Now that school's out and summer is here, kids across the country have traded textbooks for swimsuits. But studies indicate that many children experience the "summer slide," the loss of academic knowledge and skills gained during the school year. In fact, according to the National Summer Learning Association, students who do not participate in enrichment and learning activities during the break can lose roughly 22 percent of the knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year. So how can families keep their kids engaged in activities that still enhance learning during the summer months?

Families need to find learning opportunities for their children even when they're outside of the classroom. Ashley Norris, University of Phoenix College of Education Assistant Dean, provides tips for parents to keep their kids mentally active during the summer. Tips include using internet sites as resources to help with literacy skills, playing spelling and word games to help children with comprehension and using the arts to enhance the areas of math, reading and writing. Students can also assist parents with making grocery lists, counting money and simple tasks to help keep them motivated. She also talks about highly engaging activities that families can enjoy with their kids such as digital storytelling activities and skill building workshops.

Available content includes soundbites from Ashley Norris.