Should primary aged children study over the summer?

[Summerholidays1]

Split over this. On one side want to give DC (8) a complete break and just let them have fun and learn by seeing/doing. Will go on holiday, to museums, live rurally so lots of outdoor play.
Also don’t want them to slide back and have to catch up in the Autumn. Nervous as I know a few parents who hothouse.

What is a good/healthy amount to do over the summer? I bought them a holiday journal they are excited to fill in and will take them to a bookshop to choose some books - would rather encourage a love of reading than forced continuation of school work. Will probably do the MathsFactor summer challenge as they are in the habit of spending five/10 minutes a day on this. Art has been an issue at school (just not engaging) so I think Draw with Rob could be good as they do enjoy this.

Interested to know what others do/recommend.

I will be tutoring my children a little each week. I think it will be good for them.
DS10 needs help with his maths especially and I think the holidays will be a good time to do this. He's so tired during term that I've decided we will do something in a few weeks. Teen DD has been asking for me to print GCSE practice papers so I won't complain about that if that's her plan.
I think it's good to carry on a bit of study.

Mine read but then I don’t see reading as school work. Nothing else.

Thank you all so much.

Definitely not ordering the text books. I do not like the homework format at this age. Would much rather there was more focus on the foundational maths skills, then something more creative e.g. draw something that interests you and write down five things about it. The work sheets we get have not inspired a love of learning.

Will go with the plan of finding a series of books DC is excited about getting stuck into over the holidays. DC has sports clubs and will do fun stuff e.g. surfing. Keeping the plan for a travel journal (scrapbook style with a mix of pictures, tickets and writing, rather than big chunks of text) and will get DC to send postcards.

Keeping on with Mathsfactor as it has become a habit DC enjoys. Doing well with maths, but I look on Mathsfactor as a safety net for getting a solid grounding in the methodology. Would hate for him to have to catch up with maths in a few years/when grammar school testing approaches. Keeping up with music as that would slide with a six week break from lessons.

IRL among people I know holidays seem to be taken as an opportunity to push or nothing. The middle ground seems so much better.

Sounds like the majority of posters have to force kids / it’s not enjoyable

To add to that, he's gaining new knowledge all the time through experiences and his own curiosity. But reading is a skill and the only way to get better (or at that age, not get worse) is regular practice.

It's all very well for children who are already established independent readers and like reading. They will develop their skills organically.

But for some kids reading is still hard work!

Encourage reading. I bought mine sketch books and nice pencils. It’s interesting to see what they will draw/ choose to write about. Not really too fussed though. Holidays should be a chance to chill/ reset.

I wouldn't get them to do anything unless they wanted to. Reading at bedtime is all we've ever done.

School results don’t matter??!

It really does make a difference.

Plenty of reading. Scrap book sounds fun and some simple games for times tables etc. nothing formal.

@Iwishicouldflyhigh does it though? Maybe if you have the type of child that will sit and do structured work it would, mine wouldn't want to with me though....I fear it would put her off learning. She's pretty good academically though....maybe it helps more if the child is working towards the expected standards.

When I were a lad...
We got up.
We got washed.
We got dressed.
We learnt to bake.
We tidied our rooms.
We mowed the lawn.
We learnt the names of every flower in the garden.
We read books.
We did jigsaws.
We had a play shop where we had a sale and had to work out the new prices based on a percentage decrease.
We did our cycle proficiency test.
We saw our friends.
We roller-skated, skateboarded, rode our scooters.
We went to the shops.
We drew, we coloured in, we wrote stories.
We acted out plays and stories and TV programmes.
We researched things at the library - kings and queens, local history.
We went to the cinema, the local museum and art gallery with our parents or our mates' parents.
We went to the swimming baths.
We watched Why Don't You...and then we did.
And we definitely did not sit about all day making the house look untidy., if we had I would now have a size three shoe sticking out of my head.

Not really, mine is used to it, it’s just a normal part of her day, plus she bloody loves the maths app (this is done in the car). She does reading practice but she also picks up books to read independently and we always read to her before bed anyway. Handwriting she doesn’t like much but she’s quite weak so does need the practice.

I do think summer slide is a thing, mine is going to summer camp, has a holiday booked and has other activities 6 days a week. She’s getting plenty of exercise and she’s awake for 14 hours a day, we carve out 30 minutes for reading and ten minutes of handwriting practice. It’s not that much.

School results matter. Otherwise what’s the point in anyone going?

in my opinion, it’s about routine and structure. For us, we do a bit of maths/grammar/times table and French on a app, first thing before any screen time and I read to her every night (the favourite part of our day). It’s now such a routine it’s not even a discussion.

you are the parent.

it’s not a choice of doing holiday work OR having a holiday full of fun, it’s both.

Cc

ah definitely this, there's no need at all for this, as someone else said keep the reading up but in a fun way, but honestly kids at that age need a break

what you have planned sounds perfect

I get where you're coming from but as the OP hasn't mentioned anything like that or that there's any underlying concerns I'd still agree with just let them enjoy the holidays

I was a teacher too and this is what I did with my kids, reading daily, 10 minutes times tables and writing postcards to their Nanny whenever we went out for the day.

What? Someone would have stuck a shoe in your head?

Reading every day. Arts and crafts for rainy days. Sports club activities. Days out, that was it in our house.

Sorry I forgot one

We developed a sense of humour.

I don't get the joke sorry. I'm not good with written jokes. Is the joke your mum would have thrown one of her shoes at you?

Ours used to do the library reading challenge and keep a holiday diary (this was often asked for at school). Other than that, not much.

Yes.

Also it isn’t remedial for us, DD is quite ahead, but thats probably because we put a little bit of time in consistently. We aren’t even really stretching her tbh. Reading takes practice, as does maths. Doing a little bit just keeps them on top of it and creates a study habit.

I’ve been reading with DD for a year and it’s only the last few weeks that she’s started picking books up and reading to herself. The more proficient they are the more likely they are to read for pleasure imo. Theres a point where it feels like a chore because it’s hard, but a tipping point comes when it’s easier.

I see it as taking stuff off the table. She should be fine in September for reading and numeracy. She’ll learn new stuff that will challenge her but she’ll have a solid foundation so if areas of weakness crop up we can spend time on those. I actually see it as making her life easier in the long term because she’s not starting from a position of weak to average and then struggling to absorb new information whilst going over old stuff too.