Summer is a time for children to relax and have fun. However, as parents, I’m sure you are aware that all play and no learning can lead to the dreaded summer slide. Kids can lose some of their academic knowledge by fall. To combat that we’ve created a list of ways to help keep children engaged in math learning, while still having fun. A way to build your own summer education program at home.

Summer Math: Fun Through Science

DIY Science Experiments: why science? Hands-on science experiments can enhance problem solving and critical thinking skills – the same skill used in mathematics learning. Science experiments are a DIY way to get summer enrichment for you kids at home as they often include measuring and math as some of the steps in creating the experiment. Many simple experiments can be done at home using household items. An online search yields many at-home science experiments. Just be sure you are taking them from a legitimate site, and that you are not creating an experiment with unintended consequences. Good Housekeeping and Arm and Hammer are two sites with great DIY-science experiment content from a terrarium garden to homemade slime and many more. And remember safety first. A good site will recommend the right safety procedures like safety glasses, gloves and of course a lab coat or apron and easily washable clothes!

If your child finds these fun, you can also sneak in some writing skills practice, by suggesting they document their observations and findings in a science journal. Jotting down their questions, observations, hypotheses (what they think will happen), and documenting the experiment and the results, are all part of the scientific method. Have them also note any tricky things that came up, so that if an experiment fails, they know where to look for the problem. If an experiment didn’t work, your child can also write a hypothesis why, and then record the results of a second try.  I once tried to bake bread, but the dough didn’t rise. I narrowed the issue down to either the temperature of the water or that my yeast was expired. New yeast and more careful temps equaled successful bread…which leads us to our next summer math at home enrichment program.

Summer Math in the Kitchen or Workshop:

Cooking and baking are two related tasks that mix math and science with problem solving, while delivering yummy results. Parents can involve children in measuring ingredients, adjusting recipe quantities, and calculating cooking times. For a bonus reading and writing practice, children can help read the recipes, and can also write their own recipes or keep a food diary to reinforce writing practice. Both types of kitchen projects, cooking and baking, provide practical opportunities to reinforce math, while also teaching a practical life skill too! And don’t forget, a parent cooking up another type of project in the garden, workshop or the garage can invite a child to join you measuring and preparing things in those other realms too. These projects offer yet another opportunity to involve kids in math.

Summer Camp Math Classes for Kids Can Help Slow the Summer Slide

See below for more DIY Math learning opportunities below. But for a more consistent teacher-led summer educational program, and a more structured way to keep your child’s math learning high, look to places like an ALOHA Center near you. ALOHA Mind Math’s summer camp classes for elementary school children  are geared to meet your child’s needs at their age group and level of learning. Our teachers adapt to the high achiever, and to the student who is struggling with math. We also have reading and writing programs as well.

Summer Math: the Arts and Culture Route

Did you know that Many libraries have free passes to local attractions, museums, and public gardens in your area? Some libraries also offer math-related activities, so be sure to check that option as well.  Find a museum or attraction that matches your child’s interests. If your older child likes biology take them to the zoo (or even to a farm’s petting zoo). Zoos often have educational programs, and the signage is also educational. If you also have a younger child, you can count the animals with them, or have them count the number of spots on the giraffe or the stripes on a tiger or zebra.

Or you could take a child who likes science to a public garden. See how many flower and tree species you can find. Public gardens also often have one-hour workshops and programs for kids too. Map reading also is a skill related to math relating to measurement and spatial skills. Be sure to get a map or a brochure at the attraction and help your child learn to navigate the location, which also builds confidence. If your child is into cars or history, art or space – see what other museums might fit their interests.

Free Math Games Online to Help Fill the Summertime Slump

We know that during summertime, screen use goes up. And sometimes kids become couch potatoes glued to that screen. What if you made a bargain and set a certain time each day that screen time has to be on a math games website or app. We’ve selected a few free sites to help you get started. While not the same as hands on learning with a parent or a teacher at a summer camp, these sites definitely combine fun with learning.

