Climbing Back up the Summer Slide

Summer is winding down, and your kids have probably spent endless hours at the pool, playing video games, or blissfully forgetting that school will eventually start again. That said, it might be time to use up a little of their remaining screen time getting back into the swing of things. The good news is that there are excellent online tools that can get kids back into the game without even noticing that they’re learning!

Many parents are probably familiar with GoNoodle—the website used often in schools for brain breaks, dance parties and sing-alongs on the white boards. While GoNoodle might seem like it’s for mere entertainment, it encourages kids to get up and move during their screen time, teaches basic language and math skills, encourages positive social behaviors and mindfulness.

This summer GoNoodle has encouraged kids to use their screen time to get a little indoor exercise as well as learn cool stuff with a new initiative, which challenges kids across the world to rack up 15 Million Minutes of Movement and Mindfulness by playing GoNoodle. “When we hit this collective goal,” says GoNoodle, “we’ll unlock a brand new GoNoodle Champ for students to enjoy when they go back to school.” To achieve this lofty goal, GoNoodle is keeping kids learning with short, two- to seven-minute How To! videos. The shorts keep entertained as they learn things like how to make ice cream, do a burpee, beatbox, and make paper airplanes. New videos go live each week, keeping the kids entertained, engaged and get them ready for school before they know it. Check it out at gonoodle.com/summer.

For those with older children or those with distinct interests, consider trying out online camps and courses through Outschool. This site offers live online classes with real teachers who are ready to share their passions with students around the globe. With topics ranging from pop culture fun like Harry Potter Potions class and Marvel Comics history to video game development in Minecraft and more, to serious school subjects like Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay, and STEM classes like video game design and a bevy of Minecraft fun, there’s something of interest for just about every kid.

Outschool courses range from camp-length sessions to full semesterlong units, and meet at a variety of frequencies and times. Costs range accordingly. A weeklong Minecraft camp that meets for an hour and a half each day for five days costs $70. A one-time session of Harry Potter Potions costs just $10. Check it out at outschool.com.