Patricia Allen
(212) 998-6838
[email protected]
Summertime Tips for Keeping Kids Intellectually Challenged
Summertime is here and kids should be enjoying the freedom from the regular grind, says Dr. Lawrence Balter, child psychologist and New York University School of Education professor of applied psychology. "Even though children are out of school, there are ways to make certain learning doesn"¢t end," Dr. Balter said.
Here are Dr. Balter's tips to make summer both fun and educational:
* If you are making day trips, involve your kids in the planning. Reading maps, choosing routes and figuring out the mileage are good ways to keep them practicing academic skills. They won't even realize they are doing it.
* Be sure to include visits to historic sites as part of any travel itinerary. In advance of a trip, your kids can read about the history of the place and the noteworthy facts.
* Between trips to the beach and the movies, check out county and state fairs. These provide excellent hands-on learning while being outdoors.
* Create nature projects in the backyard or on a windowsill. Whether you start an ant farm or grow vegetables or flowers, you don't need an elaborate set up for kids to learn some basic science while having a fun experience.
* Establish a regular reading time. Parents and children should take turns reading to each other. To maintain writing skills, children can make up stories and create a book or a personal diary of summer's highlights. Adding photos and drawings will make this an even more appealing activity.
* There are many computer games and software that offer fun ways to build academic skills. Since it is summer recess, they can have a little extra time with these activities as long as the appropriate software is available to them. Still, don't forget to keep the traditional board and card games on hand.
"Just remember to allow some down time for them," says Dr. Balter. "Kids need time to enjoy unstructured, independent time"¢for aimless moments alone or to engage in play with peers."
To arrange interviews with Dr. Balter, please contact Patricia Allen at 212-998-6838.
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