If Kids Aren’t Studying, Are They Wasting Their Summer?

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As summer vacation days dwindle and families return to Beijing, parents may find themselves wondering just what to do with the kids for the remaining holiday before school starts. There are formal options to keep them off the PlayStation, of course. (Stay tuned for our DIY Summer Camp replete with free ideas and activities!) Camp is a long-standing childhood tradition and summer school programs are always debated by the highest achieving tiger moms. Many parents waffle between committing to a structured summer plan that will “guarantee” an Ivy League acceptance letter and a carefree summer of beach picnics and family vacations.

But a summer spent at home doesn’t need to be an educational wasteland. Many parents around the world pay a fortune for their kids to spend a summer in a foreign country and enjoy an immersive experience. This could be a great adventure! It will require a little forethought and planning but it’s doable and can be one of the most educationally profound experiences your child has; ultimately teaching them a lot about self-directed learning.

All of the suggestions below depend on age and resources. Teens will obviously be more involved in the planning and research phases while younger students might need more direction from you, and simpler, more hands-on projects. But the important part is that you include them in the process and help them make the most of their summer here in China.

Start with a brainstorming session: What is your child interested in? Make a list of everything they can think of. Outer space, the mystery of the Terra Cotta Warriors, coding, animal conservation, why birds fly, coral reefs, speed reading… There are no wrong answers! Kids are naturally curious so find out what is currently producing wonder and sparking questions for them. I suggest choosing at least one local subject connected to China at large – or more specifically, Beijing – and one broader topic. For our example, let’s say we agree to spend the summer learning about outer space and the Terra Cotta Warriors.

Next, research anchor events: Have older children help with this. What are some local activities that could be helpful in learning about these topics? Beijing currently has a space program exhibit at the China Science and Technology Museum. That’s a perfect day trip for our space research! Likewise, Xi’an is the home of the Warriors and a short train ride away.

Set goals and pick projects: Let them choose a focal point to work towards. Something that they can point to at the end of the summer and feel a sense of accomplishment.

In our example, let’s say they want to learn what makes a rocket fly and help plan the family trip to Xi’an where they can act as an informal tour guide, telling everyone about the Warriors.

Help them make a checklist: All projects have smaller steps that lead to achievement. This is an invaluable skill to cultivate, so help them plan their own success. Their list might look something like this.

Rocket Objective: Learn what makes a rocket fly.

• Go to the library (real or virtual) and check out books;

• Look up videos on the topic from reputable sources;

• Take a trip to the space museum and conduct research;
  

• Develop a hypothesis and construct an experiment to test it;
       *Is a balloon powered rocket possible?

• Run the experiment and form a conclusion.

Terra Cotta Warriors Objective: Take the family to visit the famous excavation site.

· Research the history of the Warriors using books, videos, and social media content so the child can act as the family’s guide;
· Create a short presentation to educate the family prior to your trip;
· Research train times, hotels, museum opening times, and list the costs to help create a budget;
· Submit a schedule and itinerary to the family prior to leaving.

Decide how to document each project: At the end of the summer, you want the kids to have a tangible outcome for the work they did. That can be a written paper, a journal, scrap book, slide show, or short video from the trip – anything that helps them see how much they accomplished.

For example:

Rocket project: Daily scientific journal with notes and photos of the research and experiments.

Xi’an trip: Family slide show of your adventure to send home to extended family so they can enjoy what you did this summer too!

Make a schedule: Create a big calendar your child can look at each day.

The big deadlines first: The trip to Xi’an will happen on [this]day. The experiment will happen on [this]day, and the journal will be presented at a special family dinner on [this]day.

Larger day trips/special events next:  Go to the science museum the morning of [this]date and the last day to buy train tickets is on [this]date, etc.

Finally, day-to-day tasks: Block out time for each day leading up to those milestone events. Make sure to leave plenty of time for rest, exercise, and fun. It is summer vacation after all.

A typical day's schedule might look something like this:

8-9am: Wake up, have breakfast, get dressed.
9-10.30am: Research and experiment time! Read, watch, and take notes that move you toward your goal.
10.30-11am: Record my progress on the rocket in your science journal and make a checklist of next steps/what to do tomorrow during your research time.
11am-noon: Get some fresh air. Go for a bike ride or play on the playground.
noon-1pm: Lunch break.
1-2pm: Rest period. Nap, pleasure reading, Lego builds, or any other relaxing activity.
2-4pm: Play date at the pool.
4-6pm: Unstructured play time. TV and video games are okay here but set the amount of screen time you are comfortable with in advance.
6pm: Family dinner.
8pm: Bedtime.

Obviously, be flexible. The point of this experience is to help kids learn the importance of balancing work and play. Life shifts and the schedule shifts with it. But having a guideline will help stave off the dreaded, “There is nothing to doooooo, I’m booooored!” and allow kids to learn how to structure their own time effectively.

Check in and follow up: There are no grades here. The objective is to have the child love the process of learning and see the growth that results from their efforts. You will need to check-in by asking simple questions, offering appreciation, encouragement, and advice as needed.

• What have you learned?

• I didn’t know that!

• That’s so interesting!
  

• What feels like a challenge?

• How can we solve that problem?

• Do you need some help/What can I do to assist you?

Don’t be shocked if your child goes off on tangents. It’s not uncommon for their research to lead to something else that fascinates them. In fact, that’s a great thing! It means they are enjoying the process. If that happens support the exploration but gently remind them to finish what they started. “It’s amazing that Mars is similar to Earth in so many ways. Let’s make a note of some books and resources we can come back to after you finish the rocket project!”

At the end of the summer, if the rocket doesn’t fly or the Warriors were a bit of a disappointment, it’s totally okay. Your child should feel that they learned something valuable and be proud of their work. To paraphrase John Henry Newman, the quest for knowledge is its own reward.

Images: Pexels

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