Clear Indicators Your Child Is Excelling Academically

Clear Indicators Your Child Is Excelling Academically

1:27 AM   

Understanding the Importance of a Strong Educational Foundation

For your child to succeed in life, it’s essential that they receive a solid education from an early age. Education is more than just academic knowledge—it shapes how children think, interact, and grow throughout their lives. As a parent, it’s crucial to support and encourage your child’s learning journey. However, knowing what to look for in their educational development can make a significant difference in how you approach their growth.

Here are some key indicators that your child’s education is progressing well, and how you can actively contribute to their success.

Curiosity and Asking Questions

One of the most powerful signs that your child is on the right track is their curiosity about the world around them. Children who ask questions regularly demonstrate a desire to understand how things work, why certain events happen, or what causes specific outcomes. This natural inquisitiveness is a strong indicator of critical thinking skills, which are vital for long-term learning.

Encouraging this curiosity is simple. You can respond to their questions thoughtfully, engage them in deeper conversations, and avoid dismissing their inquiries. By doing so, you help nurture their intellectual growth and foster a lifelong love of learning.

Confidence in Learning

As your child gains knowledge, they should also begin to show increasing confidence in their ability to learn new things. Whether it's tackling a difficult math problem or exploring a new subject, confidence plays a crucial role in how children approach challenges. This doesn’t mean they always get everything right, but rather that they feel empowered to try, fail, and try again.

If you notice your child approaching new tasks with self-assurance, it’s a positive sign that their education is helping them build resilience and a growth mindset.

Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are a fundamental part of any education. These skills go beyond speaking and listening—they include the ability to express ideas clearly, tell stories, and explain what they’ve learned. When children can articulate their thoughts, it shows that they are not only absorbing information but also processing and sharing it effectively.

Supporting communication development can be as simple as having meaningful conversations, reading together, or encouraging them to write about their experiences. These activities help reinforce language skills and enhance overall learning.

Literacy Skills

Literacy is another core component of a well-rounded education. From reading comprehension to writing and vocabulary, these skills form the foundation for all other learning. If you see improvements in your child’s ability to read, write, and understand complex texts, it’s a clear sign that their education is moving in the right direction.

Reading to your child regularly is one of the most effective ways to boost literacy. It not only enhances their language skills but also expands their knowledge and imagination.

Problem-Solving and Creativity

Creativity and problem-solving are often overlooked, but they are essential for success in both academic and real-world settings. Children who can think outside the box and find unique solutions to problems are better equipped to navigate challenges in life.

If you observe your child experimenting with ideas, building things, or coming up with innovative answers, it’s a good indication that they are developing these valuable skills. Encourage creativity by providing opportunities for exploration and play.

Social Growth

While cognitive development is important, social growth is equally vital. A well-rounded education includes learning how to collaborate, resolve conflicts, and respect others. If your child is showing improvement in these areas, it suggests that their school environment is supporting their holistic development.

Social skills also help children build relationships, communicate effectively, and function well in group settings. Supporting these skills at home can reinforce what they learn in school and prepare them for future interactions.

By recognizing these signs and actively engaging in your child’s learning, you can help ensure they are on the path to a successful and fulfilling life.

Why Online Acting Training Is Rising as a Leadership Tool

Why Online Acting Training Is Rising as a Leadership Tool

3:28 AM   

The New Demands on Modern Leaders

Leaders today face a unique set of challenges that require more than just strategic thinking. Communication is constant, attention spans are short, and much of leadership now happens over screens. This means people aren’t just judging decisions — they’re judging tone, clarity, timing, and presence.

Modern leaders have to motivate across time zones, handle high-stakes meetings, deliver clear updates, and navigate complex conversations with confidence. However, traditional leadership training often falls short in preparing individuals for this kind of visibility. As a result, companies are starting to value emotional intelligence, adaptability, and clear delivery just as much as technical expertise.

These traits build trust, calm tension, and inspire action. They help a leader hold the room — even if that room is a Zoom call with 20 distracted faces. In short, the ability to connect on a human level is no longer optional. It has become a core part of leading well. Many leaders are finding that the fastest way to build that skillset isn’t in a business seminar — it’s through acting.

What Acting Training Actually Teaches

Acting isn’t about pretending. It’s about becoming present, aware, and emotionally honest — all qualities that effective leaders need. In a typical acting class, you’re not just learning lines. You’re learning how to connect, listen, and respond with intention.

