Prevent Summer Brain Drain

Children look forward to the free time and warm days that summertime brings, but the outdoor season can also bring brain drain, with students losing up to 60 percent of what they've learned during the school year.

Student can lose a lot of what they learn during the school year on their summer breaks. Learn how to keep the brain drain to a minimum.

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According to a new report from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, brain drain during the first five years of school can hurt kids later on, in high school and college.

The report also said that all children lost some skills over the summer, especially in math.

In literacy, low-income children lose skills and knowledge during the summer months while middle-income children continue to learn or stay even.

Parenting contributor Ann Pleshette Murphy offers strategies for keeping your children thinking and learning during the summer.

Do summer camps and programs at the library or community center really work for kids?

Those programs can be wonderful, and if they're available, go for it. Unfortunately, not all communities have summer programs for kids. In fact, the Nellie Mae study found that low-income children were more susceptible to the long-term effect of brain drain because those opportunities were often unavailable.

What reading tools do you suggest?

We all urge our kids to read, yet most of them grab a remote control before picking up a book. But, there are things out there that kids will be interested in. "Harry Potter" is a parent's best friend when it comes to reading. A poll done by the books' publisher found that 75 percent of kids now embraced reading after Harry entered their lives.

If you have film fans at home, one way to get them reading is with screenplays. They are often available at specialty bookshops, and many popular writer/directors publish their screenplays that you can find at some big-chain stores, and they are widely available online.

The folks at Flocabulary have weaved learning and hip-hop music together. CDs teaches words.The company also makes CDs of Shakespearean plays and history, too.