Summer break is a school holiday that is observed for six to fourteen weeks, depending on the country. This holiday is mostly observed by schools, meaning it only applies to students and the teaching staff. Typically, summer break starts at the end of May or mid-June and extends to August or early September in most countries. This holiday marks a break between school years and a break in the academic school year. In the United States, summer holidays coincide with the hottest months of the year, which makes it the most anticipated holiday in the school calendar.
According to one of the most popular myths about the origin of summer vacation, the holiday is believed to have originated from the agrarian calendar, which dates back to the 1800s. It is believed that children used to take time off school during the summer months to help in the farm, thus add on to the much-needed labour force. Surprisingly enough, this is considered a myth. In fact, the summer vacations came about as a result of wealthy residents of the U.S. escaping the hot months by heading to the colder countryside with their kids. This was possible because school was not mandatory then and in most cases, the schools would be empty during the hot summer months. This was a common occurrence, especially among the middle class and upper-class communities within the country. Soon enough, it was practiced by most people in the country, and little to no activities were done during the summer period.
As this practice continued, legislators started arguing for summer time off for kids. Eventually, this push for reforming and standardizing the school year led to the implementation of the shorter school year, such as the 180 days of school as seen in the 20th century instead of the initial 231 to 244 days which existed in 1844.
At first, the summer holiday was only observed for forty to sixty days, depending on the districts. However, in the United States, with the onset of the nation’s expansion, a need for an educated population continued to increase as well as the need for academic breaks. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, the belief that the brain is a muscle which becomes strained and injured from being overworked emerged. Advocates such as Henry Curtis believed children were not having enough time for play and for this reason, advocated for the institution of summer vacations so that kids can spend time working with their families or go for camping and for those in cities, learning life skills.
The summer holidays are a perfect time for kids to enjoy themselves, learn essential skills, go to a summer camp, or even get a summer internship or job. Different people spend their summer vacations in a variety of ways, including engaging in learning activities, such as taking summer classes. Either way, summer creates unequaled opportunities for students to develop themselves on a personal and professional level. Other activities that people engage in during the summer period include spending time outdoors and participating in outdoor activities such as going to the beach and having picnics with friends and family. Sporting activities are also a favorite during this time of the year.
Observation of this holiday varies significantly across the world and usually lasts from six to eight weeks. Countries that allow for six weeks break claim that short holidays ensure students don’t forget substantial information learned during the school year. Others that have long summer holidays believe that over-schooling students increases the risk of depression, insanity, nervous disorders, anxiety, and so on. Below is a list of countries and the respective months when winter holidays are observed:
Australia
In Australia, summer vacation is observed from December to February, which coincides with the end of year celebrations, namely Christmas and New Year.
Austria
In Austria, the summer vacation runs from early July to September with slight differences between regions.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, summer holidays run from mid-May until mid-June
Belgium
In Belgium, the summer holidays start from the beginning of July and last until September.
Bolivia
In Bolivia, the summer holiday starts in early December and ends in early February.
Brazil
In Brazil, summer holidays last between fifty to sixty days from late November to early December.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, holiday lengths are determined by the grades of children. Younger children take longer breaks than older kids, which typically lasts between three to four months.
Canada
In Canada, the summer vacation starts on the last Saturday of June. However, these holidays vary between provinces where some may have two to three months of holiday.
Colombia
The summer holidays vary due to the country’s equatorial climate. Schools run two different calendars. Calendar A runs its holiday from June to July while calendar B runs the summer break in July and August. Public schools and most private schools use calendar A, and only a few private schools use calendar B although it has extra breaks during the end of the year. The summer holiday is still within the same months but with slight variations.
Costa Rica
Summer vacation runs for two months and begins in late December and ends in late February. However, some schools use the American summer calendar.
Denmark
In Denmark, summer consists of a six week holiday which starts in June and ends in mid-August.
Egypt
In Egypt, summer holidays run from June to September.
United States
In the United States, schools in northern districts have their summer vacation from June to September while those in the southern districts have their summer vacation from May until August.
Thailand & Philippines
In Thailand and the Philippines/, summer holidays are observed from late February or early March to mid-May.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, summer vacations vary between cantons, for instance in Zurich they begin in mid-July and end in mid-August (lasting five weeks) while in Ticino they start in late June and end in early September (lasting ten weeks)
Pakistan
In Pakistan, summer holidays vary depending on private and public schools. Generally, summer begins in late May and ends in mid-August.
Oman
In Oman, summer holidays last for three months from late May to early September.
In Italy, summer holidays usually begin during the second week of June and end during the first week of September. However, this applies to elementary, middle, and high schools. For kindergarteners, summer vacations begin in May.
France
In France, summer holidays begin in July and end in August.
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