Photo credit to marcos_bh
Lazy hazy days of summer are almost upon us with thoughts of family barbeques, camping, and other warm weather activities! Before we know it kids everywhere will be home enjoying their summer vacation. The last thing kids want to think about is academics, especially on their summer school break! Unfortunately, along with the whole shebang of summer fun you also get the real problem of the dreaded Summer Brain Drain. According to a study conducted by the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, all students experience some degree of learning loss when they don’t engage in education activities during the summer. The research established that on the average children lose approximately two to three months of reading and math skills during the summer break. Now maybe those numbers don’t seem too alarming, but for a child who is just learning the fundamentals of mathematics or reading, the learning loss might result in a significant regression! What is a concerned parent to do?
How To Combat Summer Brain Drain
Parents can combat the unwanted summer setbacks and help their children retain educational skills through the act of being creative and looking for ways to merge learning with fun activities. Think outside the box! For instance, for kids ages 3-9 consider purchasing a VTech InnoTab 2s. The Wi-Fi learning app tablet is inspired by fun! Combining the excitement of kid craving technology and education games is a definite way to peak your child’s interest in keeping their skills sharpened during the summer months. The InnoTab 2s offers the thrill of a secure wireless connection to the VTech’s Learning Lodge Navigator content where kids can browse games, e-books, music, videos, and more and send their wish lists to parents to purchase. Children are gravitated to the InnoTab’s slick design, since it has the look and feel of the grownup devices they see Mom and Dad using. The VTech InnoTab 2s is an educational win-win solution for the stopping the Summer Brain Drain for parents and kids!
About the VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet
- The InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet is one of the first children’s learning based tablets with Wi-Fi
- The InnoTab 2S is a child’s own tablet that opens up a world of age-appropriate content across the widest variety of curriculums, from downloads to software cartridges, the InnoTab 2S combines innovative technology with a developmental learning tool that grows with a child and makes learning fun.
- The InnoTab wirelessly connects to VTech’s comprehensive app store, the Learning Lodge, where parents and children can easily browse a variety of content, and children can create a wish list and send to their parents’ e-mail.
- This sleek and durable toy comes equipped with 180° rotating camera and video recorder, tilt sensor, photo viewer, video player, MP3 music player, e-reader, art studio, microphone and more.
About the Learning Lodge
- The Learning Lodge features more than 350 educational games, e-books, music and videos developed specifically for each child’s unique stage of development, as well as with their age and interests.
- The broad library of subjects includes reading, math, social studies, science, creativity, problem solving and so much more!
- Starting with activities suitable for toddlers and expanding to grade schoolers, the Learning Lodge gives every child an opportunity to expand their learning potential while keeping them entertained.
- Featured throughout the downloads and software cartridges are popular characters such as Mike the Knight, Angelina Ballerina, Team Umizoomi, Dora the Explorer, Thomas & Friends, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jake & the Neverland Pirates, Sesame Street and more. New titles coming out on the Learning Lodge beginning in June include: Monsters University, Turbo, Planes, and more.
- Parents can track their child’s progress through the Learning Lodge Progress Log, offer encouragement and share in their pride when kids reach new learning milestones.
Being an education-conscious mom of a child age 5, the InnoTab is what I would consider an academic lifesaver. My son has a very short attention span for things that don’t interest him like sitting down and learning. However, he can play video games for hours if I let him. The InnoTab 2s helps keep him engaged with games that stimulate his mind that feature favorite characters such as Scooby-Doo, Spongebob, and Mickey Mouse. Plus the 2GB Memory, which is expandable up to a 32GB with a SD card (sold separately), allows me to store a bunch of educational games ready for him to play when we are on the go without having to carry a bunch of separate cartridges. And the best part, I no longer need to use my computer to download and transfer the games to the InnoTab 2s, because it is WIRELESS! YEAH!
VTech InnoTab 2 vs InnoTab 2s
If you are a regular reader, you probably recall I reviewed the VTech InnoTab 2 back in September of 2012. The InnoTab 2s ($99.99) offers every great feature of the original and NOW the glorious Wi-Fi has been added to the tablet. Also, there are a few changes in the overall design such as chrome stripping around the touch screen, a larger square home button, a Wi-Fi button, and different colored camera. The InnoTab 2 is only expandable to 16GB where the InnoTab 2s memory can be increased to 32GB using an SD Card. Other than that, it is practically the same. Both come with 2 GB of onboard memory, expandable SD card slot, 5-inch color touch screen, two styluses, “Ready, Play & Create” cartridge (compatible for only the model purchased), Internal kickstand , USB Cable, Learning Lodge Navigator installation CD, 12 month limited warranty, and preloaded cool apps to get your kid started. In my honest opinion, the new design is much more appealing and looks higher tech. The cost difference between the two tablets is approximately $30, but you probably will be able to find it for around the same price at the InnoTab 2. Amazon.com is offering the educational toy for only $79.99 (as of May 25, 2013),so I recommend purchasing it right now to save before the price goes back up if you are interested in getting it.
