Keep Your Child's Skills Sharp Over the Summer

School's out! Time for vacations, sleeping late, and having fun. Unfortunately, this could also be a time for the "summer slide." Your child has just spent an entire school year improving his reading skills or polishing her writing techniques. With a few months of non-use, all of that hard work could be down the drain. Don't let that happen to your child this summer. Keep him or her involved in some educational activities. It doesn't have to be drudgery; it can be lots of fun!

Fabulous Fun with Reading:

Start a book group. If your child loves to read, or especially if he doesn't, gather your child and a few of his friends and start a book group. Have the kids choose the theme - something that really interests them. Then, you can help them choose an appropriate book. Look for activities, crafts, snacks, and games that are related to the theme. Have weekly meetings and watch your child's love of reading grow right along with his reading skills.

Plan weekly library trips. Make it a point to visit your local library every week. Get a cool bag for your child and encourage her to fill it with books at each visit. Keep the books in the bag so that they don't get mixed in with your child's personal collection. Read the books to your child or with your child and let your child read to you, younger siblings, and even her stuffed animals!

Pick a theme, any theme! Children in elementary school can really be motivated by a theme. If your child loves pirates, find as many books about pirates as you can. It's okay if some of the books are too hard; you can read those to your child. However, do be sure that most of the books are on your child's independent reading level. Include some easy ones, too, to boost your child's confidence.

Be a word detective. If your child needs help improving her sight word vocabulary (basic words your child should know "on sight"), select a few words each week to be your special jackpot words. Each time your child reads, have her look specifically for those words. Have a funny song or cheer or dance to do each time you find these words. You can even use highlighters and search for these words in kid-friendly magazines. Before you know it, she'll be building that vocabulary with ease!

Swiss cheese, please! This technique will also help with vocabulary development. Ask your child's teacher for a list of words or click on the link below for a list of basic sight words. Make flashcards with one word on each card. Give your child about 7 cards to practice for the first week. Then, each day, ask your child to read the words. Each time he reads the words correctly, punch a hole in the cards. Add new cards when your child's flashcards start to look like "swiss cheese."

Be a buddy. If your child has younger siblings, cousins, friends, or neighbors, give her the opportunity to be a buddy and a teacher. Reading to a younger child will boost her confidence and help her to improve her expression and fluency as she reads aloud. She'll also get to experience the joys of sharing a book and her ability with a little friend.

Wow 'Em with Writing:

Start a summer journal. Encourage your child to write a few sentences each day about his adventures. Include photos and drawings. Give him a purpose for his writing by giving him the chance to share his writing with a friend or family member, if he is comfortable doing so.

Keep in touch. Writing letters and postcards is a great way to develop writing skills. Your child can write to family and friends about her summer time fun. Receiving responses will also keep her happily reading.

Sidewalk author. Link those vocabulary words mentioned above to your child's writing skills. After your child has learned to read the words, have him learn to spell them as well. Take a bucket of chalk outside and have him write the words on your sidewalk or driveway. Play hopscotch with a different word in each space. Have your child read each word as he hops from box to box.

ABCs of summer. Create a scrapbook with one page for each letter of the alphabet. Have your child write words (for younger children) or sentences (for older children) for each letter that describe her summer time fun. Photos and drawings make a great finishing touch. Don't forget to add captions to your pictures.

Whatever activities you chose to do with your child this summer, be sure that reading and writing are a part of each day. As the summer draws to a close, your child will be ready for a new year of learning. As an added bonus, your child will naturally see the importance - and more importantly, the joys - of reading and writing in everyday life.