• https://pbskids.org/games/math
• These games are organized by age group – https://www.mathgametime.com/math-games

Be aware – when download apps to your tablet or phone; please test theme out before you let your kids have free rein. You’ll need to be sure there are no in-app purchases luring kids to spend money. And be especially careful of sites that have ads. While many have filters in place to prevent the wrong ads being shown, others don’t. No parent wants their child to be exposed to the wrong ads. Many websites use cookies that follow the browser user – so ads that follow you around for perfume or cigars could show up on your child’s math app. The two sites mentioned above don’t have ads.

Summer Math Activities Wrap Up:

For one final Math-related entertainment option check out our ALOHA blog post on Math Movies and TV Shows I’ll also remind you that summer math learning happens every day at home. When you find yourself checking the time, tallying a tip, reviewing a receipt, grocery shopping and comparing prices, and using your phone’s calculator, point it out to your child. Whether gaging how much of something or how large something is, with a measuring cup or a measuring tape, invite your children to help. Summer learning loss is one thing, but seeing math in action in daily life helps make mathematics feel useful children.

Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.

Are Academic Summer Camps worth it for elementary school students? Parents often ask… What are the Benefits? Of course, they do help to beat the summer slide where some students may lose some of their school learning. Summer education programs for kids also provide some of the school-like structure that many kids thrive under, and yet they try to do it in a fun, engaging way. However, according to the research, the benefits run deeper than you might think.

Yes, Studies show that Camps Reinforce Academic Skills and Slow the Summer Slide for Elementary Kids

Educational summer school programs excel at keeping your child’s mind and body busy. This, in turn, can help slow the dreaded summer learning loss. These programs sometimes approach subjects in a different from traditional schools. This can help children integrate the things they learned in school the past year, and even build on that knowledge; instead of losing it.  According to a Rand report “Rigorous studies have shown that strong summer programs can achieve several important goals: (1) reverse summer learning loss; (2) achieve learning gains; and (3) give low-performing students the chance to master material that they did not learn during the school year.” Other studies show, that especially with coronavirus-related learning loss, these programs can be even more important. *

Find a Summer School or Enrichment Program Near you that Allows your Child to Get Help with a Difficult Subject 

Parents get brownie points if they can support their child in solving a problem they’re having. This approach can be challenging but can often reap huge rewards…talking with your child about what school subject they most struggle with. Then, find a program to help them learn that skill outside of traditional school settings. ALOHA’s summer Math and Reading and Writing skills classes can be a great match. See below for ways that educational camps may offer an environment that help some children learn more effectively.

2023 Summer School Classes and Camps Provide Structure to a Sometimes Chaotic, or “Boring” Three Months

Yes, children need free time to play, be active, and relax. However, this sometimes devolves into kids on the couch playing video games, watching TV, or moping around the house saying “I’m boooored.” Other times it can lead to constant battles with parents to get children to do something, anything! Some students, although they may not realize or admit it, thrive on structure, and tend to get lost in summertime. While a child’s summer doesn’t need to mimic the timed hourly setting that school gives, adding some structure, like a camp, can be helpful. 

Many Summer Educational Camps Offer a Deep Dive into a Subject

Does your child show a deep of love Mathematics, or reading and books, or writng? The freedom to concentrate on one subject without distractions is something that summer camps also offer. Taking a deeper look into a topic or interest can help a student gain confidence and a greater foundational knowledge. It can also cement an interest or help them decide that something is not for them. My brother is a university biology professor specializing in plant genetics. When he was a teen, he attended a marine biology summer camp. He found that while biology still got a thumbs up, that the ocean wasn’t where his interests were going to flourish. 

Academic Camps Can Help Children Build Social Skills During Summer

In addition to helping with school-type learning, summer educational programs help shuffle your child’s social groups, and grow their social skills, in a good way. Often children move through elementary school with the same other children in the classroom year after year. But summer camps often pull from a broader regional area and a broader demographic. That means your child gets to meet other students who are like them, who love to learn, yet who are different from their school peers; or those who are also struggling with a subject. Non-school programs may also let your child step out of their regular school persona and perhaps step into a leadership role or learn that participation in a group effort can also help them make friends. Some summer activities can be team-based, enabling kids to explore leadership, cooperation, and other social abilities.

