Tips to Make Summer Reading Cool

Getting children to pick up a book over the summer is not the easiest task, but it helps them maintain and develop better reading skills. Although visions of school desks are far from their mind in summer months, there are fun ways to integrate reading and vocabulary building while enjoying the sunshine. Here are a few tips for encouraging summer reading from Reading Is Fundamental.

A Trip to the Library
If you are not already members in your local library, the summer is the perfect time to start. Take a walk or bike ride to the library and browse the wide selection of books. Check with your local library for child-friendly reading events and programs.

Bringing Books to Life
Summer time is usually filled with outdoor activities and other fun. Try to combine reading with the activity your child is drawn to. If they love to play basketball, suggest a book about a famous player.

Follow the Leader
As always, children are more likely to do something if they see it is a valuable part of your lifestyle. When they see you enjoying a book beachside, or thumbing through the newspaper in the morning, they’ll recognize that reading can be fun, even in the summer.

Talk it Over
Telling your children about what you read is another way you can share your own appreciation for reading. Tell them about a funny part of a book you are reading, or some news article on a subject they like. Better yet, read aloud with your children so it becomes a fun activity to share.

Offer Variety
Different children are drawn to reading in different ways. Some love to read a long novels, while others may feel more satisfaction reading magazine articles. Make sure to have a variety of options around for kids. Let them pick out a book of their choice with their summer reading requirements, or get them a subscription to a magazine that interests them.

Relaxing the Rules
Children have hectic schedules during the school year, so summer time offers freedom for them to read what and when they want to. Help them find time to read, but don’t try to be strict on setting the amount of time they spend reading or the number of pages they get through.

Books to Cure Boredom
Summer time gives children a lot of free time—sometimes too much. Books can help kids tackle summer boredom by providing inspiration. There are plenty of instructional and how-to books for those who want to keep their hands and bodies busy too.

One of the best ways to encourage summer reading is to get directly involved—talk to your children about their summer reading goals and help them make a plan to reach them.

Source: “RIF's Ter-RIF-ic Summer Reading Tips for Families,” www.rif.org/summer.