One of my favorite things to do all year round is to get lost in a good book. It has always been my hope that this passion for reading will get passed on to my child, especially during the summer months, when countless other activities and technological devices are competing for our attention. Summer reading can benefit children by not only encouraging lifelong reading habits, but by keeping up skills during the summer break from school. Visiting the local library is a great way to cool off and explore different stories, but there are also lots of fresh ways to make summer reading fun, imaginative, and educational! 

Make Summer Reading Fun!

• Read aloud together as a family. Reading aloud helps build vocabulary, language, and encourages family bonding time. It is also one of the best ways you can improve your child’s reading skills. Don’t be afraid to get silly by acting out the stories or trying out different voices for different characters.

• Listen to e-books or story time podcasts. Sometimes, if a child isn’t immediately interested in the idea of reading, introducing a story on a device can make the activity feel more appealing. Check your local library’s website to access a free digital subscription service for kids to borrow e-books, e-comics, and e-magazines. Additionally, you can search the “Kids & Family” category in your mobile phone’s podcast app, grab some headphones, and listen to a story no matter where you are.

• If your child is feeling cooped up indoors, take story time outside! I always love to lay with a good book in the warm weather. If the weather is too hot during the day, you can read outside at night; just bring a flashlight! And no matter what time of day you decide to venture outdoors with a book, don’t forget the bug spray, the sunscreen, and water to stay hydrated.

• Our local libraries have a summer reading program, which not only makes reading more interactive, but typically comes with built-in incentives.

Finding the Right Book for Your Child

• Make sure the book is both something your child wants to read and is at the right level for your child. Identify a genre or topic that sparks your child’s interests, such as fantasy or action adventure, and start your search.

• For young children, the same book may be on repeat, especially if there is a favorite character or story. That will change over time. 

How to Beat the Summer Slide by Reading

• During the school year, many books may be available in your child’s classroom or school library or will be assigned to them as classwork. During the summer, make frequent trips to your local public library and have plenty of books lying around the house that a child can pick up at any time. For more literacy resources, check out BookSmart (https://booksmart.worldreader.org/en/BookSmart/Welcome/Start).

• Reading doesn’t have to be limited to books! Magazines, comics, and graphic novels can take the place of traditional books and are great for giving children a solid reading experience, as well as a break from some of the lengthier, more challenging books they may have been reading in school. Children can even create their own stories, drawing their own pictures and using their words!

• Talk about the stories or what they are reading. Kids will appreciate your interest, and it can give them a chance to wonder. This also doubles as way to encourage your child’s reading comprehension! 

The more you encourage your child in different ways, the more you’ll encourage a lifelong habit of reading that will serve them through school and through life. By ensuring your child has opportunities to practice their growing reading skills during the summer, they can progress and keep what they gained during the rest of the year.