Easy ideas to try

• Gardening is a great way to introduce children to the science of nature in the summer months. Germinate and plant seeds (save seeds from your produce and grow your own vegetables or herbs. -- Eloise Roche, science teacher.
• Read, Read, Read! Reading out loud to your kids increases reading fluency, expands your child's vocabulary, models good reading habits and increases reading motivation. If your child is 2 or 12, reading aloud is a powerful connection between home and school. --Christine Lord Voreis, language art teacher.
• Take your child to your bank and set up a child's savings account to introduce basic calculation, interest accrual and the importance of saving. Brush up on math skills with a workbook series tailored for summer learning. Encourage your child to do a page or more a day. Create a rewards system for each chapter or set of pages completed. The McMillan/McGraw Hill Math Daily Practice Workbook with Summer Skills Refresher series is available on amazon.com for all grade levels. --David Arter, math teacher.

/source: chicagoparent.com