Disney/Pixar Toy Story InnoTab
Along with receiving the InnoTab 2s for review, I received Disney/Pixar Toy Story and Dreamworks Madagascar 3 Europe’s Most Wanted learning games to test out. In Toy Story kids get the chance to read with Buzz and Woody in the interactive e-book, play 3 learning games (Night Escape, Glider Getaway, and On the Conveyor Belt) and participate in two great creative activities; Woody’s Dash and Buzz’s Showtime. Kids practice their vocabulary via the Story Dictionary, rhyming, beginning letters, patterns, put on a show with Buzz and friends, design a custom game featuring Woody, and more.
Madagascar 3 InnoTab
The Madagascar 3 cartridge features an interactive e-book where kids can read along with the Zoosters and their circus friends, three fun learning games (Monte Carlo Dash, Alex’s Missing Props, and Showtime), and three creative activities; Zooster Jam Band, Create-a-Circus, and photo fun. Children will sharpen their problem solving, vocabulary, build basic math skills, learn about directions, create fun costumes and circus props, rock out with the Zoosters, and more through the fun activities.
I just want to add that the cartridges work with all the InnoTab systems, so if you have them already there is no need to buy new games. They should be compatible with the InnoTab 2s. The games retail for $24.99.
Educational Play On the Go
What I love about the InnoTab 2s is it gives my son hours of educational play on the go! He can take it outside and play while still enjoying the fresh air and summer breeze. Plus, it keeps him occupied and happy in the car when going on trips.
Keeping Education Fun
I guess the one factor to remember is–keeping education fun and not scary or rehearsed children will likely want to learn. Who knows they might even go back to school knowing more than they left and have defeated the Summer Brain Drain!
Stay Connected With VTech
Stay connected with VTech using these social media site:
Like the VTech Facebook page
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VTech InnoTab 2s Giveaway
To help combat the Summer Brain Drain, VTech would like to give one lucky reader a InnoTab 2s! To enter the giveaway, please follow the instructions provided on the Rafflecopter form. Any comments are welcomed below, but won’t count towards the giveaway. Only entries using the Rafflecopter form will be eligible for prize. Thank you!
Disclosure: The VTech product, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by VTech. However, all opinions are of my own.
Have daily reading time.
We like to read stories and draw and do art work with it. We ask questions as we go.
Go to the library at least once a week.
Thanks for the contest.
A tip is to read a book every night with your child!
Try doing some art & crafts
give the kids something to look forward to.
My Tip On Combating Summer Brain Drain Is To Make Learning Fun And Creative !
Having them help prepare meals.
To prevent summer brain drain and teach kids about saving start a rainy day coin jar. The coins can’t be touched until it’s a completely rainy day. On that day take out the jar, have the kids sort and role up the change, then on the next rainy day they get to take the coins shopping and buy a summer activity.
Take A Family Trip To A Local Museum
Keep it different and interesting. I like to take advantage of the city and neighboring cities free summer programs.
use fun workbooks to keep the brain working.
Go on lots of walks to stay active!
keep lots of games and puzzles on hand!
Take them to the zoo, let them have fun and still learn at the same time.
Come up with new games to play around the house!
play some games that involve solving problems
Do fun arts and craft projects together!
My favorite tip for the summer is regularly scheduled trips to the public library!
Read book every day, do some math exercise etc.
We go to local museums.
I put together a big box with books that my kids will love – I shop thrift stores and online used book stores to find books that interests them.
An awesome scavenger hunt could help get kids outside and motivated!
Take advantage of summer programs at your local library!
read stories every night
Take the kids to a children’s museum to continue learning!
Go On A Nature Scavenger Hunt!
Make your own reading rewards program.
I pay the kids $0.10 per book read, $0.15 for chapter books, and then at the end of the summer they get to use these reading earnings to buy new or used books of their choice.
Visit local trails and parks to learn about nature!
we love the splash pad and there are usually a bunch of different ones fairly close
Buy Bridge the Gap Summer Workbooks from a teacher store!
free book clubs. I know the library does them.
We play a lot of games where she has to solve problems!
We just get outside, everyday! Swim, swing, or just play in the grass… there’s so much to explore! 🙂
To combat summer brain drain, I take my kids on adventure days to historical places in our community.
A day trip to the zoo!
Start a book reading reward system that makes them want to read!
Play store using money to help learning to count money.
I order big Quest review books to keep my kids’ attention on everything they’ve learned during the past school year.
We have “summer school” for a few hours once or twice a week where we read, do work books, do an experiment or some other educational project!
Set aside time each day for reading or doing workbooks!
The pool is a great way to keep boredom at bay.
Do A Fun Scavenger Hunt ! Explore.
We play a lot of memory games to keep our memories sharp during the summer.
My tip is get the kids outside, and let them be messy! I let mine finger paint (they are 20 months & 4 so it’s very messy) afterwards they play in the kiddie pool to get cleaned off!
Go on a nature walk.
By downloading new educational apps to keep the brain stimulated.
