Summer is here and parents and kids are excited about summer vacation.
But just because school's out doesn't mean children should take a vacation from learning, according to a release from ABC Life Literacy Canada, a non-profit organization.
Research shows that children who don't read over the summer lose some of the literacy skills they learned during the year and have a difficult time adjusting to school in the fall.
ABC Life Literacy Canada offered the following tips for parents to help keep kids' literacy skills sharp through the summer:
Follow a recipe together and make a dish for a summer picnic. It's a fun way for your family to practise reading, math and comprehension.
This summer's Olympic Games offer many learning opportunities. Count the medals Canada receives, research a sport like fencing or map out the city of London.
Road trip! When travelling in the car, read signs, billboards and licence plates together and show your children how to find your destination using a map.
Head to the beach with a good book. Not only are there some great summer reads but children learn from their parents, so let them catch you reading.
Zoo outings and visits to museums and galleries can be fun and educational. Be sure to read all the descriptions on exhibits and displays.
Don't forget to write. Send friends and relatives postcards from different places along the way or, better yet, send one to yourself as a visual reminder of your trip.
Bring some board games for a family game night while on holidays - board games are a fun way to improve literacy skills.
On a rainy day, surf the internet for information on kids' hobbies or the latest summer movies.
Create a family trip mini-blog to share with friends and family; it's easy using services such as tumblr.com.
Scrap it: Build a book of memories during your trip; tape in pictures, souvenir tickets and brochures and ask family members to write in comments and captions.
For more literacy tips and activities, visit www.abclifeliteracy.ca.
