In the summer, kids should be able to have fun exploring and enjoying their childhood!  But, there are some ways that you can sneak some learning into the fun!

Cooking and Baking

Reading and following recipes is a fun way to get kids interested in reading and math!  Measuring ingredients is a great way for kids to learn relationships between different quantities and to get comfortable with fractions in a meaningful, real life situation. It can also help introduce them to ratio and proportion, and practice math calculations. If your child is whipping up a batch of cookies, why not suggest she double or halve the recipe?

Lemonade Stands or Bake Sales

Whether it’s brownies or beverages, running a “sales operation” involves lots of other skills besides making change. Advertising and creative writing are needed to draw in customers. What are the start-up costs? What is the minimum your child needs to charge to recover that money? What are people are willing to pay? At the end of the sale, ask your child to calculate his profit or how much he made an hour.

Board Games

Old-fashioned board games require a range of abilities. Social skills like turn taking and being a gracious winner can be practiced in any game. Connect Four and Battleship build visual perceptual skills. Games like mancala require logic and mathematical reasoning. And Monopoly and Life require players to use their resources to reach a goal, and encourage reading. You can also stock up on some classics and help your child start a club with friends. It may be a nice change from playing on screen!

Playing an Instrument

Reading music requires counting notes to create different rhythms. One four-beat measure could consist of a single whole note held for all four beats, two half notes of two beats a piece, or four quarter notes of one beat each. In other words, when kids are playing music, they’re practicing fraction skills without even knowing it!

Tech Support for Struggling Readers

While, most children are just beginning to read in kindergarten and first grade, some children need a little more encouragement and support to get going.  If you are looking for some good apps to help, click here:

http://time.com/10-tech-hacks-to-help-a-struggling-reader/