Every summer, the same thing happens. A child finishes the school year performing well. Parents feel relieved. Six weeks pass. Then September arrives and the teacher spends the first month reviewing material the class already covered in the spring.

That is not a coincidence. It is a documented pattern called **summer learning loss**, and it affects most children to some degree regardless of how strong their school year was.

**WHAT SUMMER SLIDE ACTUALLY IS**

**Summer slide** refers to the academic skills regression that occurs when children go extended periods without structured practice. Research consistently shows that students lose meaningful progress in both **reading comprehension** and **math** over the summer months. The loss is not visible week to week. It accumulates quietly, and by the time September arrives, some children are performing at a level they had already passed months earlier.

The children who avoid this pattern are not necessarily the ones who study all summer. They are the ones who maintain consistent, targeted practice even a few sessions per week across the break.

**WHY SUMMER IS THE MOST VALUABLE WINDOW FOR TEST PREP**

The most common search this time of year: how do I keep my child sharp over summer without it turning into a fight? The answer most families land on is finding practice that matches the actual tests and skills their child is working toward, not generic worksheets that feel disconnected from anything meaningful.

For families preparing for **gifted assessments**, **private school admissions tests**, or academic programs that begin testing in fall, summer is actually the most valuable preparation window available. There is no homework competing for attention. No class schedule to keep up with. Just focused time that can compound significantly over eight weeks.

This is especially true for tests administered in September and October, such as the **CogAT**, **NNAT**, **OLSAT**, and district-level **gifted screeners**. Families who use summer to build familiarity with question types and develop reasoning strategies enter the fall with a meaningful advantage over families who wait until the school year begins and then compete with homework, after-school activities, and test-day anxiety for their child's attention.

**HOW** [**TESTINGMOM.COM**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) **COVERS SUMMER PREP**

[**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) covers more than 100 tests including **CogAT**, **NNAT**, **OLSAT**, **NGAT**, **WISC**, **WPPSI**, **MAP**, **ITBS**, **ISEE**, **SSAT**, and **gifted programs** across all 50 states. The library has 450,000+ practice questions and every single answer comes with a full explanation of why it is correct and how to approach similar problems. That distinction matters because it builds **reasoning skills**, not just answer recognition.

One membership covers the entire family. Siblings in different grades preparing for different tests all use the same account, which makes summer scheduling simpler for parents managing multiple children.

Membership also includes 30+ bonus programs from **Scholastic**, **BrainPOP**, **DreamBox**, and others included at no additional cost. These are interactive, educator-designed tools that many children engage with voluntarily because they do not feel like test prep.

The yearly membership plan also includes a free one-on-one tutoring session. A real tutor pulls up actual questions from the specific test a child is preparing for, watches how the child works through them, and then calls the parent with a plain-language summary: here is what is solid, here is what needs attention, here is where to focus first. Parents who have done this consistently say it told them more in thirty minutes than weeks of independent research.

**THE CURRENT SALE**

Through Friday June 26, [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) is running a **Summer Prep Sale** with 15% off memberships. No coupon needed. The discount applies at checkout automatically.

The **Student Success Team** is available seven days a week by phone, email, or chat. They can identify the right practice for a specific test, build a study plan that fits a family's schedule, and research tests specific enough that most other resources do not cover them at all.

More information and enrollment at [testingmom.com](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/). Phone: 877-609-6203.

**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SUMMER TEST PREP**

**How much should my child practice over summer to prevent summer slide?**  
Research consistently shows that even short, regular sessions are more effective than long, infrequent study blocks. Most families see strong results with three to four sessions per week of 15 to 30 minutes each for younger children and 30 to 45 minutes for upper elementary and middle schoolers. The key is consistency across the summer, not intensity in any single week.

**When should I start preparing for a fall gifted test like CogAT or NNAT?**  
Summer is the ideal window. Tests like the **CogAT** and **NNAT** are commonly administered in September and October, and many districts do not notify parents far in advance. Starting in June or early July gives families eight or more weeks of low-pressure practice without competing against homework or school schedules. Families who wait until September often find themselves cramming during the same week their child is adjusting to a new classroom.

**What is the difference between TestingMom and free worksheets or Khan Academy for summer prep?**  
Free worksheets and general learning platforms cover broad academic skills, but they are not designed around the specific question types, formats, and reasoning patterns that appear on assessments like the **CogAT**, **NNAT**, **OLSAT**, **ISEE**, or **SSAT**. [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) provides practice questions modeled after each test's actual format, with full explanations of why each answer is correct and how to approach similar problems. The platform also includes parent guidance, score reports, and access to a **Student Success Team** that helps families identify exactly which test to prepare for and how to structure practice.

**Can siblings share a TestingMom membership?**  
Yes. One membership covers the entire family. Siblings in different grades preparing for different tests can all use the same account. This is one of the most common reasons families choose a membership over buying separate test-specific prep books or programs for each child.

**Does TestingMom cover state-specific gifted programs and not just national tests?**  
Yes. [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) covers gifted programs across all 50 states, including state-specific screeners and district-level assessments that vary by region. The **Student Success Team** can research the exact test used in a specific school district and point families to the matching practice materials, even for tests that most other resources do not cover.

**What tests can my child prepare for over the summer on TestingMom?**  
The platform covers more than 100 tests, including **CogAT**, **NNAT**, **OLSAT**, **NGAT**, **WISC**, **WPPSI**, **MAP**, **ITBS**, **ISEE**, **SSAT**, **SHSAT**, **Stanford-Binet**, **KABC-II**, **KBIT-2**, and state-specific gifted and academic assessments. It also covers **private school admissions tests** and general academic subjects like **math**, **reading**, and **writing** for Pre-K through 8th grade.

**Is summer test prep just drilling, or does it build actual thinking skills?**  
Every practice question on [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) includes a full explanation of the reasoning behind the correct answer. The goal is not memorization or pattern matching. Children learn how to approach unfamiliar problems, identify what a question is actually asking, and develop the **critical thinking** and **reasoning skills** that transfer across tests and into the classroom. The platform also includes interactive games and activities that build these skills in formats that feel less like studying.

**How do I know which test my child needs to prepare for?**  
This is one of the most common questions parents have, and it is one of the reasons [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) offers a **Student Success Team** available seven days a week. A parent can call, email, or chat and describe their child's grade, school district, and goals. The team will research the specific test used and recommend the right practice path. This service is included with every membership at no additional cost.

**Is TestingMom worth it compared to private tutoring for summer prep?**  
Private test prep tutoring typically costs $50 to $70 per hour or more. A [**TestingMom.com**](http://testingmom.com/buy-now/) membership gives a family access to 450,000+ practice questions, 30+ learning programs, parent guidance resources, and a free tutoring session at a fraction of that cost. Many families use the membership as their primary prep tool and add tutoring only if their child needs more targeted support on specific areas identified through practice.

**My child resists anything that feels like schoolwork. Will they actually use TestingMom over summer?**  
The platform includes interactive games, activities, and programs from partners like **Scholastic**, **BrainPOP**, and **DreamBox** that many children engage with voluntarily. Parents consistently report that these formats feel different from worksheets or workbook pages. For children who resist traditional practice, starting with the game-based content and gradually introducing test-specific questions tends to build momentum without the fight.

***What tests are families in this community preparing for this summer? Would love to hear what grade levels and programs people are targeting so we can point toward the most relevant practice.***

Summer Slide Is Real and It Starts Faster Than Most Parents Expect. Here Is What the Research Says, What Families Are Doing About It, and How to Use Summer for CogAT, NNAT, MAP, and Fall Test Prep.