There has been a lot written about the importance of continuing learning over the summer months. Many decades of research shows that students often lose a large portion of what they have learned the previous year. This, however, can be circumvented by extending learning over the summer. Summer classes and lessons can also aid in getting a student head of the next school year, thus giving them an edge on the rest of their peers. We have gathered some great resources to help you prevent a “lazy summer” for your child.

3 Tips for Parents to Engage Teens in Summer Learning – Summer learning loss is not a new or complicated phenomenon. After students spend most of the year cooped up in classrooms and studying for tests, most of them are ready for a break when May and June come along. But this drop-off in learning can hurt students. Taking summer courses is an option that can give students an edge.

There are a variety of free courses available for all areas and abilities. There are 1000’s of free courses designed to provide educational opportunities to help students progress during the summer months, when traditional schools observe summer break. Some of our favorite options are Udacity, Coursea and Saylor.

There has been a lot written about the importance of continuing learning over the summer months. Many decades of research shows that students often lose a large portion of what they have learned the previous year. This, however, can be circumvented by extending learning over the summer. Summer classes and lessons can also aid in getting a student head of the next school year, thus giving them an edge on the rest of their peers. We have gathered some great resources to help you prevent a “lazy summer” for your child.

An 8-Week Summer Home Learning Program for Early Elementary Kids – Follow this eight-week summer home learning plan for a structured program of Reading, Math, Writing/Spelling/Vocabulary, and Science/Social Studies activities. Geared to grades kindergarten to second, this plan focuses heavily on key areas of early elementary skill development.

The Great Schools website has a wide variety of lessons and activities for your elementary age children. The Worksheets and Activities section has wide variety of lessons for students Preschool – 5th grade. Print out a Math, Reading, Writing and Science activities each week to keep their minds sharp over the summer. They also have a section just for Summer Activities.

Summer Reading Tips For Parents – Summer shouldn’t mean taking a break from learning, especially when it comes to reading. Studies show that most students experience a loss of reading skills over the summer months, but children who continue to read actually gain skills. During the summer parents can help children sustain (and even bolster) reading skills, strengthen their vocabulary and reinforce the benefits of reading for enjoyment.

BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. have a collection of educational Web pages with over 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12 (ages 6 to 18), together with quizzes, supplemental information and related materials, covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, mathematics, engineering & technology, health, and arts and music.