Fighting Summer Brain Drain with the Arts

Summer brain drain is what happens to students in the summer months between school years, when they are no longer being stimulated with books and art by teachers who are experts in their fields. According to teachers polled by the Chicago Tribune, when students return to school after the summer, the first few weeks are often spent recouping the lost knowledge from the summer months. With all of the vacation and change of routine, it can be easy for students to forget what they learned last year. This summer, help your young student fight off brain drain between school years by enrolling them in the arts.

It doesn’t matter what kind of artistic or creative endeavor your student participates in during the summer months, the important thing is to keep them engaged and mentally stimulated. As long as you have some way to get the creativity flowing, your child’s brain will stay sharp and be ready for the next round of education.

Here are some ways to avoid the summer brain drain with the arts, courtesy of Teacher Blog:

Encourage Reading

If your student is a natural reader, this is a no-brainer. Help your child stock up on new books and stories that they want to read throughout the summer. If they’re reluctant readers, though, there are some techniques you can use to get them interested. For example, have them join a youth book club that focuses not only on the reading, but on social interactions between the students, too.

Summer Field Trips

Take your kids to museums, parks or interesting historical places around town that you may not have had the chance to visit before. Not only will this get your kids learning about the arts and sciences, it’ll familiarize them with their hometown in a whole new way.

At-Home Crafts

Especially on rainy or too-hot days, DIY crafts at home can keep your kids’ brains active and stimulated. Look up some interesting art projects online to try or cook dinner from a new recipe together. You can turn anything into a chance to exercise you child’s creativity – from organizing the closet to planning a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood!

Art Classes

The summer art classes and workshops for kids that are offered by Hunakai Studio of Fine Arts are also a great way to fight summer brain drain. Students in our classes can learn about all different types of art and different techniques. Our summer sessions cover Animals in Art, Dragons, Robots and so much more, meaning that there’s sure to be a session that piques your child’s interests.

Make sure your kids’ brains are stimulated and learning all summer long so that they’re ready when the new school year starts. For more information on any of our classes or to register for the summer session, call Hunakai Studio today at 508-543-5665.