I'm a teacher, and it always amazes me how much stuff kids forget over the summer. Now, I know kids need time to relax and I'm not saying that they should spend all summer in school settings, but it is important, I think, to provide an educational aspect to some activities and vacations. According a recent American Express Spending & Saving Tracker Survey, 88% of parents with kids under age 18 believe it's important to take an educational vacation, and 45% of parents are planning a vacation that does have an educational component.
There are some easy ways to keep the learning going over the summer. Visiting a museum at your destination, doing a camping trip and reading the signs along the interpretive trails, reading about the destination before the trip, and encouraging your kids to write a letter to a relative after the trip are all ways to keep kids' brains engaged during the summer.
Some companies, including American Express, can help you plan vacations that include learning while having fun. They even have packages set up like a Patriots of American package that goes to the East Coast and looks at some important historical figures. American Express card holders can get a $250 discount per child, and the package includes meals and gratuities. Even if you don't want to book a full package using a Travel Specialist, if you have an American Express card you can still book through the Destination Family program, which helps you get some perks in certain areas, and gives you the flexibility to plan your trip. For example, in Chicago at the Hyatt, you can get a 1/2 day Camp Hyatt program for free for one child.
Whatever you're doing this summer, try to include a little bit of learning along the way - teachers will thank you! (And it really helps if you are enthusiastic about it too - learning is good even for adults!)
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