Keep the Brain Drain Away

Make summer a great learning time. Use your fun times to keep your children's brains growing. According to ABC's news during the summer students can loose up to 60 percent of what they learned that year. There are several things that you can do to keep this from taking place with your child. Keep your child's brain active.

Dive in for pay

If you have a pool or can go to a pool bring some change along. Tell the children that if they want to have ice cream or another special treat after swimming then they have to dive for the money and tell you how much they find.

Use the appropriate type of coin or coins for each child. Challenge them without discouraging them. If your child is young then just have them add up pennies. If they are more advanced then have them come up with different sets of coins to pay for the snack.

Read to Mother

Reading is also important. Having your child read to you every night doesn't take long but will build great reading skills. This will also build a great relationship. When your child is hesitant to read to you, you can try to skip important words. Point to the words as you read them and then pause over a word giving them time to say the word out loud. Taking turns is another option. This will work well even if you have more than one child.

Science at home

Science can be easy. On a hot summer day you can go to a museum or just describe the plants and animals that you know about on a walk. Talk about the environment that the animals or bugs live in and how you are affecting them.

Use the internet

Use the internet to print out a picture of an animal each day or one a week. Have your child color the animal and look up information about them on the web. There are many sites that will give you a lot of info on animals, plants and insects.

Youtube also has some fun science videos. Use your child's interest to get them to sit next to you and surf.

Here are some great examples:

Sound waves vibrate-- Science Fun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfs4Rd5f_IQ

Volcanoes-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KbyB2UnTM

Counting Money-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfC6cBaQQN0

Make the TV useful

Even the local stations have great shows now and then. Look up what will be on and record great learning shows. Some examples are the NASA channel or your local PBS station. Watch the show with your child and ask a few questions during intermission.