Learning setbacks during vacations?

Halfway through the summer and with the start of the school year just around the corner, parents and teachers are reflecting on how summer vacation is an interruption in the learning process. While we must recognize that rest and a break from the daily routine are necessary for the well-being and development of our children, as they provide them with the respite and rest they need, it is also inevitable to ask ourselves about its consequences: Do our children forget a lot of content seen during the year? Do they lose their study habits? Is it hard to get back to the routine?

Understanding the “summer setback”.

Whenever we are about to start a new school year, a question arises regarding the so-called “summer setback” or “educational slippage”. This phenomenon refers to the loss of knowledge that our children may experience after a long time without classes, such as summer vacations.

Studies show that, without school routines, children can regress in specific skills, especially reading and math. But, far from being an argument against school vacations, this highlights the importance of good rest and the need to approach vacations strategically.

The importance of rest and disconnection: Necessary vacations

Undoubtedly, the rest we get during the vacations has an impact on mental and physical health. During this time, we see how our children explore, play and strengthen family bonds, important aspects for their emotional, social and cognitive growth. So how do we balance this wellness with maintaining learning?

Strategies to keep young minds active

• Recreational reading as a tool for constant learning: Being on vacation does not have to be synonymous with not reading. As parents we need to encourage reading during the vacations, as it helps to maintain language skills, nurture imagination and empathy. It is a key activity for the return to school and for the development of our children.
  
• Let’s not stop playing: The importance of play in children lies in its ability to teach in a natural way. Through play, children practice problem solving, creativity and social skills, essential for back to school.
  
• Building games, a window to math: These games are not only fun, but they keep geometry, physics and logic concepts active in an intuitive way, preparing children for learning through play when they go back to school.

Practical tips for parents in the face of learning setbacks

• Integrate reading into daily life: Designating a specific time for reading can make it an expected and enjoyed routine.
• Choose games that stimulate critical thinking and creativity, offering children fun but educational tools to fill their free time.
• Plan back-to-school activities that include playful review of what has been learned, helping children to regain their academic rhythm without stress.

Imanix is undoubtedly a great option to enhance and combat the learning setback that occurs during the summer months. Thanks to its STEAM products you will be able to enhance the development of different key areas of your children.

Enriching vacations for a successful return to school

Vacations are a vital period for our children’s rest and growth, and with the right activities, they don’t have to mean a setback for learning and education. By understanding the need for rest, the importance of school vacations, and how play and learning can complement each other, we can ensure that our children enjoy their free time without sacrificing their educational development. Thus, the beginning of the school year and the return to school becomes an opportunity to continue to grow, and not to make up for what has been lost.