Focus Magazine of SWFL Hot Summer Looks | Page 142

Learning
All Summer Long

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Family Features

Lazy summer days may sound refreshing to parents, however, they
may be detrimental to their children’s educational advancement. A
study by Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, reveals that students can lose an average
of one to three months of what they learned upon returning back to
school after summer break.
Parents can help their children avoid this “summer slide” by reinvigorating creativity, innovation and education during the summer.
When you provide your kids with brain-stimulating experiences during
the summer, you can help them to retain what they spent all year
learning. This could help them begin the new school year with higher
aptitude and give them a competitive educational edge. After all,
knowledge is power.
Brain-boosting activities
When looking for activities for your kids during their break, think beyond the pool. There are many ways to get those brain juices flowing
throughout the warmer weather months. Here are several engaging
activities your kids will think are so fun they won’t even know they’re
learning.
Use books for family bonding
A family book club is a great way to get in more bonding time while
also encouraging a love of reading. The children’s section of the local library or bookstore is a great place to find books that also tie in
scientific lessons. Kids will love digging into tales about dinosaurs,
exploring new galaxies in space and reading about the biology of
deep-sea creatures. Discuss any characters, plot and theme ideas in
an interactive fashion that allows every family member to take part in
a stimulating literary discussion.
Celebrate the curious mind
Does your child have a curious mind? Encourage inquisitiveness by
enrolling them in a specialized summer camp, such as those offered
by Camp Invention, which is supported by the United States Patent
and Trademark Office with curriculum developed by inductees of the
National Inventors Hall of Fame. Led by local educators, this weeklong experience immerses elementary school children in engaging
real-world challenges where they can turn wonder into discoveries.
Each themed module uses connections between science, technology,
engineering and math to inspire innovation.
Use your community’s resources
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