This summer we’re going to keep it simple. While you’re busy enjoying summer, we’re going to share fun, easy to do activities for your kids to keep them at the top of their brain game. They did so much at school this year, we want to keep them in tip top shape and ready to school in the fall. To make it easy for you – we’re going to focus on three areas; reading, writing and drawing.

Why Reading? 

Once our kids get past the learning to read stage, there’s still much to be done in gaining fluency, increasing vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. All this becomes even more important when we realize almost everything they learn in school will be based on what they read. Whether it’s science, geography, history or even math, they’re going to be reading and learning from textbooks. This isn’t great news for our visual kids, but it’s real and textbooks aren’t going away any time soon. The good news is, the more time kids spend reading, the more skills they gain. Our visual kids aren’t usually avid readers by nature, but there’s lots we can do to help them want to read, and the more they want it and do it, the better they get!! 

Why Writing? 

Writing is a critical school skill. Kindergarten and early elementary years are about handwriting, but as kids get older it becomes writing to show what you know. Whether it’s a book report or essay in English class, a research paper or writing portions of tests, writing is a much needed skill that has to be developed. And like reading, it doesn’t come easy for visual kids. Our creative right brain kids have so much going on in their imaginations, writing it down is a slow and cumbersome process and never reflects who they are and what they’re really thinking. Think of George Lucas, the genius behind the original Star Wars. He’s a right brain visual thinker, that completely changed the world of cinema with his vision and work in special effects. Imagine if George Lucas hadn’t learned to write out his ideas. His genius would never have been shared and what a loss that would have been. There’s plenty of genius in our visual kids. Genius to impact science, technology, engineering, math and the arts. It’s an absolute necessity that we get our visual kids writing and there are lots of ways to do it. We might even get them to enjoy it! 

Why Drawing?

Drawing is visual writing. Don’t think of drawing as something only for artistic people. Drawing is a skill everyone should have. And everyone can do it. It’s not about the most advanced technical drawing skills. Drawing is making notes, telling stories, sharing what you’re thinking – visually. It’s the most natural way for visual kids to communicate. It’s the most natural way for adult visuals to communicate too. It’s also one of the most important skills they need to succeed in school. Whether its time spent drawing at home, or drawing instruction like Young Rembrandts offers, time spent drawing improves their creativity, self expression, handwriting and also develops fine motor skills. It can even help kids with reading, writing and math. When kids draw they’re using the side of their brain they’re most comfortable in. It’s fun. It’s relaxing. It’s who they are. I want to help get them drawing and keep them drawing all summer long!!

Read Write Draw has already kicked off on our Facebook Page – if you haven’t tuned in for your daily drawing prompts, get there now! Everyday we’ll give you and your child inspiration for a quick journal entry to keep their brain game on point! And we’ve got some great ways to keep kids reading too so stay tuned all summer for little things you can do to keep them engaged and learning.