Fun and Unique Homeschool Resources to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Students get excited about summer break and for understandable reasons! They stay up late, enjoy the outdoors, and never worry about homework. However, the gap can lead to a challenging transition back to school for homeschoolers or children with long summer breaks. Here are a few resources for homeschoolers and summer break students to keep up with academics.

Addressing Summer Learning Loss

Summer learning loss, also known as “summer slide,” is the phenomenon of children losing academic skills over the break. Summer slide has been a consistent concern among educators, with studies dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. However, student progress has been recorded more since the COVID-19 pandemic.

On average, test scores level out or decrease during summer break, particularly in math. Specific grade levels, such as the summers after kindergarten and first grade, show patterns. Thankfully, parents can familiarize themselves with summer learning loss and learn how to intertwine summertime fun with education.

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Summer Homeschool Resources

Here’s how families, particularly homeschoolers, can utilize the library to enhance their children’s summer.

Summer Reading Programs

As the name implies, summer reading programs are activities developed by libraries to encourage people to read during the summer. Summer reading programs have a long history dating back to the 1890s. Librarians would help students practice literary skills during breaks, particularly in urban areas.

Today, summer reading programs look like the Hennepin County Library System’s long list of events. One is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and includes a Summer Kickoff with outdoor activities, giveaways, and crafts. Summer reading programs maintain children’s literacy skills, foster lifelong reading, and draw in reluctant readers.

Tech Programs and Unique Clubs

Parents looking for age-appropriate, educational, and fun extracurricular summer activities should explore what their local library offers. While there will always be book clubs, other unique opportunities may require even greater brain power.

For example, some libraries may host coding or video game clubs. These may be catered to specific groups, such as Girls Who Code. The Public Library of Brookline in Massachusetts offers two Girls Who Code clubs that meet weekly, one for grades three through five and one for grades six through twelve.

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Museum Passes

History buffs or parents looking for educational rainy-day excursions may be surprised to learn that many libraries provide free museum passes with a library card. Libraries may also offer discounted prices or free admission to local zoos, aquariums, or artistic organizations.

For example, New York City’s public libraries grant free admission to 102 cultural institutions through their Culture Pass program. Some notable names include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and the Jewish Museum.

Makerspaces

Certain library locations unleash a child’s creative side with makerspaces. These areas allow patrons to engage with unique items such as 3D printers, media, and editing tools. They also usually contain traditional arts and crafts supplies for those with a specific idea in mind. 

Makerspaces can be a family activity, with each person creating a project or engaging with an interesting resource within the area. They also present excellent educational opportunities during the summer break.

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Seed Libraries

Parents interested in teaching their children hands-on life skills could benefit from seed libraries. A seed library collects, organizes, and stores seeds before distributing them to community members for free, usually with a library card. Patrons use these seeds for their personal or community gardens, collecting more to donate to the library.

Some libraries also provide helpful resources, such as gardening handbooks, alongside the seeds. The North Brunswick Public Library in New Jersey has a seed library with a spreadsheet detailing the number of seeds in stock, where they come from, and how difficult they are to grow.

Hiking Backpacks

There’s no better way to get the most out of summer than outdoors. Hiking can be physically and mentally beneficial, especially for children looking for summertime entertainment. Even so, hiking gear can be inaccessible and expensive. Thankfully, your local library may be able to help!

For example, the Poughkeepsie Public Library District in New York provides free hiking backpacks with a library card. The backpacks include a compass, first aid kit, steno pad, and several maps.

Public libraries provide so much more than books. Used to their greatest potential, libraries can become essential summer tools for homeschoolers or parents to help prevent summer learning loss. Visit your local library, peruse their website, or speak with a librarian to learn how you can make the most out of their summer activities.

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