by Kevin Mcdaniels

Created on: September 14, 2009   Last Updated: September 18, 2009

It is important to keep your child's mind sharp over the summer. I will list several websites parents can use to work with their child throughout the year in order to help their child catch up, stay current or get ahead of the class. All of these sights are fun, and some of them are ones I use in my classroom.

Math
Many people (myself included) have some trouble with math. As a child, I loathed beginning a new school year because I had to relearn all the things I didn't understand from the year before. One of my favorite math websites is

Cool Math. This site is very good for review or to get a little bit ahead of the class.

As a parent, a problem I have is helping my child understand what is being taught in class. I like to go to Super Kids to have them generate worksheets (an answer sheets for me) so my child can practice. If you don't like your child on the computer when you are not around, there is a math game you can download from Funbrain (in the Parents section).

Language Arts
As a teacher, I feel that the gateway to all education is language arts. A fun website for kids who are Pre-K through 3rd grade is Starfall. This fun interactive site has not only online games for the kids to play, but free printable forms for parents and teachers. They sell bigger, more in depth sets for those who are home schooling children.

Another website for language arts fun is Funbrain. Funbrain does cover several different subjects. One of the games that I like is Planet Zug. This is a downloadable game that builds vocabulary. It is suitable for kids in grades 1-7.

Another website that also raises societal awareness, is Free Rice. At Free Rice, when you get a question right, they donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program.

Science
As the child of a Physics teacher, I know that science can be fun. There are several websites you can visit to help with science. I know that Funbrain has a section on science. I have written an article previously on science related games. Some are downloadable, and some are online. To view that article, click here. Free Rice has a section (if you click on the subjects tab) that has chemical symbols (basic and full lists).

Social Studies
I know that Social Studies is an ever changing subject since history is made on a daily basis. Some websites that are Social Studies related include Free Rice. Free Rice has country identification and world capitals. A good site for younger kids is Primary Games.

Other Areas
While I have covered the four major subject areas, Free Rice does have challenges for Art, and various languages such as Italian, Spanish, German and French.

There are many things you can do with your child all year long in order to keep them going in their educational endeavors. The most important thing a parent can do for their child's education is become interested and active. When your child knows you care about their education, they will become interested.

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