FEATURE FOCUS: SUMMER LEARNING GAP


Fun ways to learn ‘accidentally’ over the summer break


Secret opportunities to learn are all around us in our day to day lives - those activities that feel more like play and less like school but are very valuable in their own way. Engaging your children in playful learning activities will support your child when they return to school in September, but the benefits are much greater than this - it’s about igniting curiosity, thinking more deeply about the world around them, asking questions and developing a lifelong love of learning.


Learn on the road


On the way to a favourite day out? Play some car games. We love car bingo or the classic I-spy. Counting games and tally charts with different cars. You could also try making silly sentences with the letters on car number plates or make funny interpretations of weird road signs.


Get outdoors


There’s so much that can be learned in the great outdoors for children! Try a scavenger hunt as a fun way to learn. Scavenger hunts aren’t just exciting; they put children’s literacy skills to the test. One simple way to start is an alphabet hunt. All you need is a sheet of paper with A-Z listed and children try to find as many objects as possible that start with different letters. Great for practising phonics with younger children and spelling with those that are older. You could do this in your local


neighbourhood, park or any day trip that you take.


Your local library


The Summer Reading Challenge is a perfect way to keep reading engaging over the holidays. Visit your local library for more information or sign up at summerreadingchallenge.org.uk. Also look out for any free workshops designed to inspire a love of reading. Explore Learning will be running some throughout the country this summer.


Cook together


If you have any budding chefs or bakers in your house, why not get out a favourite recipe for some treats and build some maths skills whilst weighing, measuring and timing your bakes? Get children involved in cooking meals as you’re making them. You can start with simple things like making a sandwich or cooking an egg before moving on to baking desserts. By getting your children into cooking at an early age, they’re more likely to be interested in trying new foods and eating healthy.


Family film time


Films can be a great way to practise comprehension skills. From discussing alternative endings to the personalities of the characters, you are helping your child to summarise, imagine and analyse. Try these questions: What will you say to Grandma to


convince her to watch the movie? If you could write a sequel what would happen next?


Discover audiobooks


Audiobooks are a great way to engage children with stories, particularly reluctant readers. Although children aren’t decoding words by reading the text themselves, audiobooks can support reluctant readers to gain confidence in comprehending stories whilst developing their memory, concentration and imagination.


Arts and crafts


This is a great activity for rainy days over the summer. Arts and crafts can help children to practice their hand-eye coordination, concentration and patience whilst improving their understanding of the world around them. Whether drawing or junk modelling or stone painting, art is a great way to turn boredom into something beautiful and creative.


Try a new sport


There are plenty of sports out there for children to try out, they might even find one they really love. With the sun shining more regularly, the summer holidays are a perfect time for children to get outside and learn a new sport like cricket, football, tennis, baseball or many others. Sports are great to use up excess energy, keep children active and improve their coordination.


July/August 2025


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