Online acting programs teach vocal control — how to speak with clarity, adjust your pace, and use tone to match the message. You also learn body language: how to hold space without dominating it, and how to project confidence even under pressure. Improvisation plays a big role too. Leaders often find themselves in unscripted moments — tough questions, team resistance, sudden change. Acting trains you to stay flexible and centered, not frozen or reactive.

But maybe the most underrated skill it teaches is listening. Real listening — the kind where you pick up on cues, adjust your energy, and stay engaged in the moment. It’s a muscle most people don’t realize they’ve stopped using. Actors build it on purpose. These are not performance tricks. They’re tools for real-life leadership — the kind that helps someone stay calm during conflict, own a room during a pitch, or speak up with conviction when the moment calls for it.

Why Leaders Are Turning to Online Acting Programs

Until recently, acting classes felt out of place in the business world. Now they’re showing up in leadership retreats, exec coaching packages, and corporate training budgets. Why? Because they work — and because online platforms have made them more accessible than ever.

Leaders can now practice from home, on their schedule, without the pressure of walking into a physical studio. That flexibility has lowered the barrier — especially for people who are curious but cautious. Online sessions offer a safe space to try, fail, and improve without worrying about being judged. There’s also a growing number of programs tailored specifically for professionals. These aren’t classes trying to turn you into a stage actor — they’re focused on helping you show up better in meetings, interviews, pitches, and tough conversations.

In today’s remote-first world, delivery matters more than ever. You can have the best ideas in the room, but if you speak flat, fidget nervously, or rush through your point, people miss it. Acting training fixes that — and more leaders are starting to see the value. This isn’t about learning to perform. It’s about learning to lead when people are watching — which, these days, is almost all the time.

Real Skills, Real Results: Practical Leadership Gains

The value of acting training becomes clear the moment leaders apply it in real scenarios. One of the biggest benefits? Speaking with confidence — even when the stakes are high. Whether it’s a board meeting, a product pitch, or a public Q&A, leaders who’ve trained in performance techniques carry themselves differently. Their voice doesn’t waver. Their pacing is calm. They know when to pause — and how to land a point.

It also helps with tough conversations. Negotiating raises, delivering bad news, managing team conflict — these aren’t just about the message. They’re about tone, timing, and presence. Acting training helps leaders keep composure and communicate difficult things with clarity and empathy. Another area of improvement? Virtual presence. Most people still treat Zoom like a low-stakes interaction. But for leaders, every call is a chance to influence. Acting classes teach how to stay “on” — maintaining energy, adjusting delivery to match the medium, and reading non-verbal cues, even when they’re subtle.

Listening is another huge gain. In acting, if you’re not truly listening, the scene falls flat. That same discipline applies to leadership. Great listeners earn more trust, spot problems faster, and give more thoughtful responses. It’s not a soft skill. It’s a strategic one. Leaders also build emotional range. Instead of reacting from a single default mode (like control or defensiveness), they learn to shift. To read the room. To slow down. That adaptability often separates good managers from great ones.

What to Look for in an Online Acting Program

Not all acting programs are built the same — and not every course will translate well to leadership development. If you’re exploring this path, here’s what to prioritize:

• Live Interaction: Skip the pre-recorded-only options. Growth comes from feedback. Look for programs that offer live sessions where you can practice speaking, improvisation, and receive coaching in real time.
• Relevance to Business Contexts: Choose programs that understand professional needs. You don’t need Shakespeare — you need to learn how to show up confidently in meetings, handle high-stakes conversations, and connect with different audiences. Some courses are designed specifically with leadership and communication goals in mind.
• Focus on Delivery, Not Drama: The goal isn’t theatricality. It’s presence. Look for coaching that emphasizes vocal clarity, timing, posture, and eye contact — the details that change how a message lands.
• Opportunities to Practice: Learning happens through doing. Programs that include on-camera practice, role-play scenarios, or presentation drills will deliver faster results than ones based on theory alone.
• Flexibility and Accessibility: Look at session formats, time zones, and workload. The best programs respect your schedule but still keep you accountable with consistent, hands-on learning.

At its core, a good online acting course for leaders should feel challenging but safe — a place where you can take risks, refine your voice, and come out clearer, more grounded, and more prepared to lead in public.

