Have you ever wondered about the summer slide in reading & math and if it’s real? Spoiler alert: it is! Today, I am focusing on the summer slide in reading, but those math facts can also slip a bit over the summer. Learn how to help your child prevent the summer slide in reading in less than 30 minutes a day!
What Exactly is the Summer Slide?
It’s exactly as it sounds! Over the summer, kids tend to slide back in their reading and math skills. Think about it. If we do not practice a skill, we tend to lose that skill. How much are we really practicing reading and math over the summer?
According to the NWEA’s studies, students can lose from 20-50% of their school year gains in reading and math. Those are HUGE percentages! So, how can we, as parents, help?
Make a Summer Reading Plan to prevent the Summer Slide
I don’t know about you, but if it’s not in my calendar, then it doesn’t happen! Summer is great because there are no routines or schedules, but honestly that is what causes that summer slide. It’s easy to skip a day of reading which turns into a week, and then before you know it, a whole month has gone by without anyone opening a book!
The first step to summer reading is to schedule it into your calendar. Some ideas for scheduling:
- Before you go to the pool, can you sneak in 20 minutes of reading?
- Can 20 minutes of reading be a requirement before they go outside to play?
- Is the plan to read before bed? Are you going to be in bed before everyone is exhausted to make sure that happens?
There is a lot to think about, and every family is different! Plan what works best for your family. This week, during the Summer Slide Challenge, we’ll all be making a plan with our kids to figure out the best time to read this summer! Click here to join.
How Can You Incentivize Your Child to Read Over the Summer?
The best way to prevent that summer slide in reading is to READ! There are many ways to make it fun. Does your child have a bunch of books to choose from? Take the “What type of reader do you have?” quiz and get a list just for your reader!
Figure out what will incentivize your child to read. Can they earn a reward after they check off their reading calendar every day? What do they like to do? Again, this is going to look different for everyone. We’ll be chatting about incentives in the 3 Day Summer Slide Challenge, so be sure to register here!
Let’s Prevent that Summer Slide in Reading Together!
Make a plan WITH your child this week as we prevent that summer slide in reading together!
