Kids love summer vacation, but three months away from the rigors of the classroom can result in serious “brain drain.” They lose math skills. They stop reading. Their vocabulary and spelling proficiency decrease.

This learning loss, also known as “summer slide,” can be profound. Children who do not stay mentally active during the summer risk losing up to 25 percent of what they learned during the previous school year, according to a U.S. Department of Education study.

“Teachers end up starting the school year getting them caught up,” said Maureen Prenn, professor of literacy in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Minnesota State University. One to two months spent re-teaching eliminates time the teacher could have used to teach new information and skills.

Children from more affluent families may only lose a month of learning, but for low-income children, the impact is more significant, Prenn said, indicating they may fall several months behind their peers during the summer. For poverty-level children who continue to slide backward more each year, the cumulative loss amounts to four years during the course of their education.

Prenn has several recommendations for parents who want to minimize summer slide.

“A lot of school districts are spending the money for summer programs,” Prenn said. “If a school program is available, students should take advantage of it.”

Reading Academy and Math Academy summer programs offered to 800 Mankato Area Public School students provided more motivating, explicit instruction for children struggling with math and reading. For five weeks, the youngsters spent their mornings working through various activities specifically designed to motivate them in preparation for the coming school year.

Anne Haggerty, summer school K-6 coordinator, said the program’s goal is that participants will at least maintain the level of proficiency they had at the end of the school year. In some instances, she said, the experience may even result in a slight learning gain to give struggling students a boost.

Enrolling youngsters in the public library’s summer reading program provides multiple opportunities for learning. Children need to continue building their reading skills during the summer, Prenn said. Libraries not only offer an array of reading material but also provide access to computers.

“There are many nice Web sites that can get children involved in learning activities,” Prenn said.

The Blue Earth County Library system this summer is offering prizes and incentives to 3,000 area children enrolled in the reading program. The young readers participated in a variety of educational and entertaining events, said Jennifer Cassman, coordinator of the summer reading program. Privately funded, the program was made possible by benefactors including Friends of Deep Valley Libraries and Taylor Corp.

In addition to incentives aimed at increasing summer reading, the library’s agenda features educational programs presented locally by the Minnesota Zoo, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Historical Society as well as entertaining musicians and magicians.

“These are the types of things kids would have to go to the Twin Cities to see,” Cassman said. Low-income youth who may not have the opportunity to travel to a zoo or museum benefit greatly from these programs, she said.

While activities that are more entertainment-oriented may not stimulate a child academically, “it does generally increase their knowledge of the world,” Prenn said. “Experiences relating to recreational programs will be drawn on later when they are reading.”

Family activities during the summer also may provide mental stimulation for children. Road trips can incorporate geography and history lessons. Visits to museums or other educational sites can spark new interests.

Recommending that parents limit their children’s television viewing, Prenn cited Scouting activities, day camps and YMCA programs for youth that provide exciting learning activities. Scholarships to fund low-income children who wish to participate are often available, she said.

“Lots of the kids who are in these summer programs say, ‘If I weren’t doing this, I’d be home watching TV,’” Prenn said.

With the first day of school about five weeks away, Prenn said it’s not too late to begin gearing up for the new academic year with mentally stimulating activities.

A visit to the library might include a conversation with a librarian who can make suggestions for selecting specific reading material about subjects that capture the child’s imagination. “If a child is interested in what they are reading, it keeps them going,” she said.

“It’s a good time for kids to start journals,” Prenn said. Or children may search for a Web site about a favorite author and discover exciting learning activities there.