by Carolyn Tytler

Created on: June 19, 2008

Ah summer! Children look forward all year to long, lazy days, late bedtimes, and fun in the sun, without the spectre of school looming dark and restrictive, over their shoulders. While it's true they have about eighty days away from formal education, much learning can occur during the summer. With some tactful, behind-the-scenes manoeuvring, parents can set the stage for this learning to take place.

Reading: make a trip to the library a weekly routine. Children should be free to choose whatever books capture their interest at the moment (within reason, of course). If the books are kept in their bedrooms, when there is a "time out", or an early bedtime, the tomes will beckon. You may even notice reading will become an activity of choice by the end of summer.

In the Television Guide, let them find the time and channel of their favourite TV shows. Ask them to read you a newspaper review for the movie they want to see, or the recipe for their favourite cookies. Buy them the odd comic book as a treat; after all, reading is reading. Summer is a time to help the children realize that school subjects relate to real-life situations, and as such, are important. Reading is a necessary skill to acquire, and it can actually be enjoyable.

Writing: if they go away, postcards should be sent to friends and relatives. Ahead of time, you need lists of what to take. The child could write schedules for swimming or other lessons, for favourite TV programs each day of the week, for special activities: church, library, picnics, etc. Schedules posted on the fridge will keep the entire family informed of summer activities.

Summer is an ideal time to catch up on correspondence: thank you notes, letters to grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. With a parent's help, the child might write a "Letter to the Editor" of the local paper commenting on a feature of the city they enjoy: the pool, the park, or the zoo. They might even suggest some element which could improved upon; sometimes our young people have inspired ideas. Every time you pick up a pen to write, think: " Couldn't my child do this?"

Mathematics: as with all these suggestions, activities need to be adjusted to the age of the child. You might wish to host a "Forty-eight-hour Math. Challenge." Assign a memorization task, ( e. g. learning the 8 times table). The participant(s) have 2 days to study. Whoever answers an oral quiz quickest, with no errors, wins a prize. Stuffed animals or toy cars are quite cheap and popular with the

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