School may not be in session, but there are plenty of opportunities to practice and develop similar skills in the real world. Maintaining a routine and expectations can be good for students, as too much unstructured time can contribute to learning loss. Help your child stay on pace and prepare for the upcoming school year by practicing these skills.

Time Management

Procrastination can be a major issue when it comes to getting schoolwork done. Practice time management by giving your child a daily to-do list or chores they must get done. Have them plan out a schedule for how they will complete everything. Talk through how long they think each task might take, what they think might be most challenging, and what order makes the most sense.

If your high schooler has a summer job, they’ll have to plan what time to get up in order to get ready and leave so they’re not late. They’ll also have to coordinate their to-do list around their job and other obligations.

You can also have your child set goals for themselves and make a plan to reach them. For instance, if they want to read at least 200 minutes per week, how long should they aim to read each day? Or if they want to finish a certain number of books before school starts again, how many days do they have to read each one?

Organization

Staying organized can be difficult for many students. Summer is a great time for them to practice with less pressure. Keeping their room clean is a perfect place to start or helping to straighten up the house at the end of the day. If you’re going on vacation, have them decide what they need to take along and make sure it all fits in their suitcase. When planning meals, have them check to see what you already have and write down the ingredients you need to buy at the store.

Math

There are tons of opportunities to work on math skills in the real world. When driving on a day trip or to a vacation destination, have your child figure out how long it will take to get there, including breaks. Spending the day at the zoo, amusement park, or science museum? Have them figure out how much it will cost and budget their own money once they get there. Let them calculate how much time you can spend in each area or at major attractions before the venue closes.

Cooking and baking are also great ways to practice math. There are tons of fractions, measuring, and time involved. Have them double a favorite recipe or halve one you don’t need as much of. What size pan do they need to fit everything?

Writing

Is there somewhere your child really wants to go, or something they want to buy? Have them research and write an argument defending their position. What are the pros and cons? How will it impact them or be used in the future? What are the benefits? This also helps them to practice critical thinking, problem solving, and even public speaking and presentation making as they plead their case.

Help Students Stay on Track This Summer

There are many activities you can do at home to help your student prepare for the upcoming year, and summer tutoring can be a valuable addition to your schedule as well. Crafting Scholars can work with students to reinforce foundational concepts, get a head start on new skills they’ll be learning, prepare for the SAT or ACT, and focus on areas where they may have struggled last year. Contact us to reserve your child’s spot!