At Fraser Woods Montessori School's Parent Association meeting in May, Head of School Chris Robertson addressed a question he said teachers are regularly asked near the end of the school year: What do you do with children over the summer?

Mr Robertson's talk focused on "Keeping your child's brain engaged during the summer."

One positive he sees from a summer break is that the time allows children to try things they would normally not try in school.

"One of those things, for example, is summer camp," said Mr Robertson, who shared that he regularly speaks at Parent Association meetings throughout the school year. "There's a real benefit to having children in a less structured [environment] with other children, doing things that are outside their comfort zone."

Summer also offers a time for extended family vacations, if possible, and spending time at home with family members.

"One of the downsides though, is that we know that the way the brain works is that it needs stimulation," said Mr Robertson. "And there are different thoughts about how that can look over summer."

Some families may choose to have their children participate in summer schooling or meet with a tutor, said Mr Robertson, adding that he is not personally a fan of those options.

"I think that there is a lot that families can do to really engage and stimulate children in the home with some really important activities," he explained.

Science experiments at home are "incredibly valuable," he said. Many websites offer home science experiments that can be low-cost. He also suggested thinking of math games that parents can do with children at home.

"There are things that you can do that can be fun and engaging that don't necessarily require worksheets or paying someone to work with your child," said Mr Robertson, adding that creating Jeopardy-type math games would be one way to engage children.

Mr Robertson also spoke to ways to get children outdoors. While it can take a lot of effort to get the family out to a state park, Mr Robertson said there are plenty of things families can do right in their own backyard.

He suggested teaching children about what should be touched or not touched in a yard and having children come up with their own rules or guidelines for being safe for the backyard "hiking" adventures. Structuring the activity can make inspecting a yard for worms or plants something that is much more engaging, according to the presentation.

"There are opportunities even in your own yard for you to get your children out to enjoy and appreciate nature, and you don't need a lot of space," said Mr Robertson, suggesting leaf-rubbings or going over season changes with children.

Mr Robertson spoke about instilling a love of learning in students, like what he said the Montessori curriculum at the school tries to do.

"If you think about what you want your child to experience and be engaged at school in… you can replicate that in your home," said Mr Robertson.

He also encouraged families to keep a journal. Boys can have a hard time with writing, he said, but a journal can excite them. He suggested buying a notebook and having the student decorate it with pictures or warnings like "Please don't open this."

"Then their journals can become something not just for writing, but for pictures and observations," Mr Robertson said.

For students that struggle with reading, Mr Robertson said making a reading time with the family or creating a private reading corner for the student can help instill a love of reading. He also recommended taking the student to a library or bookstore and letting the student choose which book they want to read.

If families have the time, Mr Robertson said excursions to museums or other interesting destinations that can provide lessons are also great ideas for the summer. If going on a long ride, Mr Robertson recommended audiobooks to keep the students engaged.

Some children love goals and worksheets, and Mr Robertson said to provide those, if that is what the child wants.

"There are so many thing that you can do that are really engaging and that keep the brain stimulated," he said.

When the summer is spent engaging students and maintaining the critical thinking skills they learn during the school year, Mr Robertson said they return in the fall ready to continue learning.

After Mr Robertson spoke, the event was opened to parents to ask questions or share experiences.