Enrich Their Lives This Summer

Reading, writing and arithmetic still matter. Getting back to basics at a time when many children lose touch with what they have learned can give them a head start ahead of a new school year.

Students often use their summer break as a time to put away everything they have learned until a return to school requires them to revisit it in the fall. That’s a mistaken approach. Learning endures. Let’s discuss some options for learning over the next two-plus months. I want to highlight three basic learning styles that could be incorporated in daily basic activities with children of all ages.

Reading is the cornerstone for education. This skill is not only enhanced by reading challenging books but by comprehending what you have read. Encourage your children to read books on or above their grade level for at least 30 minutes per day. After they have read, ask them some questions. Who’s the author of the book? Who were some of the characters? What was the plot? Would they recommend others read it? Reading broadens your imagination. Your children will decide what piques their interest. This foundation allows them to cultivate their love for reading.

“Students often use their summer break as a time to put away everything they have learned until a return to school requires them to revisit it in the fall. That’s a mistaken approach.”

Next, incorporate 30 minutes of writing sometime during the day. Think about the written applications we must complete as adults. Without a strong foundation of writing, we’d grapple with completing the task. This will improve your children’s writing skills and leave them better prepared once they matriculate into higher academia. Have your child to write five complete sentences in the morning and detail what they’d like to do that day, or have them explain how their day unfolded by having them complete the assignment before bedtime. Be sure to assist them with correct punctuation.

Lastly, do some arithmetic. If you poll a class of 100 students and ask how many of them love math, you may get 10% to raise their hands. However, if you change the question and ask how many of them love earning money, you are almost guaranteed to get 100 hands in the air. I suggest intermittently providing basic math problems throughout the day. Embrace learning at the level of their excitement. Later, incorporate a discussion on money. Financial literacy is vital for our children to learn as early as possible. Take the summer to introduce these projects and enrich their lives.

Taticasejuana Bobo Stevens is a Ph.D. candidate and holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration. She is the CEO and founder of Stebeaux’s Educational Enterprises, LLC, where she teaches early childhood literacy from Pre-K to eighth grade.

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