Here are some ways to keep your kids learning in summer

Summer can be a great opportunity for children who are struggling at school to regain key skills and feel more confident going back to school. It’s a chance to increase enthusiasm for learning, even for students who do well.

“Learning loss begins within 24 to 48 hours, unless the new information is reinforced or applied immediately,”Richard E. Bavaria Ph.D. is vice president of education at Sylvan Learning Center. “After a month without reinforcement, approximately 80 percent of what a student has recently learned can be lost. You cannot start too early or too late to help your child prepare for going back to school.”

In order to reinforce learning on a regular basis, parents play an important role. Sylvan Learning Center offers these tips to integrate continuous learning into fun family activities all summer.

* Read with your student. It is important to start reading as soon as possible. Ask questions and read the story with your children.

* Use the Web to create a reading list. There are many sites that offer summer reading lists. There are many websites that offer summer reading lists for children. www.bookadventure.comChildren can create their own book lists using more than 7,000 titles. They can also take quizzes about the books they have read at home or school and win prizes. This program encourages students to read more, for longer periods of times, and with greater understanding.

* Plan an educational field trip. Visit a nearby historic site, museum, or zoo.

* Find pen pals or keep a journal. Encourage your student’s writing skills by encouraging them to write letters and emails to friends and family. Writing skills can be maintained by keeping a journal updated with regular entries.

* Visit the library. Library staff can suggest books that are appropriate for your child’s interests and reading level. Many libraries also offer family programs at no cost.

* Participate in summer learning programs. A variety of programs are available to children that support learning. Sylvan Learning Center, for example, offers math, writing, and reading camps to students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

For additional ideas, log on to http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com or call 800-31-SUCCESS.