evening Vacation Bible School's, a meal. You can't beat a week of VBS for free and a week off for mom and dad!

Online Summer School Resources

Use Free Online Summer School Resources
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Claudette_Upshur]Claudette Upshur

There are many free online summer school resource that give instruction for elementary grades through high school students. Search for sites that will help your child review subjects that were difficult for him/her or to prepare for upcoming classes. Also, the summer is a great time to introduce an upcoming topic or enjoy an elective.

Many parents and teachers agree that valuable instructional time can be lost during a child's summer and vacation breaks. Let's see. If you study a subject for ten months and then put it aside for two months, how likely are you to remember what you previously learned?

Why not make good use of your child's time and involve him in a productive activity like studying, at least for a portion of the summer?

How to Keep Your Kids Entertained During Summer Break

Summer Fun - How to Keep Your Kids Entertained During Summer Break
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Frank]Beverly Frank

Kids look forward to summer break most of the school year, while parents often dread it. Not only because they may have to employ babysitters, and keep kids out of trouble, but because they lack ideas for how to keep kids entertained during the summer break. The following are a few fun ideas for keeping kids entertained during summer break so that they have fun, and you do not go crazy.

1.    Have it be a learning summer. One of the most important things to remember as a parent is that while it is good for kids to be entertained during the summer, it is also important that they retain their knowledge from the school year, and not let their minds become too inactive. So, choose activities for their summer that will keep their minds working, and provide them with fun as well. One great idea is to create a summer learning calendar. You can choose one topic each week that your children would be interested in, and a corresponding activity that they get to do. For example, the first week of summer they could learn about sea life. On Monday you could take them to the library and they could check out books on the ocean. Then, on Friday you could take them to a local aquarium where they get to see what they learned about in action. Come up with different learning subjects and fun activities for each week of the summer.

Prevent Loss of Learning Over the Summer

Prevent Loss of Learning Over the Summer - Tips For Parents of Public School Students
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lisa_A_Mason]Lisa A Mason

One problem that I have had to face as a parent to students in public school is how to prevent loss of learning during Spring break or the summer months. We try to stay as involved as possible with the education of our children, although they are in public school.

This means during the summer months and school breaks, we want to be sure our children stay fresh on their studies so that school won't seem so difficult when they return.

I spoke with home school parent, Lyn Lomasi about what parents like myself can do to help their children stay up to date on their studies during time off from school. The advice she has to give is amazing!

Lisa: How can parents of public school students prevent loss of learning over the summer?

Avoid the Summer Slide by Making the Most of Summer

Avoid the Summer Slide by Making the Most of Summer - Combine Fun and Learning!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Joseph]Andrew Joseph

Summertime is here, and so are all the camps, beach visits, video games, and parties for the kids. But along with all this fun that the summer brings, it also brings the "summer slide" - a dreaded phenomenon, which parents and educators acknowledge alike, but are at a loss on how to arrest it!

According to the National Summer Learning Association, an average student loses about 2 months of learning over the summer, even more in the case of low income group families, and most if it affects reading and math. Educators realize that besides all the fun, students need to make sure they stay on top of class for next year, and for this, they need to refresh what they learnt in the previous year and take a preview of what can be expected once they get back to school. Parents realize that kids need to be better prepared and really do well in academics to secure their future.

Summer Bible Camp Themes for Kids Fun Sun and God

Author: askinrobbins
Summer Bible Camp Themes for Kids: Fun, Sun, and God

Summer camps are a great way to get your kids out of the house during the summer months and to ensure they stay active, have fun, and learn something along the way. One of the most popular kinds of summer camps in the world are those that center on religion and on the Bible. However, no two summer camps are the same, even if they incorporate the teachings of God. Thus, you should consider the different summer Bible camp themes for kids as much as the location and cost of attendance of the camp. The following are just some of the most common summer Bible camp themes for kids.

Sports

The DS and Kids Learning Games

The DS and Kids Learning Games - A Great Way to Keep Them Occupied on a Long Trip
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Josephine_Pizarro]Josephine Pizarro

While recently on a long drive to Connecticut, I was with my family including one of my younger nephews. We knew we would be in for a two hour and thirty minute drive. Not having any children of my own, I wasn't sure about now to keep a seven year old occupied for such a long period of time. Fortunately, his father brought a Nintendo DS with some learning games. I asked him why he wouldn't just use regular action games and he responded by telling me that the learning game will keep him occupied with difficult puzzles for a much longer time than a traditional game would.

A traditional action adventure game can easily be completed in the span of one hour or two hours which would be acceptable in traveling on long trips if they were one way but in this case it wouldn't have helped. More educational games and learning games which can contain all sorts of puzzles could take a much longer time for a child (or adult for that matter). In the process, since the puzzles are more hidden and not so obvious, the kids are being entertained while improving their logic and problem solving skills.