Wrap-Up

Leadership today isn’t just about what you say — it’s how you say it, how you show up, and how people feel when you’re speaking. That’s why more founders, managers, and executives are stepping into a space they never expected: acting training. Online acting programs aren’t about becoming someone else. They’re about becoming more of who you are — confident, grounded, adaptable. They give leaders the space to practice real communication, build emotional range, and sharpen the skills that matter when eyes and ears are on you.

In a world full of noise, presence is power. And learning how to command a room — virtual or not — might just be the edge that sets great leaders apart in the years ahead.

The Skills Kids Need to Succeed in the AI Era

The Skills Kids Need to Succeed in the AI Era

12:29 AM   

The New Skills for a Changing World

The world your child is growing up in is being transformed by artificial intelligence, automation, and the overwhelming amount of information available at their fingertips. In this new era, traditional measures of success—like high grades—are no longer enough. What matters most are the abilities to adapt, think critically, communicate effectively, and navigate uncertainty. These skills will determine who thrives in this evolving landscape. However, many schools are still stuck in an outdated model that doesn’t prepare students for these challenges.

This article explores five essential skills that your child needs to succeed in an AI-driven future, and why they’re no longer optional. We’ll also examine how traditional education systems are struggling to keep up, and what forward-thinking institutions like CambriLearn are doing differently.

1. Learning How to Learn

One of the most valuable skills your child can develop is the ability to learn independently. With AI replacing many jobs and creating new ones we haven’t even imagined yet, mastering a specific subject isn’t as important as understanding how to learn. This concept, often referred to as meta-learning or self-driven growth, includes:

• Knowing how to research and evaluate information
• Understanding personal learning styles
• Resilience in the face of failure
• Asking thoughtful questions
• Maintaining curiosity

Traditional schools often focus on memorization and standardization, which limits students’ ability to adapt. CambriLearn, on the other hand, empowers students to take control of their learning through online dashboards, progress tracking, and flexible pacing. This approach helps build learners who can confidently navigate change and continue growing throughout their lives.

2. Thinking Clearly (Not Just Critically)

While critical thinking is often emphasized, it’s not enough in a world where AI can generate convincing but misleading content. Your child needs more than logical reasoning—they must be able to:

• Distinguish between truth and misinformation
• Identify weak arguments or flawed data
• Ask insightful follow-up questions
• Clearly articulate their own thoughts

High-quality curricula play a crucial role in developing these skills. CambriLearn offers British, US, and South African CAPS pathways, each designed to foster deep thinking. Teachers don’t just grade answers; they provide feedback, challenge assumptions, and encourage students to think through problems rather than simply find answers.

3. Writing Like a Human (Not Like AI)

As AI becomes more proficient at generating text, the value of authentic human writing increases. Real writing requires:

• Originality
• Clear structure
• A distinct personal voice
• An understanding of the audience

AI can rephrase or summarize, but it can’t replicate the unique qualities that make human writing compelling. At CambriLearn, students don’t just submit essays and move on. They receive detailed feedback, engage in multiple revisions, and learn to write with purpose and impact.

4. Emotional Resilience and Adaptability

Employers today value emotional resilience and adaptability more than technical skills alone. Key traits include:

• Staying calm under pressure
• Adapting to change without losing momentum
• Recovering from setbacks
• Handling feedback constructively

These qualities aren’t taught in textbooks, but they’re essential for success. CambriLearn integrates emotional and social learning into its model, offering flexible timetables, direct access to tutors, and group projects. Students learn to manage themselves and adapt, rather than being controlled by rigid structures.

5. Digital Literacy (Beyond the Basics)

Being familiar with technology isn’t the same as being digitally literate. Your child needs to understand:

• How AI and machine learning work
• How to question the outputs of digital tools
• How to use them ethically and creatively

CambriLearn teaches students to think critically about technology, using interactive platforms, self-paced content, and electives like AI and coding. This prepares them to collaborate with AI rather than be replaced by it.

Why Schools Are Struggling to Keep Up

Many traditional schools were built for a different era—one defined by long school days, exam-focused instruction, and one-size-fits-all teaching. These models are ill-suited for a world that changes rapidly and demands continuous learning. Online schools like CambriLearn are redefining education by offering:

• Multiple accredited curricula (US, British, CAPS)
• Global enrollment and year-round start dates
• Flexible pacing tailored to individual learners
• Teacher access and parent dashboards
• Live and recorded lessons
• Personalized support in group settings

This isn’t just a backup plan—it’s the future of education.