Developing Greater Confidence is Another Benefit of the Focused Lessons in Summer Classes 

In school, some kids in certain subjects get stuck in the middle, some excel, while others seem to lag behind. If your child is one who seems to be stuck in a rut with a particular subject at elementary school, having new kids in this summertime class, and a new instructor, can give them a fresh start. A child can reinvent him or herself in a new learning setting, while parents can watch their self-confidence soar. 

Along with exploring the class subject, ALOHA’s Math and Reading/Writing programs teach crucial skills kids need these days: confidence, critical thinking and problem solving, not just rote memorization. At ALOHA we adapt our programs during the summer to give a more focused approach. We always group children by age: 3-5, 4-7, 7-12, rather than by specific grade level; which shifts kid’s peer groups. And our small group, instructor-led programs involve the whole child. Our learning model is interactive, we don’t just hand out worksheets, or sit your child in front of a computer terminal; we provide a targeted and engaging learning environment.

Summer Programs can Enrich your Child’s Life and have Lasting Benefits

In recent years, children are being asked to deal with more change than is usual for their age. From changing health environments, to changing school environments, and even changing climate. Today’s children need to learn resilience and independence. Summer sleep away camps can offer this to a high degree, but can be very expensive, and anxiety inducing for some kids. But, according to research, * a weekly local camp on a targeted subject can give kids a smaller taste that leads to more than just educational learning: 

• Independence: Summer academic camp can allow your child to step outside of the family and school circle and try new things
• Passion: It can allow a child to gain a foothold in a new interest, with other kids who have the same curiosity 
• Belief: It can offer a stronger foundation in a tough subject for a child who is struggling to believe in themselves
• Growth: it can allow children to leap to new heights in an advanced-topic program

Each of these benefits, along with the simple act of stepping into a different summer camp educational environment, is a ticket to less learning loss, a bit more independence, resilience, and maybe even some fun and new friends. 

*Research from various sources all back up the statement that summer camps offer a variety of benefits for many different students with varying backgrounds. Research: 

• Rand about the effectiveness of summer programs in combatting summer learning loss
• Harvard University about the social learning during summer camps
• The NIH – The Effects of Summertime Experiences on Children’s Development

Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer, and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.

How to Build Effective Studying Skills for Elementary School Children

Studying Tips for Elementary School Children

Helping your elementary school child develop good study skills is crucial. We’ve created a list of both serious and fun techniques so parents can help their children study more effectively. In addition to improving current academic performance, building strong study habits now, will be even more useful as school gets more challenging. Remember, discussing ideas with your kids, will make improving children’s study habits more likely to be successful.

Setting Aside Time for both Homework and Studying Brings Great Benefits

Parents who teach the importance of both homework and studying give elementary students a head start. Understanding these different and equally important tasks, will be vital as schooling progresses. Homework focuses on teacher-set tasks to help children learn or demonstrate an understanding of one aspect of a subject. Studying improves a child’s understanding of underlying concepts and how new learning fits into the larger subject (i.e. how fractions connect with existing math knowledge and how they build on multiplication and division). Motivating kids to make studying a weekly habit, makes doing homework easier and avoids the need for cramming for tests. Reviewing homework, flash cards, sight words, and vocabulary/spelling lists and are a few ways studying can reinforce homework and cement learning. Older students can study tables or charts, take notes while reading a chapter, and summarize what a child read in his/her own words.

