The academic “summer slide” is a serious problem. Students lose roughly two months of knowledge in math and reading when they stop practicing academic skills over the summer. Summer reading loss is cumulative, so children who consistently don’t read over the summer will be two years behind by the end of sixth grade. The good news is there are ways to avoid the “brain drain”. Here are some simple tips:

-Children should have easy access to books, even if that means taking regular trips to the library. Find things your kids WANT to read, rather than what you want them to read. 

-Check out the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge. It’s a free online summer reading program for children running from May 4, 2015 through September 4, 2015. On the “kids” link, children can find games, reading related videos, such as book trailers, book news, and more! It’s an incredible resource!!!! Be sure to check out the “parents” page as well. Find this by clicking the link at the bottom of this post. 

-If you’re going away, have your child research places you will be visiting over the summer and help make recommendations.   

-Read aloud to your child every single day. This advice goes for children of all ages, including teens.

-Although your child should read several books over the summer, daily reading doesn’t always equal book reading. It can include reading the comics, recipes, travel brochures, and children’s magazines.

-Explore your city or neighborhood. Take trips to the zoo, parks, museums, and so on. Encourage children to journal about their activities, or even write to friends and family about their experiences.

If your child struggled in the previous year, or if you want to help them get ahead, summer tutoring is also an option.

I encourage you to leave questions, comments, and other tips in the comment section below.  

These ideas comes right from Scholastic's parent website. I've shortened them, but you can read the full detailed response by clicking the link at the bottom of this post. 

The parent asked a question, which I get some variation of frequently:
"What is the best way to help my 10-year-old daughter to write better and enjoy it?"

The experts suggested:

• Have your child keep a writer's notebook, a diary, or a journal. She can keep track of important news, funny family stories, or meaningful events in family life. 
   
• Send a letter. Encourage your daughter to share her opinions, send them as a hello and a thank you, or to discuss special times. 
    
• Look for writing opportunities everywhere. Have her get used to writing lists and notes to serve as reminders. 
   
• Copy text; this helps develop writing fluency. One possibility: have your daughter select, copy, and present a poem as a gift for a special occasion.
   
• Use the computer. 

Adapted from: 
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/homework-project-tips/expert-reading-advice-grades-3-5