What You Can Do Today

Even if your child is still in a traditional school, you can help them build the skills they need for the future. Here’s how:

1. Start Building Skills Outside School
   Look for courses, mentorships, or activities that teach writing, public speaking, debate, coding, or project-based collaboration. These skills are often overlooked in traditional education but are essential for future success.

2. Choose a Curriculum That Matches the Future
   If you're considering a change, ask: Does this school help your child become independent? Do they offer globally recognized credentials? Will your child be taught to adapt, or just to comply?

3. Join the Open House and See for Yourself
   CambriLearn is hosting a live Open House on 21 August 2025. You’ll get a firsthand look at their platform, meet the team, and hear from real students and parents.

What’s included:
- Walkthrough of the online platform
- Overview of CAPS, British, and US curricula
- Stories from learners around the world
- Live Q&A session
- 5% enrolment discount for attendees

Register now for free and explore a better future for your child.

Final Thought

AI is reshaping the world, and with it, the definition of what it means to be “smart.” We don’t need more kids who memorize facts—we need those who can think, adapt, communicate, and grow. Institutions like CambriLearn are preparing students for this new reality, equipping them with the skills to thrive in an uncertain future. Are you ready to embrace this change?

These Engaging ChatGPT Prompts Will Spark Teen Learning This Summer

These Engaging ChatGPT Prompts Will Spark Teen Learning This Summer

2:46 AM   

Summer doesn't have to mean shutting your brain off - but we also know that worksheets, flashcards, and lectures probably aren't making it onto your teen's summer bucket list. (Let's be real - I can barely get my teenagers to take out the garbage, let alone complete some sort of education a l curriculum .) What is grabbing their attention? Well, the same thing that always does: Screens. AI. Conversations that start with "I saw this thing on TikTok …"

But here's the good news. It's entirely possible for teens to use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and MetaAI in ways that are actually fun and brain-boosting - the trick is simply knowing how to prompt it. A well-crafted question can take your teen on a curiosity-fueled rabbit hole, spark a creative project, or even help them feel more confident in their own thinking.

According to a recent Teen Council survey, 20% of teens already use AI to ask for personal advice. And as Clive, 16, put it, "We know, by having that digital literacy and using AI in classes to help us do our homework , we know so much more about AI than most teachers do … there's nothing about AI that they know that we don't already."

That said, though, there is a balance to strike. According to Dr. Jessica Flannery , Aura's Chief Parent and Director of Clinical Product Integration, "AI has become such a large category that covers everything from automatic grammar fixes to the ability to form a relationship, so it's becoming hard to actually put AI all in one bucket. When we think about AI for learning, the vast span of use cases can feel scary, but they also highlight gaps in our current systems … AI provides the opportunity to create personalized education when that is otherwise an impossible task to put on a teacher."

So how can teens use AI in a way that builds autonomy, resilience, and curiosity this summer? Here are some of the most engaging ChatGPT prompts to try - all designed to keep those neurons firing while still feeling totally Gen Z-approved.

Science, Tech, and Mind-Blowing Facts: Ideal for STEM-curious teens who want more than just textbook definitions.

One note (about AI in general, but especially for this category in particular): like everything else on the internet, sometimes AI shares information that isn't quite accurate. In fact, in the Teen Council survey mentioned above, our respondents rated the trustworthiness of AI on a scale from 1 to 10 - and gave it an average score of just 5.1 ("There have for sure been times where I've gone to look something up and it has just been completely wrong … like I've gone to fact check it and it was nothing similar to any of the other information I found," reported 17-year-old Lilla). So challenge your teen to not only use the prompts, but to then fact-check them.

"Give me a science experiment I can do at home with kitchen items and explain the science behind it."

"What are five science facts that sound fake but are totally true?"

"Could humans ever live on the moon for real? What would everyday life be like?"

"What's an unsolved mystery in science that no one has figured out yet?"

"How does facial recognition technology actually recognize people's faces?"

"Explain black holes [or another topic of interest] to me like you're a TikTok science influencer trying to go viral."

"Tell me a weird survival fact that might actually save my life someday."

"What's a real scientific explanation for something people used to think was magic or ghosts?"

"If satellites suddenly disappeared, what would happen to my daily life?"

Real-World Math (That Doesn't Suck): Because it turns out math is useful IRL.

