The No-Stress Way to Keep Kids Learning Over Summer

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One of the things I’ve learned as a homeschool mom is that learning doesn’t have to stop when summer starts. Sure, we’ll slow down a bit and may not adhere to a schedule as much as we would during the typical August-May school year, but I’ll definitely do what I can to keep my kids learning over summer.

Why do I encourage my kids to continue learning over the summer? We’ll get into that in a few. HOW do include summer learning into our days? Well, that’s where IXL comes into play.

Let’s chat a bit about how we’re going to keep those kiddos learning while the temps are high, shall we?

Why Continue Learning Over Summer?

I completely get it. Homeschool parents are already juggling a ton as it is. Not only are we already taking care of the basics of raising kids (y’know…breakfast, second breakfast, snacks, lunch, second lunch…), but we’re also selecting homeschool curriculum, lesson planning, researching & signing up the kids for extracurricular activities, and schlepping the kids to and from all the activities with a stop at the playground in between.

Why would we want to include summer learning activities when we really just want to take a break?

Hear me out. What happens when kids take an extended break from their typical learning activities? Any product of the public school system can tell you – the kids regress. The kids tend to forget skills and, when the school year starts again, they often need “extra” time to review and re-learn skills they’ve already learned.

Even though I used the example of a public school student, the exact same thing can happen to homeschoolers!

Many people describe this as the “summer slide.” I describe it as a waste of time & effort…especially when there are ways to avoid the summer slide!

I’m not saying the kids necessarily need to continue their regular homeschool schedule throughout the summer. By all means, take some time to relax and regroup so you’re all ready to dive into the upcoming year. But, the “summer slide” is just one of many reasons why I think summer learning is so important.

Summer learning doesn’t have to be intense or overwhelming. In fact, short and concise practice is often more effective than trying to cram in long lessons.

In our home, we like to keep summer learning simple, flexible, and fun. Some days learning happens through travel, visiting museums, watching documentaries, or even playing board games together. Other days, we use online resources, like IXL to review and reinforce academic skills!

You guys – the goal isn’t to recreate a classroom during summer break. The goal is to simply keep the kids learning over the summer in a way that feels manageable, realistic, and successful.

Why We Like Using IXL for Summer Learning…and Beyond!

One reason why IXL works so well for our homeschool is because it’s so easy to fit into our (relaxed) summer schedule. Some days, we’re home all day but, other days, we’re out exploring. Since IXL works on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, my kids can practice almost anywhere.

Yep, my kids have been known to complete a lesson or two even while on a cruise or while visiting family! That kind of flexibility is a must for so many homeschool families.

Whether we’re sitting in a hotel room in between homeschool convention sessions, or driving on a road trip, my kids can just log in and spend a little time practicing skills. They’re not just doing the standard question/answer lessons, too – they even play many of the games featured in IXL’s Fluency Zone!

Sidenote: Yes, my kids still play the games in the Fluency Zone even though they’re beyond the grade levels the games were designed for. Why? Because they’re fun and effective. Is there such a thing as being “too fluent” in multiplication and division skills? Nope! If they want to strengthen their basic math skills…quite literally the foundation for their success in future math assignments…I’m going to let them.

I also appreciate how personalized the IXL platform is. Every child learns differently and IXL adapts to each child’s level. The real-time diagnostics help to identify strengths and areas where more review may be needed, which helps to guide what my kids should focus on next.

Instead of me having to constantly figure out what skills need extra practice, IXL takes care of it for me.

THE Platform to Keep Kids Learning Over Summer

Just as we include IXL in our typical homeschool days throughout the year, we’ll also include it in the summer. Why? Because IXL covers so many subjects and grade levels.

IXL offers a comprehensive K-12 curriculum that includes:

• Math
• Language Arts
• Science
• Social Studies
• Spanish

Having access to multiple subjects helps keep summer learning interesting. Some days, my kids will practice their math facts while, other days, they may work on grammar, reading comprehension, or various science topics. Whether they work on reinforcing skills they’ve already learned or work ahead to learn new information, IXL makes it easy to keep kids learning over summer.

Because the IXL platform includes more than 17,000 interactive skills, over 1,300 video tutorials, and more than 120 educational games (!!), the variety helps make learning engaging & fun…especially during the summer when the kids (and I) naturally want to take a break from our traditional schedule.

Record-Keeping & Testing

Having gone from homeschooling in a no-regulation state (New Jersey) to a moderate-regulation state (Florida), I certainly appreciate that IXL does such a great job with record-keeping. Because the majority of the IXL lessons are done online, IXL automatically keeps track of how my kids have progressed through their lessons leaving me with an accurate record of their educational activities.

And, since we now live in a state that requires yearly educational testing for homeschoolers, it’s especially important that I continue to use IXL as part of our summer learning activities. Why?

This was one of my biggest pet peeves as a teacher – there can be kids that are incredibly smart…smart beyond their years…but still struggle with standardized testing.

Taking standardized tests can be stressful for kids and, as a parent, that breaks my heart. Therefore, it’s important that I do everything in my power to ensure my kids feel as comfortable & prepared as possible when it comes time to take their annual Florida standardized test.

How do I do this? You already know the answer – IXL! Their Flex Diagnostic is one of the tests accepted by the state of Florida for the Florida Scholarship program!

It just makes sense to have my kids using IXL during the school year, and throughout the summer, because, in doing so, they become comfortable with the IXL platform…the same platform they’ll use for their required standardized test! How’s that for making test taking as stress-free as possible? When they take their test, it feels like they’re “just” completing another IXL lesson. No surprises. No new platform to learn. No stress!

You also have to admit – not having to pay an additional fee for a standardized test is a pretty nice perk for IXL members! Speaking of which…I have a pretty sweet coupon code you may want to use when you sign up for your IXL Family Membership!

Get Your IXL Family Membership

If you’ve been looking for a way to keep kids learning over summer, IXL is definitely worth checking out. Not only is it a great platform for helping kids avoid that dreaded “summer slide,” but you’ll find an IXL Family Membership is worth including in your homeschool days throughout the year.

IXL was kind enough to provide a special offer for the That Homeschool Family community, too (tell your friends!). When you sign up for your IXL Family Membership through my link, you’ll get 20% off! That’s a pretty sweet savings, right?!

Now, tell me – what do you think your kids will like most about their IXL Family Membership? The fun games? The instant feedback? The user-friendly interface? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time, stay safe, & enjoy quality time with your family,