Summer means a break from school, but it doesn’t need to be a break from learning. Children who stop learning over the summer often experience summer learning loss, also known as the “summer slide.” During the break, teach your child skills that will help them get ahead in life. As a bonus, some of these activities will also enhance their summer fun. Here are some life skills we recommend teaching your child:
Water-Based Skills and Safety
Children in Florida need to know how to swim and how to float. The more they learn about water safety early on in life, the better. Take time this summer to teach your child all about life jackets and how to safely wade in shallow water. If your child doesn’t know how to swim or isn’t a strong swimmer, consider swimming lessons. Whether they’re out by the pool or going canoeing, your child will need to know how to swim.
Riding a Bike
Start teaching your child how to ride a bike during summer break, and they’ll be off the training wheels by the time they return to school. Riding a bike has many benefits for children, from being a quick form of transportation to expanding their social opportunities. You and the family could even get together and go on bicycle rides.
Brushing Up on Handwriting
When children get too used to typing everything, they may struggle to improve their handwriting. More practice writing by hand can help most children write more legibly. Ask your child to write down the grocery list, start a personal journal or even write out a calendar for the family! There are plenty of things that can be written by hand to help your child’s penmanship before they head back to school.
Cooking and Kitchen Safety
Summer is the perfect time to teach your child how to cook. Your child has a few weeks to master a recipe or learn a couple kitchen skills. Find a recipe or two that would be at your child’s skill level, whether that’s making sandwiches or cooking pasta on the stove. While teaching your child how to cook, teach them how they can use utensils properly, clean up along the way, store everything properly and make sure all appliances are turned off when they’re done.
First Aid
Accidents happen to people of all ages, but children are especially prone to things like scraped knees and bug bites. Teach your child what to do in the event of an injury, and be very clear about what they can treat on their own and what requires medical attention. Children may still think that you can solve everything for them, and teaching them basic first aid will help them become more independent.
Learning life skills over the summer is a great way for children to receive continued education and prepare for At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.