Teacher Tips for a Great Summer Vacation

Jun 24, 2025 | Bell Top, Columbia, District, Genet, Goff, Green Meadow, Pre-K, Red Mill, Sutherland

Teacher Tips for Summer Vacation imageSchool is a big part of a child’s (and their family’s) life for much of the year. Then, all of a sudden, school is out and children are on summer vacation. With all this extra time and in the absence of the structure school provides, we thought our families might appreciate some Teacher Tips for a Great Summer Vacation.

We surveyed our amazing teachers on various topics – from family friendly activities to preventing learning loss over the summer. Those tips are listed below. Enjoy!

Family Friendly Activities

  • Ride bikes
  • Hiking
  • Camping
  • Fishing
  • Swimming
  • Travel
  • Visit grandparents
  • I Spy nature walk
  • Messy activities like making homemade slime
  • Play-doh
  • Day trips to local historical sites
  • Go to a free concert series locally – East Greenbush, Troy, Albany, Schenectady
  • Visit a state or town park
  • Visit a museum
  • Take trips to your local library
  • Reading
  • Guptill’s to roller skate
  • Go to local events such as the Troy Farmer’s Market

Learning Resources/Websites

Prevent Learning Loss Over the Summer (notice the trend!)

  • Read anything!
  • Read every day!!!!
  • Cooking is great for math, reading and science skills
  • Word games and reading
  • An hour of screen time on the phone or tablet per day
  • Read daily
  • Help your child create a summer scrap book of all the fun things they do. Children can draw pictures and make a journal-style entry to track their activities.
  • Reading
  • READ!!!!!! Read together, read independently, read to your dog!
  • Practice your math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
  • Read every day

Places to Visit Locally

Travel Tips

  • Play games in the car while driving with your kids (looking for license plates from other states) instead of them on devices
  • Ziploc. Bags. For. Everything. Overprepare. Bring extra drinks and snacks.
  • Have kids who are old enough do some of the research about things to see and do in the location you are traveling to.
  • Always bring a book, a pad of paper, and a pencil with you in the car, or anywhere you go.
  • Use Sora to listen to a book together in the car as a family (no need to pack print books!)
  • There are a lot of really great places to visit right near East Greenbush over the Massachusetts border with the Trustees Properties (gardens, parks, and activities)
  • Bring a book or listen to a podcast

Preparing Kids for Return to School in September

  • Go to the your local library – get involved in an activity or read something grade-level appropriate before school starts. The library has many suggestions.
  • At the beginning of August, start shifting the sleep schedule, limit screen time and involve them in back-to-school shopping process.
  • Have children write a letter to their new teacher, either by using words, or drawing a special picture to share.
  • Read anything you like! Free choice is a great motivator for reading (graphic novels, comics, Manga, and audiobooks are REAL books).
  • Talk to kids about behaviors that are expected at school.
  • Create a sleep schedule and stick to it. Have supplies ready for the first day.

Other Advice

  • Unstructured time is important too! Let kids just relax and play and have fun. Spend as much time outside as possible.
  • The East Greenbush Library has a great summer reading program and much more than just books to check out.
  • Get outdoors as much as possible. Explore nature. Have fun!
  • Sora Sweet Reads offers free simultaneous use access eBooks for the summer.
  • Limit screen time! Play card and board games together.
  • You only get 18 summers with your child! Don´t waste them!