My kids choose a topic they want to research, and then we try to learn everything we can about it during the summer.
Play in the pool!
arts and crafts
go to story time at the library
Have your kids keep a journal daily.
Sing ryhming songs together.
We study the history of places where we live or go on vacation.
Take long walks and explore.
By making them do a project, like an animal project, so they have to do a little research, and maybe visit a local zoo.
Read Before Bedtime With Your Child
go to the library for the summer program
Go to the zoo, nature center or park! So many fun things to do outside!
play hopscotch and learn numbers
Oh we love to go to the Childrens Museum !
My kids gets earn money towards new books for doing book reports throughout the summer.
Have a craft day. We love making lots of crafts!
we love the dinosaur museum
craft day
We love going on nature walks to see what we can see!
play go fish with rhyming word cards.
By doing a lot of art activities!
find a craft on pinterest each day.
Go on a picnic.
Go Outdoors And Have A Scavenger Hunt!
I take my kids to aquatic museum
do math lessons with adding and subtracting with finger foods at lunch time.
go to the lake for some fun
We watch free dvds on specific topics such as weather, sharks, ocean, history etc from the library. It’s great for rainy days….
Take lots of trips to your local library!
Bike riding is so much fun and great for our health!
Host A Neighborhood Clean Up !
we do fun school workbooks
we visit the library a lot.. keeps their mind in books!
treasure hunts in the yard
My kids keep a diary, where they can write about their vacation and keep their writing skills up to date over the summer.
We love to take mini educational vacations! Just go somewhere close that is about history!
go to the park
Mine is do a scavenger hunt on a nature walk or go to the library!
My 11 year old son gets a huge homework pack over the summer so there is no summer brain drain. Sometimes I even feel bad that he has homework over the summer 🙁
sing silly songs that have letters, and days of the week to help with recognition.
do arts and crafts projects
Come up with new educational games to play each day!
Organize a neighborhood sports team. Baseball, soccer, etc.
we love to go to the splash pad
mine is to always do new crafts and games with my kids to keep them busy
trip to the museum
do science experiments at home.
When we go to the library over the summer, we always choose at least one book on a topic that we do not know much about.
WE play memory game with sight words.
A day at the local park/playground!
we love to go to the zoo
We read lots of books and take lots of trips to the library.
nature hikes are fun
We love playing tic tac toe.
we like to play number games with playing cards.
we love to do fun work books
We like to play board games together – especially since it helps them learn to take turns.
summer reading programs at the local public library!
board games on a rainy day
we’ve been going to the water park this entire week ! 🙂
Visiting other smaller nature centers or zoos.
Spend a day at the local library!
we love to color!
We like to do puzzles
we are going to visit a local farm
If they don’t get a summer homework packet I get them workbooks to do.
I pick up cheap workbooks at the library ($0.25 for used test books in great condition), and it helps the kids keep their brains sharp over the summer.
make up stories
Take the kids to a recycling plant to learn about helping the earth and how to recycle!
a hour a day during summer months we read and do math and spelling
we love to visit the local aquarium.
family game night keeps them using their noodles!
We like to read dr seuss books.
We turn on the Wii and have fun with Just Dance – thank you.
My kids draw their own cartoons, and they have to try to put a story line to them as well.
We use Kahn Academy to keep our math skills up to date.
I think that doing a puzzle or craft is still fun but it also keeps the mind running!
Find new parks throughout the area for something fun to do. Every park is a little different.
Local playgroups a couple of days a week are so much fun!
We visit the public library every week or two to let the kids check out books
I like to get the kids to help me cook in the kitchen – we get tasty food and the kids practice their math skills.
travel bingo – in the car – must find certain items while on a car trip – like a barn, bird, red car, etc.
we love to play with learning flash cards
We like to do art projects.
We walk around the neighborhood and get books from the library.
Playing a quiet game for at least an hour a day.
I would suggest geocaching because it takes you places that you would never expect and my kids learned so much. For example one time it took us to a blacksmith museum where the kids got to use all the tools and read about how they were made. It was hands on learning and they had fun at the same time. Another time it took us to a fish hatchery that was out in the middle of no where. We learned lots of science that day. It was amazing. The staff hid a geocach on the property so people would find them and come explore and it worked.
We like to do lots of new arts and crafts activities.
Take the kids to the zoo.
Plant a small flower or vegetable garden. Work in it and watch it grow.
we love to play learning games
decided to let the kids keep a journal for the summer
Buy summer workbooks
Puzzles keep your mind sharp
We ride our bikes daily to the park!
I make sure my kids go outside to play everyday
I try to find board games that encourage learning as well as educational computer games.
We love to sing barn animal songs.
My oldest son works on puzzles. His goal is to get 20 of them done by the end of the summer (they are anywhere from 300-1000 each). Thank you
My best tip is to bring school into everything for instance, if you are in the kitchen making a sandwich cut it into 4 pieces and give one piece to your child and ask them what part of the sandwich they have. I always try to keep math and other subjects in their minds even during summer break.