Some educators call it the “summer slide,” while others refer to it as “summer brain drain.” Either way, most agree that a large percent of information escapes a student’s memory during summer vacation. In fact, according to the authors of a recent report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning, students may lose as much as two months or 22 percent of the previous year’s instruction.

With only a couple of weeks of summer break left, there is still time to engage children and keep their minds sharp. Kim Bellini, owner and director of The Woodlands LearningRx, offers the following tips to parents.

“The most important thing you can do over the summer is read with your child,” she said.

Bellini also recommends playing educational games between trips to the pool or park. Her picks include Traffic Jam, Blink and Qwitch. She also suggests old standbys like Scrabble, Memory and jigsaw puzzles.

“Speaking from my experience as a teacher, we typically spend the first six to eight weeks of the school year helping students relearn what they forgot over the summer,” Bellini said. “It’s just like working out muscles – you have to keep your brain trained.”

The Woodlands LearningRx works with students of all ages, starting at age four, to enhance their ability to learn, read and succeed at a broad range of academic and work-related challenges. The unique training at LearningRx transforms a student’s ability to learn at a core, cognitive level. The center’s programs are also designed for adults and seniors who want to stay sharp and improve their quality of life. To learn more about The Woodlands LearningRx, please visit their web site www.learningrx.com/the-woodlands.

About LearningRx
LearningRx specializes in identifying and correcting the underlying cognitive skill deficiencies that keep people from achieving their full potential in school, business or life. The program was pioneered by Dr. Ken Gibson. Using a comprehensive skills assessment test and intensive one-on-one training, certified trainers quickly and effectively enhance weak cognitive skills such as attention, memory, processing speed, and problem solving.