Summer 2021
Hooray for summer! While we truly want your children to have a great break from the school year, we also want to make sure we provide a roadmap for connections, enrichment, and family fun. Here are some resources for your summer planning.
Summer Reading Ideas!
Encourage your children to read what interests them and what they love!
- Fresh Summer Reads: New Diverse Picture Book ideas from Ms. Lafionatis
- Inclusive Summer Family Reading List and Journal: The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)
- Tails and Tales: Montgomery County Public Library 2021 Summer Read and Learn Program
- Summer Reading Ideas for Older Elementary Students: a list by Ms. Kelliher
- 2020 Notable Books from the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association)
More Academic Enrichment
From Director of Learning Support Melissa Lafionatis:
- Ms. L's Learning Support Padlet: A great overview of where to go for resources in specific areas
- DREME Family Math (Stanford University): Fun ways to support math learning at home
- Counting with Kids: Making early math part of everyday life
- Made for Math: Fun ways to master math facts
- Wide Open School: Common Sense's wide-ranging guide to making every day a learning adventure, plus resources for parents
- Port Discovery: At-home play, in-person activities, plus parenting tips and resources
Camp Ideas
The DC area has tons of camps, from outdoor adventures to general day camps to specialized programs. Encourage your children to read what interests them and what they love!
- The Day Camp by HoopEd: Right here on Grace's campus, this is a wonderful program for children ages 4-15
- Ivy Camps Online Summer Programs: A variety of online subjects for kids ages 6-14 (use code 3GEDS15
for 15% off / offer valid until June 30, 2021) - Washington Parent: Camp Directory
- Washington Family: Summer Camp Guide
Have Fun Together
Even if your child doesn't participate in a structured program over the summer, there are still a lot of wonderful ways to have fun and keep learning. Here are some suggestions from the Grace staff:
- Go to a museum or a park
- Try to limit screen use. We know it's tough! But kids need a break after a year of intensive screen-based learning
- Cook or bake together
- If you have young kids: work on self-care skills like toilet learning, getting dressed, making a snack, packing a bag to go outside
- Play board games! It's an amazing way to learn counting and strategy skills, and to connect and practice social-emotional skills