As the summer holidays approach, parents and carers can begin to worry about the ‘summer slide’ – a decline in academic skills over the break from school. Whilst it is important to let your child have time to relax and enjoy some downtime over summer, there are a few simple things that can be done to ensure that the transition back to school in September remains smooth.

1. Learn through play – for younger children especially, learning through play can be a great way to help your child learn and maintain their skills over the summer holidays. If the weather is nice, summer can be a great time to explore learning outdoors, allow your child freedom and choice in their play.
2. Keep reading – try to encourage reading of around 20 minutes a day. Make use of your local library and take part in the summer reading challenge to give them extra motivation. You can read more about the summer reading challenge here.
3. Make use of technology – there are lots of fantastic apps available to help make learning interactive and fun over the holidays. It is also very helpful if you’re travelling over the holidays, learning on the go! If you research and pick some options suitable for your child’s age range, or may be just above, then you might find a new way to engage them in learning.
4. Explore new skills – as a family you can try out new skills together. Something simple such as cooking a meal together can be a great way to develop skills. Following instructions, learning about a new culture and the physical act of preparing the food are all valuable skills to be learnt and practised.
5. Organise an outing – there are so many activities across the country that can be enjoyed as a family, many for free. English Heritage and the National Trust often run events over the summer with organised activities for children and young people. Days Out with the Kids  has a searchable list of activities for families to enjoy.

Whatever you do over the summer, enjoy time as a family and embrace the chance to slow down and have a break fro your routine.

If you have more ideas to support learning over the summer please get in touch and share them with us. Follow us on Twitter @parenthub_uk