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Summer is a great time to relax and have fun, but for many kids, it’s also the time they lose all that precious knowledge they learned during the school year. This occurrence has been dubbed “summer slide” in recent years, and essentially it defines the academic regression kids experience over the summer. Sadly, that months-long break from school can really set kids back, but the good news is that there are ways to help them beat it! In fact, we’ve rounded up some smart must-have products that will help kids combat the summer slide and keep on learning, all while having fun.
Must Have Items To Combat Summer Slide
Educational Toys
- Qwirkle Mix And Match Game
- Keva Brain Builders
- Science Academy Perfume Lab
- Logic Links Puzzle Box
- Code Hopper Hop Skip And Jump Coding Game
Books
- Adventures Of Tom Sawyer
- Island Of The Blue Dolphins
- A Wrinkle In Time
- Anne Of Green Gables
- Charlotte's Web
Tools
Fun Ways to Beat Summer Slide
It wouldn’t be summer without a little fun and just because some kids’ products have a learning focus doesn’t mean children won’t have a blast with them. From toys and games to books and puzzles, these 10 picks will keep your child’s brain sharp without them even realizing it.
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Educational Toys
1 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Qwirkle Mix and Match Game
Qwirkle: Tactical maneuvers, quick-thinking and a well-planned strategy is required for this fun tile-matching game
2 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Keva Brain Builders
This fun STEM game provides kids with 200 blocks and challenge cards in which they have to build various structures. The goal is to recreate the 2-D image on the card into a 3-D structure.
3 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Science Academy Perfume Lab
Science Academy Perfume Lab: Kids can try their hand at mixing their own perfume with this game, which lets them play scientist as they test their chemistry, biology and critical-thinking skills. You might just have a mini Coco Chanel on your hands.
4 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Logic Links Puzzle Box
Follow the clues to solve the puzzle in this fun game in which kids use deductive reasoning to solve the 166 challenges included in the set.
5 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Code Hopper Hop Skip and Jump Coding Game
Learn coding in an active way! Just like a computer, kids will be tasked with following directions, decision making and learning to sequence.
Books
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Adventures of Tom Sawyer
This classic tale is great for a bit of summer escapism. Tom Sawyer and his buddy Huck Finn set off on a series of boyhood adventures in their home state of Missouri, not without getting into a bit of trouble along the way.
7 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Young Karana spends 18 years of her life in solitude on an island off the coast of California in this inspiring story that teaches resilience and self-reliance.
8 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
A Wrinkle in Time
This science-fiction tale follows Meg Marry as she travels through different dimensions to find her scientist father, who went missing several years before. Highlighting the power of a child’s love, A Wrinkle in Times is a Newbery Medal winner and one of the greatest children's books ever written. If that’s not enough to get your kid reading, give them a little extra incentive by telling them they can watch the movie version (starring Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon) once they finish the book.
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Anne of Green Gables
Fiery orphan Anne is mistakenly sent to Green Gables farm to live with middle-aged siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had thought that they were adopting a boy. Despite the mixup, imaginative Anne eventually wins over the Cuthberts and the rest of the town of Avonlea. Your child will love the fierceness and positivity of this classic tale.
10 of 13 Image Credits: Amaon
Charlotte’s Web
Meet Wilbur the pig, who was the runt of the litter and saved by a little girl named Fern. When Wilbur gets sent away to a different farm, he makes a new friend in spider Charlotte. Kids will learn about the power of friendship in this beloved story about love and loss.
Tools
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BrainQuest
These card games challenge kids and can be done anywhere. Take them in the car or on the plane to keep children engaged during downtime. The challenges are fun without being too easy or too hard. For an added challenge, buy the deck that’s one grade level above your child’s current grade.
12 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
School Zone Flash Cards
These flash cards test your child’s math skills and provide hours of learning fun. Learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and Go Fish! with these great cards. After all, children learn what they repeatedly do, see and say, which makes flash cards the perfect learning tool.
13 of 13 Image Credits: Amazon
Children’s Map
Hanging something as simple as a world map in a place where your kid will see it can spark a great conversation about geography. Challenge your kid to learn a new country each week and just watch as they spout off the capital of Tanzania by August! (Hint, it’s Dodoma).
