Keep kids reading this summer
Growing up, my family didn’t have much money (okay, we were flat broke) but my parents ALWAYS made books a priority. The weekly trips to our library brought as much excitement for my brothers and I as a day at the zoo or beach.
But not all kids are thrilled about reading and now that Summer is upon us it’s critical that we keep our children reading. In fact, Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the “summer slide”, which is the decline in academic skills experienced by many children over the summer, can set kids’ reading skills back by up to three months when they return in the Fall.
Not sure what to do? Here are ten fun ideas that you can use to encourage your kids to engage in a little summer reading.
1. What are they interested in? My son LOVES dinosaurs and it’s no coincidence that his bookshelf includes Danny and the Dinosaur, Dinosaurs Love Underpants, Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime, and many, many more. My teenage daughter is rather eclectic so her room is full of Shakespeare, Surf magazines, and Nicholas Sparks. Find books, magazines, or even comics that feature what your kids are into and keep them coming.
2. Lead by example. If my kids see me turn off the TV and pickup a book, they are more likely to do the same.
3. Make the library an adventure! The library really is a wonderful place to explore. You never know what you will bring home! And best of all, it’s FREE. Plus the majority of libraries have age-specific story hours. Find your closest public library and check it out! (No pun intended.)
4. Read to your child. My husband and I started reading to our son every night as part of his bedtime routine when he was only one month old. Admittedly, we felt rather silly at the time but we looked forward to it and our little guy definitely loves his books now (two and half years later). You can also read to your older kids, especially those who are discouraged by their own reading skills.
5. Ease the pressure. Is your child struggling with reading? Have them read to a dog. Yes, that’s right, a dog. Intermountain Therapy Animals have found that kids are inclined to forget about their reading limitations if they read to a less-intimidating dog than to parents, friends, or teachers. So if your child is struggling, have them sit down and read to Fido on a regular basis.
6. Make reading a game. Not all reading is done in books or magazines. What about spotting signs when driving to the beach or community pool? Or asking them to help you find a specific item on a menu when at a restaurant?
7. Go to the theatre. So many plays and movies have been based on children’s books. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a very popular holiday play here in San Diego. Some great family movies that were based on books are Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and of course the beloved Harry Potter series. Read the books with your child before seeing the play or movie and then talk about it afterwards. Which was better? How were they different? Were the characters what you expected?
8. Get online. Yes, I said it! Kids are on the Internet a LOT and this is a wonderful opportunity to expand their reading. There are many kids online games that are geared for reading.
9. Research your next family vacation destination. Are you going on a roadtrip this summer? Let your kids help plan your vacation by flipping through travel books or searching for fun roadside stops along the way.
10. Spice it up! Cooking is a great way for kids to practice reading and comprehension. Have them flip through a cookbook and let them pick out a few recipes to make together this summer. It’s amazing how this has helped my teenage daughter with her reading comprehension skills. Her idea of baking cookies was to open a package of cookie dough. Once I had her bake cookies from scratch, she was hooked. It took a few trial and errors but once she learned to actually READ the recipe her cookies were wonderful.
I hope you have found some inspiration in these ideas and I would love to hear about your success stories! How have you instilled a love of reading with your children?
Enjoy!
Tara
KidZui Mom
