Q: My 20-year-old niece, a college student, will take care of our girls this summer. They're going into fifth and sixth grade. I want them to have fun and practice a few academic skills, so they don't forget what they learned this year. Do you have any suggestions?

A: You're smart to want to keep their skills sharp. Summer learning loss is real for many students. The trick is to integrate their newly learned skills into daily life, says Bill Laraway, who was recognized as the 2015 Teacher of the Year in the Evergreen Unified School District in San Jose, California.

"Don't buy a bunch of workbooks," he explains. "Let the girls practice in concrete ways."

Take advantage of everyday projects such as buying a new fan during a heat spell. Have them research prices and models. Or plan something unique, such as starting a family blog.

Use four teaching principles, says Laraway:

-- Demonstrate problem-solving steps. "Fifth- and sixth-grade math is full of common multiple-step problems that adults solve automatically each day," he says. "Students need to learn them. For example, say you're thinking of carpeting a room. Walk the girls through each step by probing and discussing: How can we figure out how much carpet we need? What is the best way to measure? How is carpet sold? Does choosing a pattern change the amount we need? And so on.

"Have them write down steps, reordering them as new information becomes available. Test their answers."

-- Let them do the work. If, for example, the girls want to go to a movie, make them responsible for the research. They'll want to find out what's playing and check the reviews. They'll have to consider how long will it take to get there as well as how much the tickets, food and transportation will cost.

"Adults make these calculations quickly," says Laraway. "Resist the temptation to figure things out for them. When asking questions, allow plenty of time to answer."

-- Reinforce the basics. By now the girls should have achieved "automaticity" with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division so that they can manipulate the numbers without paper and pencil. If you ask, "How much will it cost if we need two adult tickets at $6.50 and two under 12 at $5?" they should be able to do it in their heads. If not, find math fact games.

By the end of fifth grade, they should be fluent readers with strong comprehension skills. Reading aloud and discussing a compelling book also helps and boosts oral language.

-- Document, reflect and share. "Learning sticks when kids see that they've made a difference," says Laraway, "so I encourage ways to demonstrate this. For example, if the girls organize a neighborhood tag sale with proceeds going to a local animal shelter, have them keep journals. Make a scrapbook of items such as the poster promoting it, photos from the sale and taking earnings to the shelter. Before school starts, review and reflect on the fun they've had and the good they've done!"

For guidance on grade-level topics, take a look at two books: "What your Fifth Grader Needs to Know" (Delta, 2006) and "What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know" (Delta, 2007).

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our school librarian sent home a list of books to encourage summer reading. I was surprised to see picture books on the third-grade list. She also recommended "reading to and with your children, even if they can read independently." Isn't that babying them?

A: When it comes to encouraging kids to read, use every tool at hand. This is especially true during the summer months, when kids' skills hit the snooze button. According to the National Summer Learning Association, 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. (Go to summerlearning.org for more information.)

Of course you want to encourage independent reading, but there is nothing babyish about continuing to read to children once they've cracked the code. The 2015 Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report shows that 80 percent of surveyed children ages 6 to 17 say that they still like it when parents read with them, because it means spending special time with family.

A quarter-century ago, educator Jim Trelease wrote "The Read-Aloud Handbook" to encourage parents to set aside quality time each evening to read to their children. "It became a best-seller because it promoted the pleasures of families enjoying good books together," says Carl Harvey, a school library consultant who teaches librarianship at Longwood University in Virginia.

Reading aloud with your kids offers many benefits, says Harvey. Among them:

-- It's enjoyable. When kids connect reading with pleasure, they want to read more.

-- It helps stir kids' imaginations. Unlike a movie, they have to envision the setting from the words they hear.

-- It prompts family discussions -- great for oral language development.

-- It hones their listening skills and their ability to focus, a good thing in these days of constant digital distractions.

-- It models what fluent reading sounds like.

-- It builds vocabulary not by memorization, but by using new words in context. It also naturally introduces kids to words well above their reading level. For example, reading a biography of an astronaut introduces the language and acronyms of space exploration.

-- It builds important background knowledge that boosts reading comprehension. This is especially true with nonfiction. For example, an article in Wired magazine about virtual reality that allows people to work together via 3-D avatars may be well beyond the reach of a newly independent reader, but it may be awe-inspiring to a third-grade listener.

And what about picture books recommended for third graders?

"Parents should know that picture books aren't just for pre-readers," says Harvey. "Many nonfiction picture books are appropriate for older audiences. Sure, they have great photos and illustrations, but most are also packed with valuable information in the captions and text. Some librarians buy them for high school collections because they are great ways to introduce a topic such as astronomy or ocean life."

When school's out, make family reading time a daily part of kids' summer vacation. "There's a big payoff academically, socially and emotionally for kids," says Harvey.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: A neighbor and I want to give our five kids (ages 8, 10 and 11) science experiences this summer, as we can't afford camps at nearby colleges. How can we plan something valuable across those age ranges?

A: Summer is a wonderful time for family-led science activities. Schedules are more flexible; you can take a deep dive into hands-on projects, and no one has to stop and put away the materials as they would in school. Plus, you can take field trips to visit professionals who work in science-related careers.

For a summer filled with science, take three steps, says Allison Duarte, a middle school educator who designs science curriculum for New York City's Harlem Academy.

First, choose a stack of nonfiction children's books that match kids' interests. "While it may sound counterintuitive, start with reading," Duarte explains. "Nonfiction introduces key concepts through developmentally appropriate storytelling and photos or illustrations. Introduce 'academic vocabulary' (that) kids need to understand the topic, build background for further study and reinforce literacy skills."

For example, do your kids want to study birds? The book "Birdology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Birds" (Chicago Review Press, 2015) shows them how to spot birds almost anywhere and gets them to analyze, write about and draw what they see. It teaches essential vocabulary such as "migration," "nesting," "territories" and "preservation."

"Read science books with your children to check for understanding and prompt conversations that lead to questions about the book's topic," suggests Duarte.

Ask your kids' teachers or a children's librarian to recommend titles. Or choose from recommended science books for grades K-12 published annually by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Children's Book Council: nsta.org/publications/ostb/.

Second, conduct experiments that help them develop the skills to carry out scientific investigations independently. "Guide them through the scientific process: question, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results and conclusion," advises Duarte. "Have them keep a science journal to reinforce observation and recording skills. At the conclusion of each experiment, ask children to share their results and suggest a follow-up experiment."

To find experiments, Duarte recommends two books that yield quality results, offering clear protocols with illustrations and using everyday materials: "Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Experiments From Around the House" (Quarry Books, 2014) and "The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book" (Adams Media Corporation, 2001).

Third, plan field trips. "Exploring museums and nature centers is a valuable economical way to share science with kids," says Duarte. "Many museums offer free classes or drop-in experiences with scientists. Check the museum's website for suggestions on how to make the most of the experience before, during and after the visit."

She also encourages getting kids "off the grid" and into natural settings. "This encourages environmental stewardship and scientific inquiry about the natural world," says Duarte. For example, hike the same trail several times. Have children record close observations about trees, animals, sounds and weather. How does one habitat differ from another? What's the same and what's different?

By providing summer science activities, "you invest in your children's continued growth as scientists and scholars," says Duarte. "As a bonus, not only will kids love the special time together, you may learn something new!"

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)