Most teenagers count the days until summer break. After months of studying, homework, and tests, they can’t wait for some R&R. While everyone benefits from downtime, the lazy days of summer can be problematic for teens. The absence of structure can trigger mental health issues. And the lack of educational involvement can cause learning loss. It’s called the summer slide.

Key Takeaways

• The summer slide refers to the learning loss some students experience because they’re not in school over the summer.

• Academic losses may not only lead to achievement gaps, but also cause students to experience stress, anxiety, and depression.

• Large amounts of unstructured time over the summer can spark or exacerbate mental health issues in teens.

• Parents can helps teens avoid the summer slide by encouraging them to read, volunteer, and enroll in educational summer programs.

What Is the Summer Slide?

The summer slide refers to the regression in academic proficiency that some students experience during summer vacation. When students return to school in the fall, some start the school year at an academically lower level than when summer began.

An early comprehensive review of 39 studies found that summer learning loss equals about one month of regression on a grade-level equivalent scale. Students’ math skills tended to suffer more than reading skills. Additionally, on reading recognition tests, socioeconomic status played a role. Low-income students, for example, lost more than middle-income students. And studies also revealed that students in higher grades demonstrated more losses than those in elementary school.

Is the Summer Slide Real?

Contradictory studies have cast doubt on whether the summer slide is real. While earlier educational research pointed to the legitimacy of the summer slide, it was based on old data and may have been overstated. Newer research suggests that achievement gaps form in early childhood before school begins, more than they do during summer break.

Hence, summer may not have as strong an impact on educational gains as previously thought. Nevertheless, learning loss is a real phenomenon, particularly this year, when school attendance is at record lows. Chronic absenteeism almost doubled between the 2018–19 and 2021–22 school years, and 26 percent of students were chronically absent in the 2023–4 school year. With many students already behind academically, the summer slide simply contributes to an existing problem.

The Effects of Summer Learning Loss

• Achievement gaps: One of the obvious effects of summer learning loss is that students show up for classes as fall approaches unable to remember sizeable portions of what they learned the previous year. Teachers, therefore, spend the opening weeks of the school year bringing kids up to speed on what they’re supposed to know. The academic losses students experience may lead to achievement gaps that widen over time.

• Accumulating loss over time: One meta-analysis showed that students in 19 countries had not recovered from learning losses a year or more after the COVID-19 pandemic. And the same may be true of compounded summer learning losses. Summer slide during a single summer may not have far-reaching effects. Multiple years of learning loss, however, may lead not only to poor grades but also difficulty getting into college or securing employment.

• Mental health impact: Furthermore, summer learning loss has an impact on teens’ overall well-being. The shadow of potential academic failure can be a source of emotional stress. As a result of the summer slide, students may experience anxiety, reduced self-esteem, greater irritability, and depression—not only when they return to school but during the summer as well.

Is There a Mental Health Summer Slide?

Freedom from the grind of the academic year seems like it should bring teens joy, but too much unstructured time can actually spark or exacerbate summer depression and summer anxiety. Without a sense of purpose and direction, some teens won’t get out of bed. Others neglect self-care or spend all day playing video games.

Moreover, lacking the built-in social framework that school provides, teens may experience isolation and loneliness. A percentage also suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which usually starts in young adulthood. While SAD is more common in the winter, summer-onset SAD can cause sadness and depression, as well.

Less routine, supervision, and purpose is a risky combination for adolescents. Whether it’s boredom or actual mental health issues, teens are more apt to engage in dangerous behavior in summer, like unsafe driving, unsafe sexual activity, or substance use. In fact, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, June and July are the peak months for teen drinking and drug use.

What Parents Can Do to Help Teens Avoid the Summer Slide

While it’s not as easy to structure your teen’s summer as it was when they were young, you can still take steps to help your adolescent avoid the summer slide. Some strategies include:

Encourage Reading

You can’t make your kids read, but you can set an example. Once a week, head to the local library and ask your teen to come along. Tell them about a book you can’t wait to dive into and suggest they look for one, too. At the dinner table, ask about what they’re reading. Your enthusiasm for summer reading can spark theirs, keeping their minds and literacy skills sharp.

Support Their Interests

One of the best ways to keep your teen engaged over the summer is to encourage their passions. Do they love to dance, draw, swim, or play volleyball? If they’re doing what they love, they’re less apt to experience mental health issues or engage in risky behavior. Do your best to help them get the necessary materials, find a class, or sign up for a team. More than that, cheer them on. Don’t underestimate the power of taking an interest in what lights them up.

Weave Learning Into Play

Just because your teen’s having fun doesn’t mean they can’t be learning at the same time. If you’re away on a family vacation, set aside time to visit a museum or historical site. Even if you’re at home all summer long, you can still keep your teen’s brain active. Play board games with an educational twist or challenge them to a weekly trivia night.

Get Them Outdoors

Spending all day indoors scrolling on your phone is a recipe for depression. Conversely, getting out into nature can lift your teen’s spirits, especially if they’re active outdoors. That’s because exercise releases “feel good” chemicals in the brain. Encourage your teen to get outdoors at least once a day. Whether they go for a bike ride or take a walk in the park, the fresh air and movement will do them good.

Suggest Volunteering

The benefits of volunteering can’t be overstated. When your teen is focused on helping others, their mental health improves. At the same time, volunteering provides young people with an array of personal and professional skills. Youth-oriented summer camps, museums, animal shelters, and local libraries often need extra help in the summer months. Propose that your teen explore a few and choose the one they find most interesting.

Seek Out Summer Programs

Most kids benefit from some structure, even in the summer. Locating summer reading programs or a summer school that blends academic learning with recreational and educational activities is a good way to combat summer loss. Summer learning leads to school-year gains.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the term “summer slide” mean?

Summer slide refers to the fact that some students lose academic skills and knowledge during the summer break.

Why does the summer slide happen?

It happens because teens are less apt to read, study, and hone their academic skills when they’re out of school.

What are the effects of the summer slide?

Student learning may be slower and test scores may suffer, causing some young people to struggle in school. Academic struggles can also cause stress and anxiety.

How do teens avoid the summer slide?

Some ways to avoid the summer slide include volunteering, reading, and attending summer programs.

Sources

Educ Res Rev. 2023 May; 39.

Sociological Science. 2019 Jan; 10.15195.

Review of Educational Research. 1996; 66(3), 227-268.

Collaborative for Student Growth

Monitoring the Future Survey