Educational Activities to Encourage Students to Try This Summer
By Huntington Learning Center
The final school bell of the year is close to ringing, and your students are probably very ready after the ups and downs of the last year. A break is warranted, but even a little effort to keep the brain active over summer can make a big difference in preventing learning loss. Here are a few educational (and fun) activities that you can encourage students of all ages to try this summer:
Reading
It’s one of the best ways to keep students engaged and learning over summer, and also one of the easiest ones for parents to manage. Over the coming weeks, offer reading recommendations to your students. Share information about summer reading programs if you teach younger students (check out Huntington’s Reading Adventure Program). And remember: students don’t need to read the classics to reap the benefits of a reading habit. Comic books, blogs, magazines, and literary or news websites are all fair game.
Writing
Writing for pleasure is a great way to express oneself and unwind. For some students, that might be a daily journal or a scrapbook with descriptions. For others, starting a blog on a favorite pastime or hobby might sound fun. Encourage your students to write letters to family members or friends who live in other places. Offer a list of writing prompts and activities that students can take home with them over summer.
Passion projects
Summer should be relaxing, but many students find themselves bored after a week or two of sleeping in and nowhere to go. Your students can start brainstorming now for ways they’ll spend their free time. Maybe that’s learning to cook and learning more about nutrition and food. Maybe they’ll want to binge-listen to a few different podcasts. Share some ideas and plans that you have too, as they may spark ideas for your students.
Teach your students to think of summer break as an opportunity to do something they don’t have time for during the school year. Now is a great time for your students to start exploring their options!