While the summer can and certainly should be a time of rest and relaxation after a rigorous school year, it can also be a time when kids experience the dreaded “summer slide.” Educational experts explain that test scores, especially in reading and math, can drop or remain stagnant over the summer months, prompting some to urge parents and caregivers to try to incorporate educational activities to maintain progress.
The key, of course, to sprinkling in some education is to keep things light and fun with summer bridge activities, so kids are enhancing their learning in a stress-free way. The beauty of being a kid in the summer is that there are nearly endless opportunities to boost their education, from reading in the hammock to finding tadpoles in the pond to strapping on some rollerskates. All activity is educational if you do it right, but because the world is different and screens can be ever-alluring, it might help to have a parental game plan for summer bridge activities that can be fun and provide a boost of knowledge.
Here are some suggestions for summer bridge activities to “bridge” that gap from the classroom during your kids’ summer vacation. And don’t worry: we made sure to incorporate a trip to the local ice cream shop as “educational.” (Two scoops or three is totally math, right?)
Carson Dellosa Summer Bridge Activities Workbook
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Carson Dellosa
For a fun, low-lift way to keep kids learning all summer without turning into a full-time tutor, Carson Dellosa is worth bookmarking. The site is a go-to for homeschooling families, but any parent can use their amazing resources for supplementing their kids’ learning, especially during their break to ward off the summer slide. Carson Dellosa’s Summer Bridge workbooks are a standout: Daily activities engage children in quick fifteen-minute active learning adventures—a chance to tap into curiosity, apply knowledge, explore creativity, connect with others, and be ready for a new school year! The #1 teacher-recommended workbooks are designed to help kids retain what they learned during the school year while easing them into the next grade, all without the pressure of a structured curriculum. Beyond that, Carson Dellosa carries a wide range of activity books, flash cards, puzzles, and games spanning subjects like math, reading and writing, STEM, and even Spanish, all organized by grade for kids transitioning from preschool through 9th grade. You’ll even find hands-on activities, outdoor challenges, and healthy habit prompts, all to help kids stay engaged without feeling like they’re doing homework.
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Explore a Nature Center
You might have to time this one with the weather, but most nature centers offer free or low-cost educational programming all summer long. You can sign your child up for a camp or session, or join your children for fun that might include a nature walk, insect or plant identification, hands-on crafts or projects, or ask the nature center guide for self-exploration options. Many offer brochures, app suggestions, or guided trail maps to help you spot wildlife and plants. The good news is, even if you do nothing more than take a simple walk out in the woods together, it’s still incredibly beneficial to mental and physical health.
Join a Bowling League (For Free!)
Want an easy and fun way to engage with math, hand-eye coordination, and real-life physics? Join a bowling league through the Kids Bowl Free summer program! I learned about this program last year, and I was surprised to find several local bowling alleys near us that participated. Sign up is super easy — you can do it online, and once you’re registered, each child can get two free games of bowling per day.
Sign up for Summer Reading
I work at our local library, and in our house, reading is a beloved pastime, so you had better believe I am going to promote that you join your local library’s summer reading program ASAP. Not only do all libraries offer summer reading for kids, but many offer teen and adult programs too, so the whole family can get in on the fun.
Summer reading programs usually include fun events, drop-in crafts and storytimes, and a way to track reading progress throughout the summer. For instance, our local program provides a free app to track progress (or a physical worksheet), free lunches on the lawn with crafts and stories, special events like magic shows and children’s performers, and weekly and grand prizes. It’s a blast! And remember, when it comes to reading, all books count, so don’t shy away from your child’s love of graphic novels or comic books. As a library assistant, I can assure you that no one is tracking your child’s progress to ensure they’re reading on time, so don’t get stressed about logging your books or reading time perfectly. The goal is to support a love of reading and have some fun in the process!
In addition to the summer reading program, most libraries also participate in a statewide activity pass program, which allows you to “check out” activities local to you. You can score discounted or even free passes to local museums and cultural centers. Be sure to ask your local library for details. Many libraries also have experience kits you can check out, with everything from crocheting supplies to stargazing to pottery to game nights to math kits. They’re all free to use, and many people have no idea they even exist!
Host a 'Kids' Choice Day'
If you watched the movie, Yes Day, you might get the idea of this suggestion: the goal is to have your kids plan an activity so they’re excited about doing it too. In our home, we instituted an annual “Kids’ Choice Day” where the kids fully plan an itinerary for the day. The only rule? They have to prove they’re learning at the same time. You could institute this as a weekly occurrence in your home to prevent the summer slide or just keep everyone from getting bored or antsy at home. And hey, if the kids include a little math or food production lesson at the ice cream store on the way home, you’d be hard-pressed to find a reason to say no to that, right?
Make a Scrapbook Together
Scrapbooking can be a sneaky summer bridge activity because it can encompass so many different areas: cutting and pasting, creativity, math, if you ask your child to make a timeline of their lives, photography, visual arts, reading, writing, and so much more. Heck, you could even hand your child an old camera and have them learn some old-school point-and-shoot skills. There are just so many ways to get creative together and have fun making memories in the process. And honestly, I’m adding this idea to my own summer bucket list because I desperately need to get my youngest child’s baby book done. She’s turning 7 this summer, for the record, so I’m extremely guilty of the “summer slide” myself for the past few years!
