With summer vacation in full swing and the kids out of school, what can parents do to keep their children’s educational experiences from the previous school year firmly planted in their memories?
   
One way to approach summer learning is to reinforce and remind students of the lessons they learned during the school year. Another way is to introduce kids to new books and educational experiences.
   
“Think about the three A’s: ‘academic,’ ‘artistic’ and ‘altruistic.’ Find ways to enrich their lives in these areas this summer, and they won’t be bored,” says Melissa Figge, a guidance counselor at Woodbridge High School in Irvine.
   
In these days of tight school budgets, many public schools no longer offer summer school classes to students, except to those who are deficient in credits. However, parents can consider, for instance, sending their children to performing arts camps and enrolling high school students in academic programs at local colleges and universities. Check with the admissions office or look up the schools online to see what they offer and how to apply. And don’t forget about online college courses open to high school students, too.
   
“We have kids who take programs online through Ivy League colleges ... They don’t get high school credit, but they get credit from the school and it’s great for their college application,” says Jacquie Morck, a guidance counselor at Troy High School in Fullerton. Morck notes that UC Irvine and UC Riverside are excellent options. UC Irvine’s second summer session runs Aug. 4-Sept. 10, and UC Riverside’s is from July 28-Aug.30. For more details, visit summer.uci.edu or summer.ucr.edu.

Plenty of free learning options!
> A growing number of teachers now give students practice workbooks or suggested reading lists at the end of the school year to use over the summer. Insist that your child do some work or reading from the free workbooks.
   
> Regularly take your children to the public library and have them borrow books to read at home. Patrons can check out several books at a time for free. Libraries also offer free kids’ programs year round, on topics ranging from animals to plants to volcanoes, so pick up a schedule and attend these programs.

> Visit a shop that sells educational products, such as Lakeshore Learning. Several educational publishers put out workbooks covering subjects at various grade levels that students can work in during the summer. Lakeshore Learning stores are in Fountain Valley, Laguna Hills, Murrieta, San Bernardino and Upland. Products also can be purchased online at lakeshorelearning.com.

> Set a summer schedule to do some schoolwork at home with the kids. For example, Catherine George’s son, Zachary, will enter second grade, and her daughter, Gizelle, will enter fifth grade this fall. Using workbooks she buys at a Lakeshore store, George helps her kids with their writing, math and reading skills, usually Mondays through Thursdays. “I make them read about 45 minutes a day,” says George.
   
Among the workbooks George buys from Lakeshore is “A Writing Prompt Journal,” which contains short stories and allows children to write or draw pictures about the stories. “It keeps their story-writing skills fresh,” George says. “And there are pages where they can write any story they want.”
   
> Finally, if the thought of having your children open textbooks during the summer makes them vow to boycott homework this fall, schedule field trips to interesting places that have educational value. Search the Internet for museums, science centers and historical sites, or buy a guidebook for ideas.
   
We’ve included a list to get you started. Make your plans now!

Amy Bentley is a contributing writer to Inland Empire Family Magazine.

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10 educational summer stops

1. Riverside Metropolitan Museum & Heritage House
Anthropological and natural history displays, and an elegant 1891 Victorian mansion.
3580 Mission Inn Ave. 951.826.5273;
riversideca.gov/museum

2. Palomar Observatory
A world-class center for astronomical research. Open for self-guided tours 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. daily.
35899 Canfield Road, Palomar Mountain.
760.742.2119

3. and 4. Western Center for Paleontology and Archaeology and the Diamond Valley Lake Visitors Center in Hemet 
951.791.0033; westerncentermuseum.org.
951.765.2612; dvlake.com

5. Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum
Home to the largest collection of Ancient Egyptian Art west of the Mississippi.
5500 University Pkwy., San Bernardino.
909.537.7373
csusb.edu

6. Temecula Valley Museum
See old ranching and farming equipment, photographs and handcrafted items.
28314 Mercedes St., Temecula.
951.694.6452.

7. Moonridge Zoo
Learn about wildlife and see rescued animals.
43285 Goldmine Drive, Big Bear
Lake. 909.878.4200
moonridgezoo.org
 
8. San Bernardino County Museum
The Youth Club offers Family Fun Days for families with children 3 to 12 years old.
2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands
909.307.2669

9. Aquarium of the Pacific
Home to more than 12,500 ocean animals from the waters of Southern California and Baja, the northern Pacific and the tropical Pacific.
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.
562.590.3100
aquariumofpacific.org
    
10. Birch Aquarium
It features more than 60 marine habitats and hands-on displays kids will love. 2300 Expedition Way. 858.534.FISH; aquarium.
aquarium.ucsd.edu