MUNCIE, Ind. – Parents can use the summer months to strengthen their children’s learning skills, says a Ball State University educator.

While on summer break many students regress, forgetting some of the information learned during the school year. Teachers are then forced to reteach information in the fall.

Visits to the library, zoo, children’s museum or other museums may be used to combine fun activities with learning while at the same time reduce any loss of learned information, said Lawrence Smith, chair of the elementary education department.

He urges parents to become actively involved in developing fun learning activities during June, July and August.

"Take them to the grocery store with your shopping list," Smith said. "They can read the ingredients, add calories and fat grams, calculate prices by using coupons, and add up the total bill.

"You can also enjoy a baseball game with your child, learning about math by keeping statistics such as batting and earned run averages," he said. "These are the same types of things that children do every day in school, but they are fun because it is real world learning."

One of the best places to improve learning skills is the local public library. Students can delve into any interesting subject of their choosing, no matter the grade level, Smith said.

"A library card is worth a fortune to a child," he said. "There are so many books, tapes and other materials to keep them interested for the entire summer. If they are interested, they’ll keep learning and are less likely to regress."

Students may also participate in low-cost educational programs offered through nearby universities and learning centers, he said.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Smith by e-mail at lsmith@bsu.edu or by phone at (765) 285-8564.)