How to Avoid the “Summer Slide”

Summer vacation is almost here!

Time to put away the lunchboxes, uniforms, and homework, but make sure to keep the books out! It doesn’t matter what type or genre, what’s important is that your kids are reading a bit every day! By keeping up their reading level and staying engaged in what they’re reading, the “summer slide” can be prevented. The “summer slide” refers to the loss of knowledge and reading ability learned from the previous school year that occurs due to summer break. Similar to practicing an instrument, if you stop playing for months and pick it back up again, your ability to play will have declined. In order to prevent the summer slide, it is very important for children and young adults to keep up with their reading and language skills through any type of literature.

From novels like Harry Potter to comic books like X-Men, there will always be something that interests your child. Interest in what they are reading creates better comprehension which will strengthen their reading level, helping them in the future with standardized tests such as FSA, SAT, and ACT. So, by reading a bit every day, your child will be prepared for the next school year and have an advantage in the future.

Click here for a list of books to help your child stay on track this summer!