"Create a scenario where I start a business and use percentages to figure out profit. Make it something fun like a slime shop or sneaker reselling."

"Turn classic word problems into a riddle or a story I want to solve."

"Show me how to calculate shooting percentages in basketball or accuracy rates in video games."

"Explain the Pythagorean theorem using a pizza slice or something random but memorable."

"If I want to become famous, how many followers would I need to gain each day to reach a million in two years? Make it a step-by-step plan."

"Explain ratios to me using music playlists and how many songs per vibe I should have."

"Give me a geometry problem about designing a cool tattoo that uses shapes and symmetry."

College and Career Day, But Cool: For teens starting to think about the future in bite-sized ways.

"What are five weird careers I probably don't know about, and how do I get into them?"

"If I love [insert interests here, even random ones], what should I major in? What should my career be?"

"Give me a list of careers that didn't exist 20 years ago. Explain each one like you're pitching it to me at Career Day."

"I'm into psychology. What's a cool thing I could learn or try this summer that relates to it?"

"Give me a day-in-the-life scenario of someone working in my dream career so I can see if I'd actually like it."

"If I wanted to start my own business as a teen, what are some realistic ideas and first steps?"

"If I wanted to take a gap year before college, what are some amazing ways I could spend it that would still look good on applications?"

Media Literacy and Digital Smarts: Where critical thinking meets TikTok.

"How can I tell if a TikTok is spreading misinformation?"

"How do algorithms decide what to show me on my For You Page, and how does that affect what I believe about the world?"

"Give me a fun way to test my bias when I read something online."

"Make a logic puzzle out of a conspiracy theory so I can see where it falls apart."

"Explain what echo chambers are using an example from gaming communities."

"Create a meme that explains confirmation bias to teens."

"How can I tell if a YouTuber's video is sponsored even if they don't say ‘ad' at the beginning?"

Culture, Language, and History: Because the world is bigger than your corner of the internet.

"Teach me five slang words from another country that teens use, and what they mean."

"If aliens landed and asked about human history in 100 words, what would you tell them?"

"How would Shakespeare insult someone in modern-day slang? Translate it for me."

"What's the story behind a street food I've never heard of?"

"Explain a historical event as if it were a celebrity drama update."

"Give me a mysterious unsolved historical event and a theory about what might have happened."

"Tell me about a historical figure who did something epic before turning 18."

"What foods are popular in different countries that I might think are weird but they love?"

"How has slang changed in the last 100 years? Give me an example from each decade."

"Explain what life was like for teens in the 1980s, but make it sound dramatic like a movie trailer."

Self-Discovery and Emotional Intelligence: For teens who use AI the way they might use a journal, mentor, or therapist.

"Give me three journal prompts that can help me figure out what really matters to me."

"Create a personality quiz that helps me understand how I learn best."

"What are five small things I can do today to feel prouder of myself by bedtime?"

"Give me a creative way to check in with my feelings each day so it doesn't feel boring."

"What's the difference between anxiety and excitement, and how can I tell what I'm feeling?"

"Write me a gratitude list starter to help me focus on what's going right today."

"What's something I could do today to show myself love that doesn't cost any money?"

"Give me a way to figure out what my core values are without it feeling like a school assignment."

"What are three questions to ask myself when I'm feeling insecure about my appearance?"

"What's one thing I could do today to make tomorrow easier for myself?"

Dr. Flannery explains that teens often turn to AI because they're looking for a "safe and judgement-free support, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a great moment for parents to check in and start the conversation about what's going on."

That's why building AI literacy matters - not just for teens, but for parents, too.

"AI isn't going anywhere in the foreseeable future … Schools can play an important role in helping teens learn how to use it for good and how to spot when it may be dangerous, and how to approach it with a critical eye," Flannery notes.

Bonus Challenge Prompts: For teens who want to level up.

"Create a trivia quiz about [ favorite TV show]."

"Invent a new card game I can play with my siblings."

"Write a choose-your-own-adventure game set at my high school."

"Give me a way to reframe failure so it feels less scary."

"Help me write a comedy skit for TikTok that teens would actually share."

"What are 3 easy ways I can train my brain to focus better?"

"Give me a reflection question to help me be a better friend."

A Final Word for Parents

Yes, AI use needs guardrails - but that doesn't mean taking the wheel completely.