Help your Child Set Mini-Goals for Study and Homework Sessions

Setting short-term goals can help elementary school students build an effective framework for studying. This process becomes crucial in middle school and high school. Having a goal, or setting an intention, for a block of time can help anchor and focus a child’s mind.* Adapt these ideas for your child and grade level: create a set of 3×5 cards of frequent goals/study tasks, or use a printed check list, sticky notes, or a whiteboard with check boxes:

• I am focusing on my (subject)_______ homework
• I am studying for a test on (subject)_______
• I’m learning my sight words (or spelling, vocabulary, punctuation, or synonyms)
• I’m working on my social studies homework (more specific: I’m learning the states or continents)
• I’m doing my science homework (or I’m learning about volcanos)
• I’m learning math (or shapes, or practicing counting, telling time, addition, or fractions)
• I am practicing reading
• I’m practicing my letters or writing sentences

*Bonus Study Tips: using action words (learning, doing, working on, practicing, studying, focusing on) when setting a short-term goal or intention is a powerful focusing aid. An inexpensive double-sided whiteboard can be extra useful for this. You can list the statements on the back to help your child remember, but just put the one they are working on right now on the front side. This can help an anxious student focus on the one task (not all of their homework). Kids also get the satisfaction of wiping the one task off when they are done!

Studies Show that Taking Breaks Can Improve Focus for Kids (and Adults)

Learn to notice when your child needs a break in their study routine. If a child is frustrated, completes a section of homework, or when switching subjects, these might be perfect times for a quick break. Invite your child to stand up with you and turn on some music and dance, sing, or try jumping jacks or running in place briefly. You can also ask them if their teacher uses Go Noddle – and what their favorite break is at school. Getting a child’s heart rate up, event for 30 seconds, can wake up the brain and help with focus.

For a quieter break, you can try a mini-mindfulness minute. While kids aren’t likely to jump for joy at a 20-minute meditation, they can join you in taking, 15 breaths – slightly slower than usual: count in one, out one; in two, out two… up to 15 ins and outs and they’ve done 1 minute of mindfulness meditation! You can even work in a positive affirmation at the beginning and end of the breathing exercise, if you know they are nervous about a subject, or about an upcoming test.

Is Background Noise Stimulating for your Child or Over-stimulating While Studying?

I won’t dwell on creating a study space; I’m sure you have that down by now. One thing that remains essential is to monitor your child’s distraction-level in this space. Do they need to be near people to stay on task? Or is a quieter space better, with occasional check-ins from an adult. Headphones with music can be distracting or helpful, depending on the student. With little ones, you’ll need to monitor volume, but there are plenty of brands made for children. Although pricier, noise-cancelling headphones can also help some kids study more effectively.

Three Ways to Make Studying More Fun and Engaging for Elementary School Kids

Does your child have a favorite superhero, cape, or costume? Why not let your kids dress up to do homework or study. My oldest nephew wore a cape at home often when he was younger. What if your child donned a cape to become The Homework Hero. Or a child with a tall, pointed hat could be the Witch or Wizard of Words, Math or Studying. Or wearing a crown, your child could be the king or queen of Homework-Land.

Does your child have a favorite action figure, stuffed animal, or poster of their favorite hero or story book figure? Let them decorate their space with that theme or bring their stuffed animal, poster, or book to their study space. It can help a child feel less isolated while learning.

Incorporate play breaks as well as movement breaks can be a win. Parents can reward children for completing homework for the day with games: from crayons to puzzles (interactive or jigsaw), or a session with play blocks or plastic bricks for older kids. At the end of the week consider a chess match or a family game night. How about a crafting session, beading is a big hit currently, but choose whatever your child likes. When I was into making colored thread bracelets, if my mom had said, “Once you’ve finished studying for your test, you can show me how you make your bracelets.” I would have jumped through the studying hoops way faster.

Use Visual Aides if your Child is Having Difficulties with a Subject

This starts with an awareness of your child’s learning styles and grades. Asking your child what is easy and what they are struggling with is another reference point. Then you can help your child design a solution or bring the right aid into the study space. Would flash cards that you created with your child, mind maps, or diagrams help your child with a specific subject? You can also teach memory techniques to help your child learn, like the abacus visual/mental math that ALOHA teaches or using acronyms like Roy G Biv for rainbow colors, and finding kids songs that teach concepts they are learning.

For Success, Build your Child’s Study Habits around his/her Needs

By adapting some of these study and homework tips and techniques to work effectively for your elementary school aged child’s needs, you can help your student stay engaged, motivated, and on track for academic success.

Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer, and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.

Why talk about movies and math for children? Math-related films can help a child dream and perhaps envision a future using math in their lives and careers. They can also help kids understand that adults use math every single day of their lives as adults. For parts of the country where winter puts a damper on outdoor activities, math films and documentaries can make for a fun bit of educational screen time. In addition – your child, who may be learning the basics of coding, may be interested to learn how math is used in the making of movies.

How Math Helps Movies Get Made

This section falls under the “bet you didn’t know” category. Most animated films require significant amounts of math to bring them to life. People may not realize just how much math is involved for example:

• In making the fish in Finding Nemo move in a lifelike manner
• In creating the way most animated characters walk and talk, so that they look lifelike
• and even in how the lighting, and shadows enhance a scene

Animated films start out just like other films, with the writers trying to tell a good story through a written script. Then it is turned over to be created by animators working on computers, along with the director and the voice-over actors. The math involved can include trigonometry, algebra and even calculus! Math in animation is also used to identify aspect ratios, viewpoints, and color balance. Animators also use math to calculate movement and frame rates in each scene.

Math is also used in non-animated movies by the cinematographer and the film camera operators. A movie video camera is an expensive and intricate piece of machinery. It employs mathematics to make the choices and shots that the cinematographer makes… work correctly. From choosing the right aperture on the camera (which highlights what in the scene is in focus and in view during a shot), the focal length of the lens (wide angle or zoom), to selecting the camera angle to get the best shots for each movie scene. The cinematographer has to make those decisions based on how the math inside the camera works.  

Stunt coordinators also need to use math to plan out the stunts action heroes and their stunt-doubles carry out. They calculate, distances, angles, trajectories and even the size of a special effect and how it might affect an actor or a camera operator.

Discussing this information with your child might help to connect his or her learning with real-world activities, especially if your child is learning coding and math.

NOTE: We have split the list of math-related entertainment PG movies and documentaries that make math fun and engaging, and a one PG-13 film for middle-school or older children. We suggest that parents review movies first, so they can decide what is appropriate for their child. We have provided where to watch links, and many DVDs are also available through your local library system. Please check the TV/online streaming services you subscribe to as films often become available and leave various channels/services. You can also check the IMDB.com (Internet Movie Database) for watch options, but it does not always show all options.

Math Movies for Younger Kids

Donald in Mathmagic Land (PG, 1959)

Why this film? Coming in just under 30 minutes and made in 1959, it is still relevant today. The math concepts in this film (featuring the lovable Donald Duck) haven’t changed. The 30-minute film, available either on YouTube or on DVD, covers both basic and some advanced mathematical principles. It shows how mathematics is used in games from chess to sports. The film covers a lot of territory also revealing how it is present in music; the natural world; and in science, engineering and even transportation. And when it mentions the more advanced concepts like the Fibonacci sequence and the golden section or ratio, it does so in kid-friendly language. As a matter of fact, several people in the YouTube comments said they watched this over and over as a child, and they credit this film in part, with their pursuing an interest in math and science. Although the automated captions on YouTube do a poor job sometimes of translating Donald Duck’s voice, happily the narrator’s captions are accurate. At the end it notes that “these are the doors to the future and the key to unlocking them is mathematics,” which is a great jumping off point for discussion with kids about how math has done just that. Remember, this was completed before the U.S. landed on the moon!

How to Watch:

• Watch free on YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BqnN72OlqA
• or buy a DVD from Amazon: Link: https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Mathmagic-Land-Paul-Frees/dp/B00287Z1F2/

The Story of One (G, 2005)

This G-rated 60-minute British documentary explores the number system that we use. Its clean humor creates an engaging romp through numbers and math by Terry Jones from Monty Python. From the number one and how it helped to build early ancient cities, to how money works, to how the number one teamed up with the number zero to create and dominate our current digital world.

Free to watch: https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/story-of-one/

More Math Films for Slightly Older Children

The Story of Maths (G, 2008)

This is a four-part British documentary series following the history of mathematics from the ancient past to the early 21 century. It covers familiar concepts from the invention of Zero to complex numbers and on to cryptography, from geometry to quantum mechanics and even explores the unproven Riemman Hypothesis.  Very little in the field of mathematics is left unexplored in this film.

How to Watch:

The first episode is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOgc9DBXZu8

The entire series is currently available via Amazon Prime on Curiosity Stream or BBC Select with a 7-day free trial or if you have a subscription to those channels: https://www.amazon.com/To-Infinity-and-Beyond/dp/B08BVZNJ7P

Nova: The Great Math Mystery (PG, 2015) is 51 minutes long, which explores Mathematics and is from

Why this PBS program? It presents the origins and history of mathematics, exploring the question “Was math invented by humans or is it the language of the universe.” From Pythagoras and Newton to Einstein, through geometry, and Pi. This program follows threads, like the law of falling bodies and how it changed from Aristotle to Galileo to Newton and became the law of gravity. It pulls thread like these all the way through to landing the Curiosity rover on Mars. It delves into music, nature, digital photography, the internet, the cosmos and much more and most importantly, the math behind it all.

How to Watch: 

Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWb8gfoDDhs

Buy the DVD from PBS: https://shop.pbs.org/WC0492.html

Queen of Katwe (PG 2016)

Why? During the pandemic, the popularity of chess increased wildly, which means this film might be right up the alley for children who play the game. IMDb Synopsis: A 10-year-old Ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess.

How to Watch:

It can be bought or rented from Amazon: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4341582

It can also be purchased YouTube Movies and TV and may be available if you have Disney plus

One Classic Math Movie for Middle School or Older Kids (PG, 1985; has some mild cursing)

Back to the Future

Why? This is a classic sci-fi, adventure, comedy film from 1985, Back to the Future, has our teenaged hero and his professor time travel in a Delorean sports car. If your child is interested in STEM and inventions this film will be a rollicking ride. From the IMDB: “Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.” In addition to the imaginary Flux capacitor, it also touches on real math concepts like statistics, rates, units, and probabilities. There is even an Education Week article on the mathematics in the movie. Check the IMDB section below the trailer to find your watching options. In addition to those listed, you can also buy it and watch it on YouTube as well.

How to Watch:

See options on the IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/ – Currently available on TBS, TNT or rent or buy streaming on Amazon Prime or buy the DVD.

Again, please search for these films on whichever services you subscribe to from cable to streaming, as the availability changes over time. Also please remember, many DVDs are also available through your local library system.

What are ALOHA Learning Centers all About?

Are you looking for an afterschool enrichment program in math, or reading and writing, for your child? At ALOHA, we help set the foundation children need for academic success and lifelong achievement. Inside your child lies an unrealized capacity for learning. At ALOHA, our mission is to unleash this potential so that your child can get ahead – and stay ahead – in a competitive academic environment. We use small-group, personalized teacher lead classes, rather than self-directed math worksheets or computer programs. An Early Start. A Lifetime of Achievement. For more information book an appointment, (877) 256-4203, (or) click the link to find a center near you https://alohamindmath.com/find-a-center.

Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer, and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.

As the year winds down, it’s time to take stock of how the first half of the school year went. And, during the holidays, it can be tempting to leave school habits behind. However, come January, you might be wishing you had stayed the course. And what are New Year’s resolutions anyway? Consider reframing them for parents and kids to build new habits.

Mid-year Holiday How’s School Going Review

Children have been in school for half a year now. You’ll be getting their grades soon, or you may have gotten them at Thanksgiving (if you are on a trimester system). As you read this, if your kids are in middle school, they may be taking mid-term exams. Over the holidays and into the new year is a great time to take stock and reassess. One thing we would urge you to consider is, when you make decisions about your child learning needs, that you involve your children in the decisions that most directly affect them. It can make it more challenging up front, but the dividends of getting them involved in picking the solutions are priceless.

