Take Literacy Learning Outdoors This Summer
Baseball … hide-and-seek … swimming … sleeping in a tent … riding bike.
Kids’ outside summer activities may change a bit from region to region, but some, can be seen in nearly any community.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has a new summer activity to suggest to families—taking literacy outdoors! Continuing literacy learning in summertime is important. With three months away from school, children can experience a learning gap when they return in the fall. (not sure this sentence is relevant anymore)
Researchers have found that summer learning loss can have consequences for kids throughout their school years--even affecting whether they graduate or go to college.
But keep summer learning fun. So, why not try it outside? Here are some ways to do that:
· Writing with twigs – Gather a bunch of twigs and small sticks with your child. Then, find a flat, smooth spot where he or she can write the ABCs and simple words. Your child should enjoy the challenge of creating letters and words in a new and different way.
· Alphabet scavenger hunt – Ask your child to write the alphabet on paper. Take it along on a walk around your neighborhood, a park, downtown or wherever. Try to find objects starting with the letters of the alphabet, with your child writing the word by the letter.
· Reading outdoors – Take books, a blanket and snack outside to a nice, shady spot. Include some books about nature. Some field guides are written just for kids, providing fascinating details on birds, butterflies, insects, animals, stars or rocks.
· Writing with water – Get a bucket of water and a house painting brush. Kids can paint letters, words and simple sentences with water on sidewalks or brick houses, only to watch them disappear within seconds (or longer if painted in the shade).
· Nature journal – In your yard, in the park or on a wooded trail, have your kids record sights, sounds and scents of nature, along with their own thoughts. Pack the journals for day trips or vacation to let them add to their journal as they explore new surroundings.
Baseball … hide-and-seek … swimming … sleeping in a tent … riding bike … outdoor literacy!
“Literacy is for life” is a public awareness campaign of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, aiming to improve literacy for Pennsylvania children from infancy through grade 12.