"Teens need plenty of room to explore AI, but like learning to drive, they need guidance and practice, and definitely shouldn't be driving the car without a permit," says Flannery. "When used in a healthy way, AI helps provoke different ways of thinking and provides educational exploration." Still, though, she encourages us to "[R]emind teens that AI shouldn't replace real-life learning, critical thinking, or social and emotional support from the people in their life."

Whether your teen is using ChatGPT to decode algebra, design a game, or journal about their values, this summer can be about more than just mindless screen time. With the right prompts, AI becomes a launchpad for creativity, curiosity, and self-discovery. And that's a pretty smart way to spend the break.

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Unlock Summer Slide: Expert Tips to Supercharge Your Child’s Reading Skills

Unlock Summer Slide: Expert Tips to Supercharge Your Child’s Reading Skills

12:36 AM   

Reviewed by Bethany Hernandez Parks, EdD

Key Points

• Kids' reading and math skills can degrade over the summer, if they aren't encouraged to practice at least some of these skills during the summer break
• Kids might get stuck playing catch up the following year, which might lead to a loss of confidence in their academic abilities
• Unstructured play and outdoor activities are still important during the summer

School’s out and your kids are likely ready to kick back, relax, and enjoy time with friends. But education experts say that while summer break is a much-needed respite from school, kids also need to be building on the skills they acquired throughout the school year. Otherwise, they run the risk of experiencing a phenomenon known as “summer slide”—and it can effect kids in almost any grade.

“Summer slide is a term educators use to describe the amount of progress a student loses during the summer when they are not applying their academic skills,” says Curby Alexander, PhD , a professor of professional practice in the College of Education at Texas Christian University.

In fact, some researchers have found that kids can lose up to 28% of their reading gains and 34% of their math gains over summer vacation. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to ensure this doesn’t happen to your kids. Here’s what education experts recommend.

What Is the Summer Slide?

Most of the time, the summer slide—in other words, the deterioration of intellectual skills gained during the school year, during a period when kids are on breaks—is associated with a student’s reading skills , says Alexander.

“In most elementary schools, teachers keep detailed records of a student’s reading level and their progress throughout the year. If a student is reading consistently , receiving high-quality reading instruction , and being challenged with increasingly difficult texts throughout the year, their reading skills should improve and their reading level will increase,” he says.

But when students return to school in the fall after a long summer break, teachers often notice their students’ reading levels are lower than when they left at the end of the previous school year, says Alexander. Math, writing, and other content-area knowledge probably experience a similar regression as well, he says.

“That’s learning students worked hard to achieve that can slip away in just a few weeks without consistent practice,” adds Amber Braverman, an instructional specialist at Kumon Learning.

Why the Summer Slide Happens

Once school lets out, daily phonics warm-ups, and guided math challenges and social activities could disappear (unless families are proactive about signing their kids up for camps or extracurriculars, and not everyone can be or has the financial resources to do so), says Marie Russell, MS , program chair of child studies and early childhood education at Post University.

“Without intentional touch-points, such as a quick question at breakfast or a spontaneous counting game, both academic and confidence muscles go unused,” she adds.

Repetition and consistency are key—and hard to maintain during the summer

Skills in math, reading, and writing require repetition and consistency, especially when a student is still in the process of acquiring and mastering these skills, says Alexander. These skills need to be exercised, much like the human body.

“If a person wants to get in shape to run a 5K race, they will typically start a workout plan and stick with it over a period of weeks or months in order to prepare their body to run multiple miles without stopping,” he says. “If someone stops training after the race is over, they will naturally lose some of their conditioning because our bodies adapt to our current level of activity.”

The same is true for reading and math. During the summer, some children continue to read for enjoyment, play board games with their families, take vacations, play outside, and attend summer camps with enrichment activities , says Alexander—these are all completely normal and commendable ways to spend summer vacation, and shouldn’t feel guilty for prioritizing these activities.

should balance unstructured play with educational activities

But it also wouldn’t hurt to make sure they also read a chapter or two a day of a book of their choice, or complete a math workshop once a week—and to make sure their time scrolling YouTube or Instagram is strictly limited.

“[Kids] need summer to have some unstructured time for play , creativity, mind-wandering, and connecting with their family and friends,” he says. “[But] when that time is filled with sedentary activities and excessive media consumption , there will be more loss in academic progress throughout the summer months…These activities negatively affect a child’s motivation, attention span, sleep , physical fitness, and mental health .”

