The Richmond Reader

Studies show that students may lose up to two months (up to 60%) of learning and educational skills (especially in Math and Reading) due to summer break. Below are some fun and educational activities for you and your child to prevent “seasonal brain drain”!

Articles and Web Ideas on Summer Learning:

Learn how to put a stop to seasonal brain drain (article for parents)  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8146912

Summer Learning Projects for Kids                                                                                                          http://kids-educational-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/summer_learning_projects_for_kids

More Summer Learning Ideas for Kids                                      http://school.familyeducation.com/summer/family-learning/36089.html

Scholastic Summer Reading Clubs http://www.scholastic.com/summerreading/

Learning Beyond the Classroom http://www.readwritethink.org/beyondtheclassroom/summer/

Ideas from Scholastic http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3745704

Contests To Enter (you never know…you could win!):

Magic Tree House-Read and enter to win a trip to the Grand Canyon http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/natgeocontest.html

Lots of Contests- http://www.kidsturncentral.com/links/contestlinks.htm

Enter a Contest to Have Your Child’s Work Published- http://www.cobblestonepub.com/kids_cal.html

Art and Writing Contests- http://www.kinderart.com/contests/

Publish Your Child’s Work:

The Global Show-n-Tell Museum- http://www.telenaut.com/gst/

KidPub- http://www.kidpub.org/kidpub/

Virtual Field Trips: Great for the budget and the imagination!

http://www.theteachersguide.com/virtualtours.html

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech071.shtml

Local Children’s Activities:  Get out of the house and see what great trips our local area has to offer. Many are free or at little cost.

Bristol Public Library http://www.bristol-library.org/?BISKIT=100337955&CONTEXT=cat&cat=61

Cooper’s Gem Mine www.appalachianghostwalks.com/vacationpartners/blountvillecoopersgemmine.html

Magna Vista Farm                                                                  http://www.agriculture.state.tn.us/Marketing.asp?QSTRING=DETAIL&SCREEN=THA&DISPLAY=470

Gray Fossil Site and Museum http://www.grayfossilmuseum.com/

Rocky Mount  http://www.rockymountmuseum.com/

William King Regional Arts Center   http://www.wkrac.org/

The Paramount Center for the Arts  http://www.theparamountcenter.com/

Theatre Bristol http://www.theatrebristol.net/

The Barter Theatre  http://www.bartertheatre.com/

Bristol Caverns http://www.bristolcaverns.com/

Appalachian Caverns http://www.appalachiancaverns.com/

Hands On! Museum  http://www.handsonmuseum.org/