The joy of a sunny summer vacation is hard to beat—but if you’re like many parents, you might be worried about your daughter falling back academically while school’s out. But believe it or not, there are easy (and fun!) ways that your daughter can not only stay on track, but also learn even more before the start of the next school year.

“Summer slide” is the tendency for students, especially those from low-income families, to lose some of the research regarding summer learning loss suggests that on average, students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in math and reading achievement gains they made during the previous school year.

Because we know that the Summer Slide is such a serious issue and we want to combat it, the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida participates with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade Level Reading and Anna Maria Oyster Bar in the Dive Into Reading Program hosted in Manatee County each summer. The Anna Maria Oyster Bars’ Dive into Reading program aims to improve children’s reading levels by combating “Summer Slide.”

The Dive Into Reading Program has been serving Manatee County since 2017. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida has proudly joined in the efforts to promote childhood literacy every year since the program’s genesis.

In just its first year, Dive into Reading helped students beat the “Summer Slide” and showed an increase in reading proficiency when they returned to school. In 2020, the program was offered virtually via Zoom, with 75% of the participating children showing no reading loss when they returned to school.

This year, Dive into Reading aims to mentor even more children and continue to make a positive impact on their reading skills.

Worried about your child falling behind during the summer? Follow these tips and watch her soar!

1. Send her to camp
   You might think camp is all tents and tug-o-war, but your daughter can gain a lot of skills—and put those she learned in school last year to good use. Plus, the confidence that she gains from going away will help her feel more capable in all areas of her life, school included.
2. Participate in Girl Scout programs during the summer
   We recently updated our summer calendar, including events now through the winter! Check out the programs we have to offer- many of which are education and family-oriented- that will keep your daughter engaged and enriched during the summer months.
3. Give her time to play
   Whether she’s playing with dolls or being silly with her friends, playtime is actually super important for your girl. Why? Studies show that play allows the neurons in a child’s brain to form new connections. This rewiring helps boost emotional intelligence, decision-making skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
4. Let her lead “book club”
   Pick a title she’d like to read, and have the whole family read it together and discuss it—with your girl asking the questions! It’ll give her a chance to lead and be the “expert,” which can boost her love of books and will keep her reading skills sharp!
5. Encourage her to make something
   From dreaming up ideas and designing a hands-on project to testing those ideas and problem solving on her own terms (without a teacher’s instruction), making something from scratch—whether it’s a bird feeder or a pie—is one of the best ways to keep her learning this summer.
6. Find the magic in everyday life
   How do magnets stick to the fridge? Why are leaves green? How does her phone know where she was when she took a photo? Help her investigate these questions and more as she explores how the wonderful world around her actually works and brushes up on her science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) knowledge in the process!
7. If she’s old enough, suggest she get a summer job
   She’ll love getting a paycheck, but she’ll also get hands-on experience practicing important people skills, learn about how a business operates (whether she’s running her own dog-walking service or working for an established company!), and likely get a hefty-dose of financial literacy in the mix, too. Major bonus? College admissions teams love applicants who’ve held jobs over the summer or after school, because it shows responsibility and drive!

There’s no rule that says learning can only happen in a classroom! Let her curiosity, imagination, and passions lead the way, and she’s sure to have a summer full of enriching, educational moments.