There are few moments and experiences that cross generations as universally nostalgic. The feeling of the last day of school launching into summer and leaving school on the last day with the sun beaming is one of them. The promise of a reprieve from homework and essays, pure fun with siblings on vacation, or seeing old friends at camp, is a page straight out of many of our childhoods.
As parents and educators, we have a deep-rooted attachment to that time in our lives. How could we not? What we often overlook, because the joy outweighs the rest, is the cumulative impact two months out of routine and engagement can have on our children and students, especially those with learning differences.
We recall the last days of summer so vividly and yet, for some of us, in the back corner of this memory sits the doom and gloom of summer reading and math packets assigned by the next grade’s teacher for the fall. I remember my mother begging us all summer to complete it. “You’ll feel better when it’s done!” she would preach. And of course, because how could we know any better, after she gave up, we made every effort to complete it just days before the first day of school, undoubtedly ruining Labor Day, every year.
Completing summer packets and reading is often hard not only because of the last-minute crunch, but because we let the content go unengaged in our minds. According to research published in the National Library of Medicine, on average, students lose approximately one month of school-year learning over the summer.1 In addition, NWEA reports more than half of students often return to school every fall with some level of regression in math and/or reading.2
In other cases, some families seek to over-program students and build a school-like program all summer to combat learning loss. The data shows us that’s not always the right swing of the pendulum either; more school does not perfectly equate to less holistic and developmental regression. Frequently, both public and private schools struggle to maintain steady attendance and engagement from students. Rather, it shows we should not discount the value of day and sleep-away camps, which can support students in social confidence, peer and age-appropriate expression, physical stimulation, and athletic growth.
So, what can parents do to give their children a well-balanced summer and help combat academic regression, charmingly and alliteratively referred to as “the summer slide”?
Start with Engagement
When educators think about retention of material for students, they are often also weighing what will engage the students. Engagement goes far beyond the classroom motions; it is the real and active participation a student makes in their mind and with their peers when learning is occurring. Retention and application are most effective when a student is engaged.
As a parent considering how to combat summer regression, first ask: what gets my child excited, what makes them participate, what brings that glimmer to their soul? When we think about creating summer engagement to combat regression, we must first consider the child and what makes them curious and invested. Then we can begin to sprinkle in the rest.
Engagement is visible; you can see and feel it from your child. It is both an observable and internal investment in their curiosity and learning. Often, engagement has multiple layers: a child is physically present and contributing, cognitively attentive, drawing connections and asking questions, and emotionally ready. Arguably, the most important part is that they genuinely care or feel personally invested in what is in front of them.
Engagement is also part of the secret sauce that helps us guide our teens away from resorting to their phones or screens in free time. Though I believe screens will always be a part of their lives and that a healthy relationship with technology is essential, how can we guide them to participate in community, family, and peer experiences in ways that develop them rather than defaulting to doom-scrolling? I believe part of the answer is to create an environment they feel emotionally attached to or invested in, a place where they feel and believe they belong and thrive.
Bringing Engagement to Life: Designing a Meaningful Summer
One key part of engagement is that it often needs a spark to ignite. As parents and educators, we are not always the ones who can make things cool or worthy of engagement. However, if a meaningful summer is what you are after, it will not make itself, and no one camp or program can do everything that fits right for your child. It takes parent coordination and thoughtful selection, but it is pivotal to recognize that engagement should not stop at the doorstep of our homes.
Once we begin to understand what sparks engagement for our children, the next step is bringing that engagement to life in a way that feels natural, not forced, while still balancing summer’s tone of independence, play, and autonomy, both at home and away.
The goal of summer is not to recreate school. Summer should still be joyful and give our children space to explore life, practice skills, and grow confidence. For many students, especially those with learning differences, engagement increases dramatically when there is a sense of connection. Here are a few ideas and reflections for building healthy participation in learning at home:
- Cognitive Skill-Building Apps: A family-wide competition with your child on brain game apps can turn what might feel like isolated practice into something shared and lighthearted. If competition is not your flavor, celebrate consistency, play, and effort rather than who wins. In the end, explore and celebrate growth throughout the time you have played together. Some apps I am loving right now to keep me sharp include Impulse, Lumosity, Elevate, Prodigy, and Kahoot!
- At-Home Trivia Nights: Trivia nights around your own kitchen table with friends or other parents invite students to think, recall, and engage without the pressure of “getting it right” alone. Invite other families and friends to pick the categories, and have students make or choose the prizes. When learning is woven into moments of laughter or connection, it can create tradition and community learning.
- Keep Reading Bite-Sized and Accessible: Summer reading benefits from a shift in approach. Summer does not need to be defined by long chapter books or assigned lists that feel daunting from the start. Instead, consider narrowing the scope for consistency. Poetry, short stories, novellas, podcasts, or articles connected to a child’s interests can make reading feel achievable and rewarding. Pairing reading with conversations on a walk, in the car, or over dinner adds another layer of engagement, helping students process and connect with what they have read in a more meaningful way.
- Weave Writing into Exploration: Writing can follow a similar path. Rather than positioning it as a formal task, parents can invite expression through simple, low-pressure prompts. Questions like “What would your perfect summer day look like if you had an unlimited budget and no constraints?” or “If you could design your own invention, what would it be? Who would you share it with? Who could you help?” give students space to be creative without the weight of getting it completely right. Do not focus on grammar and structure; let them participate in their own way. Writing together, sharing responses out loud, or using voice-to-text tools can reduce resistance and build confidence over time.
- Make Math Real and Purposeful: Toss the worksheets. Math benefits from being pulled out of abstraction and placed into everyday life. Summer offers endless opportunities to make math visible and purposeful. Sending your child on an errand with a set budget, asking them to compare prices, letting them bake alongside you, or involving them in planning a purchase helps them see math as a tool rather than a requirement. If your child loves sports, help them keep score or track statistics. Another opportunity could be setting a savings goal for the summer or asking your child to create a simple “vacation proposal,” complete with a budget for activities, food, or travel.
Finding the Right Balance
It is important to strike a balance between structure and flexibility. Structure develops strong habits; engagement makes them lifelong. Consistency matters more than intensity. A few short and predictable moments each week dedicated to play, creativity, reading, writing, or math can have a far greater impact than an overly ambitious schedule that quickly becomes difficult to maintain. When these routines are anchored to existing parts of the day, such as before screen time, after camp, or after dinner, they begin to feel like a natural rhythm rather than an interruption.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, let your child’s interests lead. Engagement is not something we can manufacture or curate for them; it is something to be nurtured with them. When learning is built around something that already excites them, it becomes less about effort and more about exploration of self.
There is no perfect formula for summer learning, and there should not be. We are all made differently. What matters most is preserving a sense of curiosity and helping children stay connected to their thinking, growth, and confidence without making them feel as if something needs to be sacrificed. We all should feel supported and loved in learning. Let’s teach our children how engagement creates a space where they belong, this summer and all year long.
REFERENCES
1 Single-track year-round education for improving academic achievement in U.S. K-12 schools: Results of a meta-analysis
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8356518
2 Summer learning loss: What we know and what we’re learning
https://www.nwea.org/blog/2026/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maggie Gregory is District Vice President of Operations at Fusion Academy and an experienced education leader with a background in private school administration, education management, and operations. She has a demonstrated history of supporting students, families, and school communities through strategic leadership, management, coaching, marketing, research, social media, and community outreach. Maggie holds a Master’s Degree from Manhattanville College and is passionate about helping students build confidence, engagement, and lifelong learning skills both inside and outside the classroom.
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