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Summer Brain Quest workbooks aim to counter “summer slide”

In each Summer Brain Quest workbook, children place a sticker on a map in the beginning of the book, marking their progress as they complete each activity. (Courtesy of Workman Publishing)
In each Summer Brain Quest workbook, children place a sticker on a map in the beginning of the book, marking their progress as they complete each activity. (Courtesy of Workman Publishing)
By Azaria Podplesky azariap@spokesman.com(509) 459-5024

As temperatures start to rise, so too does the potential for the dreaded “summer slide” in which children forget the information and skills they learned during the school year over the summer months.

To counter the slide, Brain Quest, the company behind the question-and-answer game decks for toddlers through seventh-graders, has released a series of educational workbooks called Summer Brain Quest.

Auntie’s Bookstore will host a party to celebrate the release of this workbook series Saturday.

“It’s really casual, a kick off to summer,” said Janelle Smith, Auntie’s children’s manager.

At the party, children can make crafts, play games and learn with a few Summer Brain Quest workbook-themed activities. They will also receive a goodie bag and a certificate that shows they completed the activities.

There are six books in the Summer Brain Quest series: kindergarten and first grade, first and second grades, second and third grades, third and fourth grades, fourth and fifth grades, and fifth and sixth grades.

Each colorful book is chock full of exercises on subjects ranging from counting and shapes (kindergarten and first grade) to writing opinions and word problems (second and third grades) to ancient history, fractions and decimals, and climate (fifth and sixth grades).

Once children complete each exercise, they get to put a sticker on a map at the beginning of the book, marking their progress.

The Summer Brain Quest workbooks also contain extra challenges, outside activities, a summer reading list and a mini Brain Quest deck.

Auntie’s Bookstore has Summer Brain Quest workbooks, as well as other Brain Quest workbooks and game decks, in stock. Summer Brain Quest workbooks are $12.95, and game decks cost $11.95.

“We all forget things we don’t practice,” Smith said about the “summer slide.” “It’s also frustrating for the child. You have to go back and relearn what you were pretty confident about at the end of the year. Brain Quest does a great job of making it more fun.”