This is an article found in the Dayton Daily News in the USA. The summer is full of fun, local learning activities! Local museums, art galleries, festivals, and libraries are just the beginning!
By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer 6:07 PM Tuesday, June 21, 2011
While the backpacks are tucked in the closet and textbooks are nowhere to be found, summer vacation doesn’t have to be a vacation from learning.
And it shouldn’t be.
“It is well documented that keeping kids engaged in the summer really does matter,” said Katie Kinnucan-Welsch, chairwoman of the department of teacher education at the University of Dayton School of Education and Allied Professions. “Particularly for kids who are struggling with school, but really for all kids, it’s important to have continuous opportunities for learning.”
But you won’t have to worry about groans and eye rolling because summertime means countless fun and free learning opportunities throughout the Miami Valley.
Natural learners
“If left to their own devices, children are natural learners and are naturally curious,” Kinnucan-Welsch said. “Once you provide them with an opportunity for learning, you can stand by and let them go.”
Those opportunities are available on a daily basis, whether it’s a word game in the car, a walk through the park or a trip to the library.
“Every day is an opportunity to learn something new and kids should have multiple learning experiences every day,” Kinnucan-Welsch said.
That doesn’t mean learning has to be a chore. It could be as simple as having a conversation. Kinnucan-Welsch suggests pointing out unusual objects as you drive by or playing vocabulary or rhyming games in the car.
“Conversations are important for vocabulary development,” she said.
But it isn’t just about introducing new words or concepts. How you introduce them can make all the difference.
“The old fashioned way of learning was to memorize,” she said. “But a more lasting way to learn is having the concept be part of an authentic context.”
Learning the names for plants or animals while hiking, working with numbers to figure out percentage-off prices on the department store sale rack, or even keeping track of bowling scores in your head instead of relying on the monitor are all examples of incorporating learning into everyday activities.
Turning the page
According to the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, summer vacation can have a significant negative effect on student learning. The solution is simple — summer reading. Regular summer reading can prevent documented reading achievement losses.
“Parents need to tune into what their kids are interested in and encourage them to learn more about it,” Kinnucan-Welsch said.
Letting young readers choose their books increases the likelihood that they will make it to the last page. If incentives are helpful, many local libraries and bookstores offer summer reading clubs complete with prizes.
If parents want even more resources, the IRA/NCTE ReadWriteThink website offers materials for children from kindergarten through high school. Printouts, activities, games, projects and even podcasts are available online.
But while the Internet is a good starting point, there is no substitute for getting out and learning firsthand.
Living and learning
in the Miami Valley
Five Rivers MetroParks
Toddlers and preschoolers
Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Interactive programming at 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 31.
Butterfly House at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, July 9 through Labor Day.
The historical farm at Carriage Hill MetroPark or the sustainable farm at Possum Creek MetroPark provide children with an up-close look at animal husbandry and food production in two very different ways.
Tike Hike programs at
10 a.m. on various days at various MetroParks facilities. Each hike is geared toward young children and introduces them to the beauty of nature.
School-aged children
The Passport to Nature program gives children and their parents incentives for learning about nature and discovering the world around them through basic science and biology.
Fishing at several locations in the MetroParks does not require an Ohio fishing license, including: Cedar Lake and North Woods Pond at Carriage Hill; Eastwood lagoon and Blue Lake at Eastwood MetroPark; the ponds and Argonne Lake at Possum Creek; and Dogwood Pond and Lake George at Twin Creek.
Tweens and teens
Nature programs suggested for “all ages” or “14 and older” are appropriate for older children who already have a working knowledge of basic science and biology concepts. Café Sci programs are for children who are curious about nature and want to expand their knowledge. The Environmental Film series features films and engaging discussions.
Dayton Metro Library
From story time to craft projects and puppet shows to chess clubs, the Dayton Metro Library branches have a calendar packed with daily children’s activities. There are programs geared toward the preschool set, grade school children and teens.
There are reading clubs for grades six and younger (Make a Splash), teens (Heroes @ Your Library) and adults (Novel Destinations), with prizes available at all levels.
Around town
The Dayton Art Institute Experiencenter provides formal and informal learning and recreational activities for children and their families.
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