What can parents and caregivers do to help kids stay reading over the summer?
Have your own to-be-read list. Go book shopping with your kids and create a list of books you all hope to read this summer. Browse the displays at the library or at book stores, look up the bestseller lists to see what is hot in literature right now. Count down the days together for that sequel or amazing new book to be released. Build excitement for the act of reading together.
Visit places where books are present. Build visits into the library, bookstores or even friends’ houses where there are books visible into your summer plans. Seeing books within reach often entices reading and there is something about the promise of a brand-new crisp book that cannot help but be exciting. And browse online as well. What are people sharing on the #BookADay thread? Which books are being shared on Instagram under hashtags like the one I use (#pernillerecommends)?
Make it social. One of the biggest joys of summer is hanging out with people, so why not add books to it? Perhaps every Sunday night is declared “Books and milkshakes” at your house? Perhaps you create book picnics or host a book club yourself. Perhaps you engage in a friendly competition with each other to see who will finish their book first, no cheating. Reading can be a social event, don’t force it to be solitary all of the time.
Embrace audio books. We do a lot of driving in the summer as we visit family, so audiobooks from the local library are a constant companion. They cut down on our kids arguing, creates conversation, and become a part of our summer memories.
Create a summer routine. One of the biggest things I discuss with those at home is to find a routine for summer reading and not leaving it to chance. Is is that everybody reads before getting out of bed? Is it the last thing that happens at the end of the day? Create a drop-everything-and-read time and then abide by your own decisions and join in with your own books, because we know that children who see adults read, read more themselves, thanks Stephen Krashen.
Embrace real choice. So your child wants to read the same book all summer? Ok. So your child wants to read super easy books all summer? Ok. So your child wants to read only one type of book all summer? Ok. Summers are for great reading experiences, for having fun with your reading, for keeping the joy of reading alive. We can work on challenging texts later.
Flood your home with books if possible. We have books everywhere at our house, which is a privilege in itself. So if you can leave books wherever your kids are: the car, the bathroom, the living room, their rooms. If you do not have access to a lot of books, ask the school for help, scour garage sales, or visit the library if possible.
Be invested and interested. Ask genuine questions about their reading experiences. Share your own. Embrace your reading slumps together and do something about them together. Ask questions about what they plan on reading, whether they like the book or not, or what made them pick that book. Keep it light but keep it constant.
Keep it joyful. We often lose readers over the summer because it is seen as a chore, so keep it light, keep it fun. