Being out of school during the summer can be a very exciting prospect for kids, and a daunting one for working parents. Engaging summer programs for children can be costly and challenging, and many studies have shown that those precious months of disengaging their brains from academics can have a detrimental effect on children’s growth -- known as summer learning loss.
First Time for Everything
In an effort to combat the effects of summer learning loss, Escondido Union School District (EUSD) partners with local organizations like YMCA and Treobytes to create an engaging Summer School Program for children.
This summer was particularly special, because San Diego Children's Discovery Museum was a part of this partnership for the very first time.
While EUSD provided the top-notch academic piece in the mornings to prevent the students’ loss in math, San Diego Children's Discovery Museum was thrilled to contribute a meaningful and engaging enrichment program for the 1-3rd graders.
Making time for enrichment in a child’s education has been recognized as being hugely beneficial to their overall growth. Utilizing the many great assets at our disposal, the Museum brought original content, our stellar educators, and even some of the exciting mobile exhibits that we offer through our Mobile Children’s Museum. From plate tectonic demonstrations to petri dish experiments to a forensic week, the kids had fun, meaningful, and engaging experiences!
Keep the Learning Going with San Diego Discovery Children’s Museum
The whole experience was like a match made in heaven and we were overjoyed to see the students get so much out of their summer! If you missed the opportunity this summer, don’t fret, because there will continue to be more wonderful collaborations throughout the school year. The Museum has an ongoing partnership with EUSD during the regular school semesters that will be available for all 17 schools within the district. The Museum programs will include:
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Afterschool Enrichment for the 2nd and 3rd grades
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Family memberships for all preschoolers
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Memberships for check-out
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Mobile Children’s Museum for all 1st graders which are also available for preschool through 5th grade,
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Field Trip Workshops for Kindergarteners that are also available for Preschool through 3rd grade
No matter what time of the year it is, San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum gives children a place to explore, imagine and experiment. The Museum offers drop-off camps during many traditional school breaks that are engaging and fun for children. For more information, visit http://sdcdm.org/programs/camps.
Will Steinfield is an Educator with a background in elementary and middle school education, STEM enrichment, and summer academic programs.
References:
https://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Enriching_Out_School/
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/06/summer-math-loss