Kids' Educational Website Provides Tips on Avoiding the Summer Learning Slide

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Sadly, for many families the current economic recession has meant eliminating traditional enrichment activities like science and art camps, and even family vacations

Evanston, IL (PRWEB) June 17, 2009

How will your child spend summer vacation? The educational experts at KidzClix.net would like every child's summer to include fun, relaxation and new learning opportunities. A continuation of learning is essential during the summer months if parents hope to prevent their child from the effects of the "summer slide"--the loss of learning that occurs in the summertime. A study by the John Hopkins Center for Summer Learning reports that all children experience learning loss when their summer break is lacking in educational activities. In addition, most kids lose 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in math skills during summer.

"Sadly, for many families the current economic recession has meant eliminating traditional enrichment activities like science and art camps, and even family vacations," says Cheryl Lind, a school psychologist and founder of KidzClix.net. "Fortunately, there are ways to enhance your child's summer learning experience that don't cost a lot of money." There are many opportunities for summer enrichment, notes Lind, some as near as one's own back yard. Here are 5 effective ways to help your child stay sharp during the summer months:

•     Find a local summer program to challenge your child. Many universities, museums, community organizations, local schools and recreation centers provide high-quality summer enrichment programs for a wide array of interests. Most offer scholarship opportunities and financial aid to those who qualify.
•     Explore educational websites with kids' online activities geared toward learning. An inexpensive way to provide educational enrichment for children ages 7-12 is at http://www.kidzclix.net. The website promises to keep kids learning while having fun with 100's of mind-building activities for kids, including math games, online chess, puzzles, experiments, art projects, magic tricks and much more.
•     Visit your local library. Studies show that kids who read more are more successful academically. Most libraries have summer reading programs that offer incentives for kids to read throughout the summer. Challenge your child to a competition to see who can read the most books. Choose books that relate to things your kids are interested in and encourage them to read at least one hour each day.
•     Plan a trip to a museum, nature center or zoo. These places offer a plethora of learning opportunities for the entire family. Everyone enjoys learning science or history in an exciting environment. Plus, many museums and zoos offer reduced or free admission to residents on certain days.
•     Practice math skills at home and outdoors. Cooking with your kids is a great way to learn fractions. Excursions to the grocery store are an opportunity to practice adding and subtracting. Building a fort can include creating a blueprint and lots of measuring. The opportunities are endless.

In addition to these ideas, your local newspaper and family websites are a great resource for children's activities. Remember, taking the time to plan academic enrichment into your child's summer can reap big benefits in the fall.

About Us:
Each month KidzClix.net provides over 30 new activities to engage young minds and make learning an adventure. These creative and innovative activities inspire critical and creative thinking and come from some of the finest teachers in the country, including recipients of the prestigious Golden Apple Award. KidzClix.net also includes its own children's networking site with security features to keep kids safer online. To find out what others are saying about KidzClix.net, go to http://www.kidzclix.net/testimonials.php.

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