New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Nick Kristof recently wrote a thought provoking column entitled The Best Kids’ Books Ever. In the piece, Kristof asserts that he “was aghast to learn that American children drop in I.Q. each summer vacation — because they aren’t in school or exercising their brains.” He is encouraging parents to keep their kids away from the tv and computer and ensure they are reading all summer. He lists his 13 all time favorites ranging from the well-known “Charlotte’s Web” to many I am embarrased to say I never heard of (and probably never read) including “Lad, a Dog” and “On to Oregon.” Many of these are read-alone for older kids but he promises that all are great to read aloud as well so they are wonderful for younger children too.

While reading is absolutely the best way for kids to build their comprehension and vocabulary, there are plenty of educational toys and games that will help kids stay sharp. One of our favorites is the Brain Quest game from University Games. Designed for girls and boys ages 6 and up, Brain Quest is a fun, fast-paced game that helps kids develop the skills that they’ll need to succeed in school. Players compete at their own age levels and it is designed for children of different ages to play together. Includes more than 1,500 questions on school-related subjects.

This summer, Benjamin is getting plenty of exercise and outdoor time at camp. Every night we read before bed – we are in the middle of “The Phantom Tollbooth” and next up is “The BFG” by one of his favorite authors, Roald Dahl. Since he’s turning 6 this winter, I think I’ll get him Brain Quest so he can brush up on school-stuff too and be ready for the new year in September.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 3:59 pm by Stefanie. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.