Hello summer! It’s what students have been waiting for all year. Remember that feeling? When the bell rings on the last day of school, that thrilling rush of excitement and a sense of utter freedom!
There’s no doubt, the topic of the summer slide can rain on this magnificent parade. The summer slide is a term used to describe the potential loss of academic learning over the summer months.
Of course, we absolutely want our children to have fun during their well-deserved break, but experts say there are a few things caregivers can do to keep kids engaged in learning during their time away from the classroom. That’s where the Library can help! Here are five ways to encourage kids to stay curious and open to new ideas.
- Reading is simply one of the best ways to nurture lifelong learning. Summer reading clubs take things up a notch. The TD Summer Reading Club is an incredibly popular annual event that has it all. This program has loads of interactive games, giveaways, reading tracking, and more. This year’s theme is “To the Stars” which means the summer of 2024 promises to be out of this world!
- If you love surprises as much as we do, your child will get a kick out of Choose your own Adventure. In August, visit the Library and encourage your child to choose a book wrapped in paper with a few hints to help guide their choice. Take it home and find out what adventure awaits.
- Remember seek and finds? Well, a Library scavenger hunt is even better. Kids get to search each of our locations for hidden pictures and record their finds in a secret log. This is exploring at its best.
- Lego is massively popular for good reason. The creativity and problem solving involved is pure learning gold and it’s just a whole lot of fun. Check out our Cosmic Lego Clubs at Central Library and Brooklin Branch.
- Let’s not forget Teens! We have something special this summer for teens interested in puppetry. Brooklin Branch is hosting a four-part workshop leading up to a puppet show on August 21 at the TD Summer Reading Club Certificate day. This is a chance for teens to get creative and earn community service hours. Oh, and there's the super cool Teen Summer Reading Challenge too!
Along with our ideas, experts suggest caregivers focus on nurturing these take-aways:
- Outdoor learning
- Math reinforcement
- Language learning
- Writing
No doubt, it’s an ambitious list but it’s important to lift any pressure. You know your child best. Tailor ideas to encourage curiosity in anyway that suits them and have fun spending time together.
Looking for some great reads for the whole family, including you! Check out our new Staff Picks page for loads of ideas.
Wishing you a happy summer.