Summer Learning Games For Kids

For kids everywhere, summer vacation is within an (seemingly endless) inch away. As their focus turns to sleeping in and swimming pools, students work towards the last day of school, where inevitably many will flip an internal switch— LEARNING OFF, PLAY TIME ON! But the two don’t have to be—shouldn’t be—mutually exclusive.

There is a wealth of research that supports the idea that children greatly benefit from learning over the summer. Without educational engagement, students can forget many of the skills they just acquired—in reading, spelling, and particularly, in math*. Similarly, the importance of play in child development is a widely researched topic. According to a 2007 report from the American Association of Pediatrics, play helps children reach essential social, emotional, and cognitive developmental milestones**.

“One of the best, most effective, ways for students to learn is through play. It is both a natural and research-supported approach that educators use all the time,” commented Senior Vice President for Curriculum and Instruction for Connections Academy, Dr. Patricia Hoge. “The great thing about summer is that it offers students a lot more time to play to their hearts content—to really explore a subject, ask questions and think – and this helps kids’ brains stay sharp. For parents who are uncertain about where to find the ‘teachable moments’ in play, our teachers have come up with some great tips to get you started.”

This summer, the educators at leading virtual school Connections Academy, are encouraging parents to use games to combat summer learning loss. Here are their “Top 10 Summer Learning Tips” featuring games to help give kids an educational boost while enjoying summer fun!

1.    Take a Chance! Monopoly and Monopoly Junior are classic board games that put math skills to the test. Counting money, buying and selling, and making change, all reinforce math concepts that many students are learning as early as first grade and kindergarten. Be sure to stop the game as needed to explain and assist with math problems.

2.    Move over Milton Bradley… Invent a Game Encourage children to get creative and develop their own board game. Use a piece of cardboard as the “board”, break out the crayons and markers, and let imaginations run wild. Refer to favorite games like Candy Land for ideas about structure and format. Kids will have a ball making their own playing pieces and even dice with modeling clay. This activity is an artistic way to boost logic skills. Don’t forget to ask children to write directions – it’s a great way to support reading and writing. Fun Fact: Check out the history of Candy Land on Hasbro’s website.

SIGHT WORDS IN A FLASH SET 1 GR K-1 | Scrabble Flash Cubes Review

Unique flash cards help meet the needs of individual student learning levels while keeping materials well organized. Color-coded cards make it easy for students to work at their own pace and build self-esteem as they master sets of sight words. The pull-apart ring system enables students to focus on word groups and easily sort and store cards by color. Set includes 169 cards and 2 storage rings.

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