School's Out For Summer!

Kids can lose two months’ worth of reading skills over the summer. CRAZY, huh? That means the teachers at Ruth Clark will spend much of September and October just trying to get kids back to where they were the in May. Imagine if, instead, your child came back to school the same place they were when they left in May or maybe even ahead. IT CAN HAPPEN! And, it can be simple and fun! As you make plans for the summer break, please help keep kids’ skills fresh by trying some of these fun activities:

• Go on a scavenger hunt—have a written list (or pictures if your child is in PreK/KDG) of things for your child to read and look for outside. Be creative!
• Read and write a recipe of your favorite foods, then make that food.
• Check out some funny poems from your library and read them in silly voices together.
• Listen to books on cd or online, discuss the characters, setting, plot, etc.
• Play “I Spy” using rhyming words, initial or final sounds, syllables, etc.
• Read lyrics to their favorite songs and sing them.
• Write compound words (or any words) in shaving cream, sand or play dough.
• Use side-walk chalk to create words with prefixes and suffixes.
• Read signs you see in your environment—billboards, businesses, etc.
• Check out some websites by Googling your child’s grade level + reading activities.

Have a wonderful and relaxing summer vacation ~ Don’t forget to READ!