The Best Summer Workbooks for Kids To Help Prevent the Summer Slide
Kids learn so much during the school year, but summer break is long! With light-hearted practice activities that keep hard-earned skills fresh, these workbooks are an easy tool for helping prevent the dreaded “summer slide.” Many of the titles below belong to series that include additional grade levels, so be sure to check out all the options in the series to find the best fit.
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1
Add to BookshelfA is for Apple Sticker Activity Book
by Hettie Cox
Ongoing practice makes a significant difference for young children learning the letters and sounds of the alphabet. With plenty of alphabet pages and adorable sticker activities, this book is perfect for filling wait time or a rainy summer afternoon. The mazes and tracing activities will continue to help develop kids’ fine motor skills over the summer, too.
Ages 2-5
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2
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Summer with Seuss Workbook: Grades K-1
by Dr. Seuss
Summer gets busy, and the books in this series are organized into weekly units to encourage manageable skill practice over time. Review reading, spelling, and math concepts to keep them top-of-mind. The setup works well for adults who want to read the directions to kids and then let them work independently.
Ages 3-7
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3
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National Geographic Kids Explore! Workbook Kindergarten
by National Geographic Kids
With stunning photos and fascinating facts, this workbook will appeal to curious kiddos. Advanced readers may want to tackle it on their own, but most children will benefit from working alongside an adult. They’ll read about high-interest topics such as the ocean, insects, and dinosaurs and complete the corresponding skills pages.
Ages 5-6
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4
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Summer Big Fun Workbook Bridging Grades K & 1
created by Highlights Learning
This celebrated series has a book for each elementary grade level, serving as a supportive “bridge” from one school year to the next. Throw a book in your summer bag and pull it out during moments of downtime. Each colorful page stands on its own and is enough to keep kids thinking about the math and literacy skills they learned at school.
Ages 5-7
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5
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Highlights Learn-and-Play Math Stamper Games
created by Highlights Learning
Play is the best way to reinforce learning! Fun stamper markers and write-and-wipe flashcards will remind children of the hands-on games they played during math lessons at school. Practice number recognition, counting, addition, and subtraction to keep those math skills from sliding away!
Ages 5-7
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6
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Disney Learning Big Workbook Grade 1
by DK
Cover essential math, reading, and writing concepts with the help of favorite Disney characters! This series has Preschool–Grade 3 curriculum options so families can choose the content that fits their needs. The blurbs explaining each skill are especially helpful for caregivers who are still perfecting their “teacher language.”
Ages 6-7
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7
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Official Minecraft Workbook: Grade 2
by Random House
Entice kids who are asking to play video games all summer with this popular themed workbook. A variety of playful math and reading activities, along with signature Minecraft graphics, will keep kids motivated and engaged.
Ages 7-8
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8
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Who Was? Workbook: Grade 2 Science/Social Studies
by Kathryn Lewis and Who HQ
Learning more about the world can improve a child’s reading ability. This workbook is filled with mini-biographies and fun activities that go along with them. As kids read and write, they’ll hang onto the important skills they developed during the school year and learn new information, too!
Ages 8-9
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9
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Print Handwriting Practice for Kids 8-12
by Spruce Books
This clever title combines handwriting practice with reading comprehension, science, and history knowledge for older kids. As they copy the sentences, they’ll learn cool new facts!
Ages 8-12
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10
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How to Be Good at Math Workbook, Grades 4-6
by DK
This series gets rave reviews from families for its straightforward explanations of key math concepts. The no-frills layout and directions help older kids confidently tackle math problems with minimal help. They can also check their work against the included answer guide.
Ages 9-12
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