Try Sticking, Mostly, to School Time Routines Even Over the Holidays

Over the holidays, it can be tempting to let bedtime, wake up times and learning times slide completely. However, that can be a slippery slope that you and your child may have to trudge back up that steep hill come January. Yes, it is fine to loosen stricter routines a bit, but it can be very helpful to keep some of them in place. Maybe bedtime and/or wake up times can be a half-hour later. But sticking with specific times, rather than something that is haphazard, will make getting back to school on time much easier. Of course, adapt these suggestions to what works for your own family.

The same with studying. It can be tempting to slack off on learning too. As adults we know how hard it can be to restart something once we’ve stopped. You might find ways to modify learning/homework times that are more relaxed, but not drop them all together. Teachers emphasize that keeping up with math and spelling “facts” (flash cards for math or word-building – or whatever learning aids you already use) can be a big help in keeping our little ones in a learning mode. Kids don’t need to be doing worksheets but looking through your child’s folder from school and seeing what skills they can practice during homework times – but tackle it in a more relaxed fashion.

Parenting New Year’s Resolution Number 1 – Make Time to Recharge your own Batteries

Our winter prescription for parents is self-care first. What new (or existing, or former) habit can you build on that will create space for you to breathe or get grounded in the new year. Is it trading off with your spouse (or hiring a sitter) to have 30 minutes to a couple of hours of “you” time a few days a week: take a walk, relax while puttering around the garden, or take a hot bath; try reading a book with some hot cocoa, or watch a movie; get a massage or a manicure; meditate, take a yoga class, go to the gym or hop on your exercise bike (or real bike in the spring). Carve out a bit of time to put some gas in your tank…if you have no energy, the family bus isn’t getting very far.

If you can, also carve out some time a few times a month to do something as a couple or, especially if you are a single parent, with friends.

Number 2: New Year’s Resolution for Parents – Select this One for Yourself

The same way below we’ll suggest that you involve your child in making his or her resolutions, we’re going to turn this one back to you. Take some time to look at what you would like next year to look like. Are there goals you want to accomplish, are there old hobbies you’d like to renew, or is there some learning goal that you want to achieve – going back to school, gaining a certification, or a work program? If that is one of your goals you could end up connecting with your child in a whole new way, by studying together. We’ve suggested some lofty goals, but you can, of course, pick something much simpler. This one is all up to you.

Number 3 Resolution Could be One on Behalf of your Child: Consider if an Afterschool Enrichment Program Would Benefit Him or Her

Enrolling your child in an afterschool enrichment, such as math or reading/writing program, in the new year is a solid resolution whether your child loves learning or is more of a reluctant learner. Programs like those ALOHA runs, support children in math or language arts (reading and writing), in ways that both build skills and develop confidence. Eager learners move beyond their existing skill set and those who are behind can catch up to their peers in our teacher-led, small group classes.

Reframe New Year’s Resolutions for Kids (and Adults) into Building Habits

Instead of thinking of “New Year’s resolutions” for kids – how about reframing it as building habits that will help make your child’s life better or easier. Finding a resolution that will work for a child requires his or her buy-in. While it can be hard to resist telling a child some good ideas, asking them what they would like to do or add or make progress on in the next year, makes it more likely that they will have success

You can also make a deal to help them achieve a goal. For a child who loves to read, parents can agree to take their child to the local library twice a month…if the child agrees to set a stronger habit of reading 20 to 30 minutes daily. (Bonus parenting tip here – there is evidence that when children see their parents reading, it reinforces the reading habit in a very strong way). If parents agree to do the same thing, maybe at bedtime, it only reinforces the new habit. Another healthy habit or resolution, if your child is drawing a blank about setting a new habit, is to find a non-screen activity the child likes to do then aiming for twice a week. Help children think through what they like most – do they love nature – maybe it is a walk in the park daily or, once spring comes learning to garden (you can help them look at seed or garden catalogues now). There are so many things from soccer, knitting, singing in chorus at school or choir at church, join the girl or boy scouts to chess.

From keeping kids on track over the holidays, to New Year’s Resolutions for parents, ALOHA Mind Math has your back. Resolutions or building new habits, finding time to relax or practicing math flash cards, this season brings many opportunities and choices. We hope you make the best of them!