Stop The Summer Brain Drain With Summer Brain Games

Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago launches free online summer science kit

CHICAGO, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- School's out; brains can turn off, right?  Wrong.

Summer can be a great time for kids to learn in a whole new way. And the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago is offering eight weeks of inexpensive ways for parents across the country to keep their kids engaged in science with the online program Summer Brain Games.

Research shows kids can lose one to three months of learning over the summer, i.e., the "summer brain drain." In a poll conducted for the Museum (MSI) by ORC International, 69 percent of parents said they are concerned their kids will forget the knowledge they learned during the school year, while 88 percent said it's important to them to find educational activities for their children in the summer. 

Summer Brain Games, perfect for families with kids of various ages, fights the "summer brain drain" with a FREE online activity kit featuring weekly, at-home experiments on summery science themes. The experiments can be done with some adult supervision and items that are easily and inexpensively purchased—or found around the house. The kit is available in both English and Spanish. 

"The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago knows there is a definite need for activities and programs to keep kids learning during the summer," said Nicole Kowrach, the Museum's director of teaching and learning. "Studies show that some kids can tune out during the summer months and lose critical knowledge and thinking skills they need to begin a successful new school year. With Summer Brain Games, we are offering families an easy way to engage with each other, learn some science and have fun doing it."

Families who register to be "Summer Brainiacs" at msichicago.org/summerbrain will receive a voucher good for a FREE general admission ticket to MSI. (One per household.) Participants will also be invited to share their Summer Brain Games experiences with at least one photo and a brief essay about what they learned for a chance to win a tech package—a notebook computer, iPad and digital camera!

Visit msichicago.org/summerbrain now to register and learn more. The eight weeks of activities begin June 18 and run through August 12, 2012.

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SOURCE Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago