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We all remember what it was like: being so burnt out on homework by the end of the school year that all you want to do is sleep in, play in the woods, and go swimming. Ok, so maybe kids today would rather veg out by playing hours of video games or chatting with their friends on Facebook.
But parents don’t want to their child’s well-earned summer break to erase the progress gained during the school year. According to the National Summer Learning Association, research shows students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of 
the summer.
So, between time spent online with friends, or hanging out at the pool, here are a few suggestions on how wireless technology, specifically apps for smartphones and tablets can help stave off the summer brain drain.
Mathematics is always an area of focus, and it’s especially important for children who have just learned the basics. Apps such as Math Practice Boards can keep those skills fresh while having fun. Using their fingertip as the pen, children can answer addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems while using a smartphone or tablet as their paper, to work out the problem.
Almost every school requires, or at least recommends, that students continue to read books during summer vacation. iStoryBooks provides access to numerous books aimed at children ages 2 to 8. The books include both text and audio so the child can read on their own, or hear the book being read.
Other apps, such as Kid Mode includes a mixture of apps on various subjects. Aimed at children 8 and under, Kid Mode includes educational games, video and illustrated e-books to test a child’s knowledge of numbers, letters and shapes.
Or, if you are looking for something beyond the three R’s, Google Sky Map might be the answer. Sky map turns your smartphone or tablet into a virtual night sky to help children learn more about things astronomy.
These are just a few of the many apps available to keep children learning while away from the classroom. Stop by @VZWnews on Twitter and let us know what apps you are using to keep your children learning this summer.
