Preventing Summer Learning Loss by Building Routines
As the summer months roll by, it’s important for parents and caregivers to create a sense of structure and routine at home. By doing so, we can prevent our children from falling behind in their learning and ensure they enter the new school year prepared and confident.
We recently surveyed almost 1,000 teachers across the country from grades Pre-K all the way to 12th grade about summer learning loss and found an interesting pattern that supports this emphasis on structure and routines.
Here’s what happens:
Students leave school for summer vacation and of course, are no longer in school each day reinforcing the things they have just learned.
Kids are enjoying their summer vacation with friends and family (as they should!) but then they are hit with an abrupt change as school starts again.
Teachers notice that students need a lot of time (according to our data, usually around a month) to get back into the school routine and get up to speed so they can start learning new things. That may not seem like a lot, but that month of instruction time is valuable time that a teacher is using to reteach instead of building new skills, which means summer learning loss can actually prevent teachers from getting to everything they need to cover at their own grade level.
So What can be done to prevent learning loss?
Based on our data and suggestions from teaching experts, it could be helpful to gradually ease kids into routines toward the end of the summer. This way they can enjoy the summer, and slowly adjust back into the school routine, reducing the amount of time teachers need to use on resetting at the beginning of the year.
We have some suggestions below that you can share with parents and families to help students rebuild the familiarity with the school routine and have additional back to school resources below that help families get everything in order to reduce friction in the back to school rush and ultimately prevent the spread of summer learning loss.
1. Build a Morning Routine:
Start your child’s day off right by establishing a consistent morning routine. Waking up at regular times helps develop discipline and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Encourage your child to have breakfast, brush their teeth, get dressed, and engage in some light physical activity or mindfulness exercises.
2. Include Structured Activities:
Incorporate structured activities into your child’s daily schedule that align with their interests and age level. This could include reading books from recommended lists or engaging in educational apps or online platforms that target specific subjects such as math or science.
3. Add Simple Learning Opportunities:
Encourage ongoing learning through simple opportunities throughout the day. This can involve discussing current events during meals, playing educational board games together as a family, or encouraging your child to write about their experiences or interests in a journal. These activities keep their minds engaged and prevent the loss of knowledge over the summer break.
4. Plan Outdoor Activities:
Balance indoor learning with outdoor activities to promote physical health, exploration, and creative play. Take nature walks, visit local parks, or engage in sports and games that allow children to learn about the environment while also getting exercise.
5. Emphasize Family Time:
Use this time to bond as a family by planning activities together such as cooking meals, gardening, or tackling DIY projects. Engaging in meaningful conversations and spending quality time with loved ones fosters emotional well-being and provides a positive support system for children.
6. Be Sure to Include Downtime:
Incorporating downtime into your child’s routine is equally important for their mental health and overall well-being. Allow them time for unstructured play, relaxation, or pursuing hobbies they enjoy.
7. Consider Screen Time Rules:
Set clear guidelines around screen time usage to ensure it doesn’t overshadow other activities or interfere with sleep schedules. Encourage balanced use of technology by incorporating educational content alongside entertainment.
8. Give Your Child a Chore List:
Assigning age-appropriate chores not only teaches responsibility but also contributes to the smooth running of household operations. Children can develop valuable life skills through tasks such as helping with laundry, setting the table for meals, or tidying up common areas.
By creating a summer routine that incorporates these key points – from structured learning opportunities to ample outdoor activities and family bonding – parents can help their children stay on track academically while savoring the joys of summer break at home.
Get Summer resources from progress learning
Fill out the form below to get 2 resources you can use to help your students’ families prepare them for school over the summer.
The first is a checklist for students when they are going back to school so they get in a routine. The second is a checklist that covers common items families and students need to complete before school starts which helps reduce time spent on administrative tasks at the beginning of the year.
