Summer Break: How Will Your Child Spend it?

The last day of school for all New York City public school children is Wednesday, June 27th, less than three weeks away!

If you have a child attending one of the NYC public schools, hopefully you already have made arrangements for keeping your child busy during these summer months.

But if you have not, the time is now to get the ball rolling because these next three months are critical.

According to the Reading Is Fundamental organization (RIF, remember their PSA’s from the 1970’s and 80’s?), all students experience learning loss during the summer months when they are not engaged in educational activities during that time. 

But low-income students experience a greater summer learning loss than their peers who come from families with higher incomes.

A recent study commissioned by the Wallace Foundation and conducted by RAND Education, a nonprofit research group, supports these findings and concludes that the learning loss that occurs during the summer over time significantly contributes to the growing academic achievement gap that exists between lower and upper income students. 

Instead of letting the kids spend their summer watching Disney Channel, Nickelodeon or BET, or hanging out on the stoop, why not put them on a library schedule? The Brooklyn Public Library has dozens of summer programs and special events that cater to all age groups. Take a look at what’s going on at your local library, and make a schedule of things that you know will interest or benefit your child.

Some other ideas for keeping their minds, bodies and souls stimulated include the Brooklyn Arts Exchange Camp that features activities that explore dance, theatre music or art. Or keep your child physically fit by enrolling him or her in a sports camp, such as the Aviator Sports Camp or the Brooklyn Fencing Center.

Or to insure their minds stay active and inquisitive, enroll them in the Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program, an innovative day camp that weaves exciting connections between art, science, culture, and nature.

Remember, idle hands are the devil’s playground. If cost is a concern, apply now, because many of the programs offer need-based scholarships. But even these are on a first-come/first-served basis.

So this summer, let’s keep the children of our community engaged, productive, happy and off the streets!

If you have other great ideas for summer activities that are fun for kids and affordable for parents, please share them with us in our comments!