The Tribune

The bags may be packed away and textbooks all stacked, but that should not suggest that learning takes a step back.

Summer break, introduced in the 19th century, came about due to extreme heat, health concerns, and a push to create a standardized academic calendar. What was once intended as a short break to refresh minds has, for many, become a prolonged gap where valuable learning is lost.

Each year, many students return to school with lost skills, broken routines, and gaps that take weeks to rebuild. International studies show that students typically lose a month of academic progress over the summer, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This phenomenon, known as the summer slide, isn’t just a foreign issue. Here in The Bahamas, many educators witness the same setbacks as students return each September needing significant time to catch up.

The effects of summer learning loss add up over time. By Grade 5, lower-income students may be as much as 2.5 to 3 years behind their peers in math due to cumulative summer setbacks.

One major study also estimates that students can lose up to 40 percent of their yearly academic gains during the summer months.

It’s a concerning picture, but there’s hope. While the data reveals risk, it also uncovers opportunity. Your child does not have to fall behind. With a small, intentional effort, summer can become a season of progression rather than regression.

Learning doesn’t end when school lets out. It simply shifts from the classroom to the living room, the backyard, the grocery aisle, or even the porch. Parents, the cards are in your hands. And the best part is, you don’t need a teaching degree to keep learning alive.

Here are nine simple, low-stress ways to keep your child’s mind sharp during the summer months:

1. Build a daily reading habit.

Reading helps sharpen vocabulary, boost comprehension, and spark imagination. Children should be encouraged to read what they enjoy, whether it’s comics, short stories, magazines, or even newspapers. Set the tone by reading alongside them. A family that reads together grows together. Just 15 to 20 minutes a day can make a lasting impact.

2. Take advantage of enrichment programs.

From summer camps to community workshops and church-based activities, learning comes in many forms. These experiences build confidence, spark creativity, and strengthen social skills in fun and engaging ways.

3. Revisit or finish up any unfinished workbooks.

Spending just 15 to 20 minutes a day on review can reinforce key skills without it feeling like schoolwork.

4. Keep a summer journal.

Let your child capture their summer through writing or drawings. Offer playful prompts and encourage them to let their imagination take the lead.

5. Use YouTube as a learning tool.

Turn screen time into skill-building with educational channels like Khan Academy or CrashCourse Kids.

6. Try self-paced learning platforms.

Programs like Reading Eggs, IXL, and Newsela offer guided, interactive lessons that adapt to your child’s level.

7. Practice life skills through real-world experiences.

Invite your child to help with meal planning, budgeting, or reading directions. Every day errands can become opportunities to build independence and apply math, reading, and reasoning skills.

8. Encourage hands-on, minds-on play.

Games, puzzles, crafts, and open-ended play spark curiosity and help children stay engaged, all without the need for a screen.

9. Set healthy screen-time limits.

Balance is key. When screens are off, children have the space to notice more, ask their own questions, and engage with the world around them.

Let’s rethink summer as more than just a break.