Tools to Help Prevent "Summer Slide"

In my family, these last few weeks of summer vacation have been packed full with back-to-back family 
reunions in New Hampshire and Colorado. School is starting back up soon, and already started on 
August 1 at a few schools here in Colorado Springs. However, I promised in my last blog post to share 
some of my favorite tools for use at home to avoid summer learning loss. So, if you have a few weeks 
left, you might want to give these a try. Of course, these suggestions could also be used throughout 
the school year or next summer. Here you go:

My favorite tools for HANDWRITING:

This handwriting worksheet generator is completely customizable. You enter the text you’d like your 
child to trace or copy on the line below. You can chose printing or cursive, font size, etc. You can enter 
up to 2,000 characters. Sometimes I will have my daughter dictate a story to me, as it’s more fun for her 
to work on writing text about a subject  she enjoys.

Here are some helpful tips for correcting improper pencil grip.

There are several types of tools to correct pencil grip. Some are more comfortable than others. If you 
don’t want to take a chance on an online purchase, you could visit your local teacher’s store with your 
child and have them try several before buying their  favorite. This is a good tool to help kids learn to 
hold pencils in the correct position:       

These don’t really help kids write, but I thought I’d mention my favorite brand of wooden pencil. These 
write smoothly and erase more thoroughly than other pencils. They don’t leave a smudgy mess after 
erasing. They are more expensive, but I have found that you do “get what you pay for” with pencils. 
Last year, Costco also sold them in bulk.  

                                                  

My favorite tools for MATH:

Students often lack a math textbook at home over the summer. This is a fantastic  
math worksheet generator for most any topic in math, K-12. Another great aspect is that each 
worksheet prints with an answer key, so parents can check their child’s work.

My favorite flash cards are made by Trend Enterprises, because they have only one problem on each 
card (the problem is unsolved on the front, and shown with the solution on the back). The reason I prefer 
this style is because you can sort the cards into piles (“done” and “keep practicing”) based on if the 
child really knows the math fact quickly or if he or she has to stop and calculate the answer. You can 
return one pile to the box and keep the other pile in a ziplock bag, so they only have to work on the 
“keep practicing” ones until they, too, are retired to the box. Kids can even use these by themselves 
(in a car, for instance). They can quiz themselves and check their answers by flipping the cards over. 
This link is for 4 sets in one bundle (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). However, there 
are also sets of single operations. Another option that is more expensive is the version of the same 
brand of cards that includes the words “all facts.” The difference with “all facts” is that two cards are 
included for each problem, because they can be presented in 2 different orders. For instance, 2+5 would 
be on one card and 5+2 would be on another card. Here is one example.  They have sold a bundle of 
all four operations in the past, but I’m only seeing individual sets on Amazon right now.
 

  

My favorite tools for GEOGRAPHY:

I love these printable maps of every continent. You can choose outline maps (political) or maps that 
include the landforms like mountain ranges and rivers (physical). Print and have your child fill out the 
states, countries, capitals, or landforms.       

               

Writing long names on small areas of a map can be difficult, so you can also write numbers on each 

state/country. Have your child write the names corresponding to each number on a separate sheet of 

paper. Here is an example of a numbered map, already done for you, with answer key. 

Stack the States a fun app that helps kids learn the shapes of states (but not their positions on a map). 

In the game, they try to rotate and drop the irregularly shaped states into a stack that won’t topple over.

Enjoy Learning U.S. Map Puzzle is an app to help kids learn the shapes and positions of each state. 

There is a timer running as they drag and drop each state onto the outline map. They can try to beat 

their previous time each time they play.  

World Map Quiz is a fantastic app where you are given a blank outline map of a continent, like Africa. 
If it says “Find Egypt,” you touch the country on the map and see if you got it correct. It keeps score and 
will cycle back through some of your missed answers, to see if you can get it correct the next time. It 
can also quiz you on capitals, landforms, flags, etc.

World Quiz by Michal Majewski is for Apple devices only. It shows one country on a continent in blue. 
You choose the correct name for that blue country from a list of four options. You can also choose for 
the map to highlight 4 different countries and provide one name. You select the highlighted country that 
corresponds to that name. There are also capital and flag quizzes.

         

All of the tools mentioned above are only for a few subjects. Please share in the comments below if 
you have found any tools, websites, or apps your kids enjoy and that might help other parents help 
prevent summer learning loss. I hope you have a great rest of your summer!

If you would like assistance preventing summer "brain drain" in your child, please visit 
www.peaktutoring.org to learn more about my services and contact me.