Summer is a well-deserved time of rest for teenagers, especially after a demanding school year. But for students who face learning difficulties, this break can lead to a loss of skills, known as the “summer slide.”
At Centennial Academy, we encourage balanced parenting throughout the year: we ask parents not to over-invest in homework at home, in order to preserve the parent-child bond and promote students’ autonomy.
But during summer, when the school structure is temporarily absent, simple and caring gestures from parents can make a big difference in helping their teen retain the hard-earned skills.
Here are 10 concrete tips to support your teen during the sunny season, while giving them the space they need to rest and thrive.
- Maintain a Flexible and Reassuring Routine
A predictable daily rhythm, even in summer, helps preserve emotional stability and ease the transition back to school. Reasonable wake-up times, shared meals, and planned activity periods provide a secure framework.
- Encourage Reading for Pleasure
Whether it’s a novel, a comic book, or a manga, the important thing is that your teen chooses what they enjoy. Reading every day, even for 30 minutes, helps maintain vocabulary, comprehension, and concentration, while remaining a pressure-free enjoyable activity.
- Strengthen Second Language Skills
In addition to 30 minutes of reading per day in English, encourage reading in French: novels, comics, or even youth magazines. Also suggest listening to the radio, podcasts, or watching shows and movies in French.
Make sure your child has opportunities to actively practise the second language: for example, organize one evening per week when the whole family speaks French, or encourage them to order in French at a restaurant. These small gestures build fluency and confidence naturally in everyday life.
- Limit Screen Time to One Hour per Day to Protect Learning… and Mental Health
During summer, screens tend to take over: video games, series, TikTok, YouTube, social media… Yet excessive use harms much more than learning.
Studies are clear: high screen time, especially on social media, is linked to lower self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression symptoms, and disrupted sleep.
Some simple alternatives:
- Family or friends board games
- Crafts or artistic activities
- Outdoor outings (parks, museums, hikes)
- Personal projects (photography, DIY, cooking, creative journaling)
- Encourage at Least 5 Hours of Physical Activity per Week
Moving is essential for the body but also for concentration, sleep, and mental health. Encourage at least five hours of sports weekly: cycling, swimming, hiking, team sports, or dance. The key is to find what your teen enjoys and to move with pleasure. - Provide Opportunities for Socializing
Social interactions are fundamental for teenagers’ emotional and cognitive development.
Some ideas:
- Attend day camps or specialized camps
- Free or low-cost municipal activities
- Inviting friends over to cook or do crafts
- Volunteering at a library, animal shelter, or community organization
- Reinvest Learning in Everyday Life
Skills gained during the school year can be easily used over summer:
- Reading a recipe and cooking (reading, math)
- Planning an outing (organization, geography)
- Keeping a logbook or journal (writing)
- Managing a budget for a personal project (math, autonomy)
- Stimulate Non-School Learning
Learning to cook, garden, volunteer, or build something are all activities that develop curiosity, confidence, and autonomy. - Offer Challenging Games
Some favourites among teens:
- Codenames, Just One, Time’s Up! (language, deduction)
- Escape Room, Unlock! (logic, problem-solving)
- Chess, checkers, Risk (strategy)
- Card games (planning, memory, attention)
- Apps like Elevate or Peak (cognitive games)
- Focus on Effort Rather Than Performance
Remind your teen that every small step counts. Summer isn’t a competition but an opportunity to continue growing at their own pace, in a supportive and pressure-free environment.
In Conclusion
Summer can be a break, but it shouldn’t be a complete stop. By focusing on pleasure, physical activity, reading, social relationships, second language practice, and curiosity, you help your teen return in September with confidence, motivation, and stability.
At Centennial Academy, we believe every student has potential and that even on vacation, they can learn differently and succeed fully.
Have a great summer, everyone!
The Centennial Academy Team