For most children, the long summer holiday is a time to play, read, dream, and discover. For Kumon students, it is also a time to consolidate their learning, thanks to the flexibility and convenience of the Kumon maths and reading worksheets.

A study from John Hopkins University of students in Baltimore found that about two-thirds of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income ninth graders could be explained by summer learning loss during the elementary school years. Robert is a mathematician, and his son is a Kumon maths programme completer and the top student in his school grade. Previously, he had read research that found when children stop learning altogether over the summer holidays, usually for six weeks or longer in most OECD countries, they forget so much and lose the rhythm of daily study. It then takes them longer to get back on track in the new school year.

What Robert appreciated about Kumon is that he had access to the worksheets all year round for his son to complete at the Kumon centre, at home, or even away on holiday. By studying just 30 minutes a day, which he believes hardly impacted at all on the enjoyment of the holidays, his son continued to make progress in his mathematics. Robert felt that his son progressed the most in the holidays because there was hardly anything else going on. Robert's son did the worksheets first thing in the morning, and then went off and had fun for the rest of the day. Robert said he valued the structure, consistency, and flexibility Kumon provided. In four years at Kumon, his son took only a couple of weeks off from studying the worksheets.

Like Robert’s son, Jason is a Kumon maths programme completer, and is now studying actuarial science and commerce at UNSW in Sydney. He says, “Because you do keep on doing the work during the school holidays, whether it’s the summer or winter holidays, it does show you that hard work is key. Even if it’s the holidays, if you keep pushing, you keep on working, you will get there. You do become smarter and you will learn. It really does teach you about perseverance and to keep on going.”

Whatever your plans these holidays, either at home or away, you can include Kumon worksheet study. Kumon is flexible! No batteries, chargers or Wi-Fi needed, just a pencil and an eraser. Consult with your Kumon instructor to tailor an individualised holiday worksheet study programme for your child.