6 Ways to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

6 Ways to Prevent Summer Learning Loss
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Allwein]Nicole Allwein

Did you know that many kids experience a phenomena called Summer Learning Loss every year? Essentially, they forget the information they learned in the previous school year over the summer months. In fact, studies have shown that kids lose an average of over 2.6 months worth of math skills in the summertime. For kids that were already struggling in a subject like math, this means that they will start off the next school year even further behind.

During the summer months, kids are less likely to practice any time of mathematical computations. Most will not practice math skills outside any formal classroom setting. Other subjects such as reading, also show a learning loss as well. In reading, students will lose an average of 1 month of learning.

Think of your favorite sport. Pick your favorite basketball, football, or soccer player. What would happen if they did not continue to train and exercise during off-season? They would then return to their sport and experience a lag in their performance. The brain is no different. It too, needs to be exercised.

So how can you keep your kids learning over the summer? Here are a few simple ideas:

Summer Learning Activites For Children

Summer Learning Activities For Children
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=M_Patelle]M Patelle

During the summer, it's important to keep your child busy and active even if school is over already. Although it's time for rest, those two months aren't meant for your child to be sitting around the house eating and playing video games. The best ways to get your child up and about are by getting them interested in an activity that corresponds to their interests and having generally fun activities lined up as well. Just because school is over, it doesn't mean that your child has to stop learning. They can learn through various experiences as well during the summer. Sitting them down with textbooks and worksheets may not be the best approach. That is the strength of schools. A parent has other teaching strengths. Use those strengths to enrich your child's learning in a way they can't get in school.

Summer Learning- 8 Fun Ways

Summer Learning - 8 Fun Ways to Keep Your Kids Learning All Summer Long
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Jefferson]Jamie Jefferson

Most kids look forward to three months of nothing but fun and games, but, as a parent, you know that learning should take place year round.

And while it can be hard to get your child's attention among all the swimming pools, video games and television shows that they'd rather be spending their time on, it's important that you keep the learning going (at least at some level) during the summertime. That way, when they return to school in the fall, they'll be enriched and ready to learn.

Here are eight fun ways to keep your kids learning all summer long, including some educational websites your kids will love.

Keep Kids Learning All Summer Long

Keep Kids Learning All Summer Long
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jacqueline_Itson]Jacqueline Itson

During summer vacation, learning need not fall to the wayside. Parents have many options available to keep children's brains active during the summer months. Research has shown that when not in school for an extended period, students can lose precious knowledge unless their minds are consistently engaged. However, parents shouldn't need to spend a fortune on expensive enrichment programs or enlist the help of full-time tutors to help children maintain their academics. Many easy and affordable opportunities exist for parents to help summer vacation become a productive time of fun and learning.

A good place to start is online with the local school district's web page. Many districts offer academic resources for parents. Some share suggestions for summer reading, links for recommended sites and ideas for projects to keep children's minds sharp. In addition, many local libraries offer programs free of charge during summer months. Even without special programs, the library is a wonderful resource for families. Finding a book or two on topics of interest to a child can go a long way in supporting academic growth during vacation.

Summer Fun Learning for Kids

Summer Fun Learning For Kids
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shelly_Greenhalgh-Davis]Shelly Greenhalgh-Davis

They say that over the summer children forget about a third of what they learned during the school year. That's why the first third of school books are review of previously learned material. It's also believed that children who do some steady reading through the summer do not lose that third of what they learned, even though the summer reading they do doesn't pertain to the subjects they learned. Reading is just good mental exercise and helps keep the brain in tip-top shape.

So one of our summer traditions that has proven to be super fun for both me and my kids is something we call 'theme studies' where I become the student and the kids teach me. They each take a turn teaching for a week at a time. They pick any subject they want, and for five days they present lectures, demonstrations, storytelling, audiovisual materials, games, crafts, assignments, field trips, etc. pertaining to the subject. They can take anywhere from five minutes to an hour to present their daily lesson.

Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

Secrets from the Classroom - Avoiding Summer Learning Loss
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rob_Stringer]Rob Stringer

In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as they packed up their bags for the final time, and began a much awaited summer vacation. For many this two-month academic hiatus is cause for celebration. However, it can also be a factor in a long standing, yet little publicized, childhood affliction: Summer Learning Loss (SLL).


In 1996, in a synthesis of 39 separate studies, researchers found that the average student, returning to school in September has lost the equivalent of 1.0 to 2.6 months of previous learning-in effect, erasing this amount of learning from their mind. According to the report, the biggest losses occur in the areas of spelling and computational math (multiplication, addition, etc.).