It’s August and it’s Back-to-School month here in New Jersey! Help make your kids’ transition back to school an easier one. Fill these last weeks of summer with “teachable moments” for your kids entering Pre-K through 3rd grade. These are every day activities that your child will enjoy and learn from without even realizing it – useful for Reading, Writing, and Math Skills.
If you’re going on a road trip, listen to books on a cd, play I Spy using beginning sounds or rhyming words. Turn all traffic signs into shapes. Older kids can read license plates and control the map for directions (turn off your GPS!). While away, have the kids write postcards to grandparents and friends. Count seashells on the beach or draw letters in the sand. You can also play games such as Junior Scrabble or download Apps such as Monkey Math School Sunshine – games that don’t drain the brain. Help your kids write a journal of their summer adventures and create a scrapbook. Each page can have fun captions that they can write and read aloud to you.
When running errands, let your child write the grocery list, identify, count and weigh produce, and use coupons. Reading aloud menu items and ordering for themselves at restaurants can boost their confidence and self-esteem. At the library, help them develop a list of books they can read and enjoy with a friend.
A little constructive activity can stimulate their intellectual and creative sides as their summer vacation starts to come to an end. Let the last few weeks of August be a great Jump Start into the beginning of their school year.