Which Age Groups Are Most Affected?

All kids are susceptible to summer slide to some extent, says Alexander. Research indicates that the summer slide might be most severe for kindergarten through second grade students, as middle school-age kids.

“Young children are still developing, and the progress they have made is more quickly lost,” he says. “This is why routines are so important for young children because they benefit from consistency around sleep, eating, play, healthy interactions, and intellectual pursuits like reading, discovering, and learning.”

He says these practices are not only helping the brain and body develop, but they lay the groundwork for kids to respond and adapt to challenges.

What Are the Consequences of the Summer Slide?

Every child experiences summer slide differently; but one common outcome is that most children regress in some amount over the summer months, says Alexander, especially if they were sedentary and overstimulated through various digital media all summer.

“They will most likely have a harder time getting back into the routine of school because they could have lost half a year or more of progress,” he says. “Many of the gains they made the previous year will likely be lost, which means they will not be as prepared as they need to be in order to meet the challenges of the upcoming curriculum.”

Summer slide can range from trivial to large declines each summer break depending on the kid and the opportunities they have during the summer, says Megan Kuhfeld, PhD , director of growth modeling and analytics at NWEA, a company that regularly assesses students.

“While most teachers report spending the first two to six weeks of the next school year reviewing prior year materials to get kids caught up, that catch up will not be sufficient for all students,” she says.

What’s more, once kids are back in school, they may hesitate to read aloud, shy away from collaborative games, or struggle with simple problem-solving, adds Russell. “It all combines to erode both skills and self-esteem . Over successive summers, these small dips accumulate into wider gaps across academics, social interactions, and even physical coordination.”

Why Should Care

While not all children will experience summer slide, Kuhfield says it is important to be aware if your child is at-risk academically and could use additional academic support during the summer.

“Research suggests that both at-home and formal programs can boost reading and math skills during the summer, but students have to attend regularly and programs have to be sufficiently engaging to be effective,” says Kuhfield.

Educational activities don't have to be expensive

Families who aren’t able to take part in expensive camps or sports teams over the summer shouldn’t feel guilty either: Look to the internet for free vocabulary, math, handwriting, and spelling worksheets if you think your kiddo needs extra support over the summer; head to the local library and pick out books you’ll enjoy reading together, and be sure to let them to make independent choices too.

The cumulative effect of regressing academically every summer means kids are starting off every school year in a deficit, as previously mentioned.

“can guide their children toward summer activities that are fun [and] intellectually stimulating rather than defaulting to those activities that just keep them quiet and require little effort,” he says. “It takes planning, initiative, and effort, but the benefits make it worth the investment of time and energy.”

Not every kid is going to need to attend, say, a summer school program. Instead they might simply need reminders to engage in some light intellectual activities like practicing their multiplicational tables, and there shouldn’t be any pressure to achieve perfection but rather gentle encouragement to hone their skills.

Tips for Preventing Summer Slide

First and foremost, during the summer, ensure your kids are reading a few minutes each day and look for opportunities to participate in a summer reading program at your local library.

Also, ask your child’s teacher for recommendations for age-appropriate books or activities to work on during the summer, suggests Kuhfield. Here are some other things you can do.

• Schedule informal playdates . Pack a lunch and head to the local playground or backyard with another family, suggests Russell. “Through imaginative or parallel play , children build language, social skills , and gross-motor confidence.”
• Have open-ended family conversations . Turn everyday moments into learning by asking your child to estimate the cost of ingredients at the grocery store, describe a new bug they see at the park, or explain how they would solve a simple math problem, says Russell. “Listening and asking why or how helps them practice clear thinking and self-expression,” she says.
• Assign shared responsibilities. Russell suggests giving kids practical goals that accomplish a goal around the house or within the family—watering plants, setting the table, folding laundry—and thanking them for their help. “Contributing builds responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.”
• Plan regular outings. Schedule a weekly trip to the library, a nature trail, or a community event, says Russell. Even 10 minutes of guided exploration with simple materials like a map or binoculars sparks new questions and discovery, she says—and any of these activities can be totally free.

"“A little guided engagement now preserves months of hard-won progress, reduces fall remediation, and maintains children’s self-confidence,” says Russell. “It transforms summer from a passive break into a launchpad for curiosity, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving.""

Marie Russell, MS, program chair of child studies and early childhood education at Post University

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