As the second half of the summer break begins, it may be tempting just to relax and let your kids veg out. However, recent research shows this may not be in their best interests. Studies have found that students who don’t keep learning over the summer can lose up to two months of academic progress! Many students are already behind because of the gap in learning from the pandemic, so they may find themselves exceptionally far behind when they start their new year in September. This is why summer learning is vital to keep children on track.
Of course, a mathematics tutor such as Dropkick Math is always a great option to keep your child on track this summer. However, we understand that it isn’t always possible due to financial or time constraints. The good news is that there are ways to keep your child on track this summer by incorporating it into your annual vacation and letting them help with the planning, budgeting, and keeping everyone on time!
Lost Education
Many schools were closed during the pandemic, and many children fell behind in their studies. This was primarily because they could not attend school as usual and could not get the same level of education as they would have if schools had remained open. Children who were normally high achievers may have started to struggle in school, and this could have a lasting impact on their academic futures. Additionally, many children who were not normally academically inclined may have started to struggle in school during the pandemic, as they were unable to keep up with the material that was being covered in class. This could also have a lasting impact on their academic futures. Because of this loss of learning throughout the past couple of years, summer learning is more important than ever to help children catch up in their studies.
Planning Your Vacation
We all know that it is vital for children to practice their math skills through the summer, but it can be easier said than done, especially if you have a vacation booked. But what if I told you that you could not only enjoy your vacation but also make it a beneficial learning experience for your child?
The educational experience can even start in the planning phase of your trip. Including your child in the planning process may boost their confidence and offer them some excellent learning opportunities. When planning, the first thing you will need to decide is who’s coming, how you will get there and even what you will do when you get there. But even before starting all that, you will need to figure out where you are going! So, you may wonder what kind of math you need to plan all of this. ALL KINDS!
Start by having your child create a vote and tally them to decide where all family members want to visit. Depending on your child’s age and math abilities, they can also calculate the probability of your destination’s weather and even the budget to determine if it is realistic or affordable. Teach them that a totally awesome vacation may sound like a good idea, but if 100% of your budget goes to just flying there, it might not be the best choice.
The Departure
Once you have worked through the planning phase with your child, the departure is where things can get a little hectic. But remember that you can still make this about math development and incorporate time management and probability. Have your child figure out what time they will need to wake up and when to leave for the airport. Time management skills will have to kick into gear as you ask them to figure some time to stop for a much-needed coffee (for mom and dad) and make it through airport security.
If you are going on a road trip, provide your child with a map and have them record how long it took to drive to your first rest stop. Next, have them figure out how long it will take to get to the final destination.
So, where does probability come into play? Well, chances are that someone in the family will have left something behind, like a phone charger! This can be a probability lesson, and a study in money as the child can be tasked to look online for a replacement on sale!
Vacay Time!
When you have finally reached your destination, the math can continue! This is where real-time budgeting becomes critical. It can be a great learning experience for your child when they see how money is budgeted. You can explain how they will get to do some fun activities while on vacation rather than blowing the whole budget on airport snacks.
There will be various daily activities throughout your vacation that allow for teachable math moments. While you want to relax and enjoy your trip, adding these math moments will help your child become more confident with math and keep them occupied, giving the adults more time to relax!
Math Playground
Adding your child into the planning process and allowing them to be part of the decision-making through the vacation is a great way to keep them learning through the summer months. Many students have fallen behind due to school closings over the past two years, and the summer is a great time to give them back some confidence in their math skills.
At Dropkick Math, we think every situation can be an excellent experience for a child, so by simply including them in everyday tasks, they can learn. It is hard to get a child to sit down and study during the summer months, so having them do real-time planning and calculating creates a type of “math playground” making it not only enjoyable for them but will also help them prepare for the school year approaching.
If your child is struggling with math, or needs a confidence boost in their math understanding, we can help! Our programs offer fun and engaging ways to help children understand the four pillars of math (number sense, operational sense, proportional reasoning, and algebraic reasoning). Learn more about our math help services today!
