Hurray! Summer vacation is here

There are two words almost every student loves to hear ? ?summer vacation!? Daydreams of sleeping late, playing baseball or softball, swimming, or just hanging out fill the heads of children at this time of the school year.

Educators and parents know, however, that sometimes children become bored during the summer months without the schedule and the routines associated with school. Planned learning opportunities during this time help, not just with combating this boredom, but also help to bridge the learning gap between May and August.

There are many wonderful summer experiences parents can plan for their children that will positively influence learning for the coming school year. Through well-planned, thoughtful activities, children can acquire knowledge that will build vocabulary skills, apply math skills in practical applications, and help them learn the value of practice. Here are some ideas I found through reading and research:

Travel ? When planning your summer trip, think about ways to include things your child has learned in school this past year. Use a map to show your child the route you will be traveling from home to your vacation destination. Talk about distance and direction.

Allow your child to help work on the vacation budget. How much will you spend on food, lodging, gas? Even if your trip is to a beach area, look on the Internet to see if there are any local museums, art galleries, or featured concerts you might include in your plans.

Community Activities ? Magness Library has scheduled a summer reading program for elementary students, a Nature Science Project for middle school grades, and for older students, a performance from the Brooklyn-based pop rock quartet, High Strung.

McMinnville Civic Center?s Kids Camp day camp is available to students in 2nd through 6th grades. Swim lessons will be offered through the Red Cross at Gilley Pool. Sign-ups for swim lessons are June 29.

Upcoming Grade Level Activities ? Talk to your child?s teacher for next year. Find out what books your child might read over the summer to help prepare for the coming year. Check out the curriculum maps on the school system?s Web site (www.warrenschools.com) to see what skills are taught for each core academic subject in your child?s upcoming grade level.

Just remember, anything you do to provide a learning environment for your child through the summer months will benefit him/her in the upcoming school year. Encourage your child to use his/her imagination.

Creating recipes, art projects, and new games are fun learning activities that keep your child?s mind sharp during the vacation break.

Bonnie Collier is the school system?s director of community development.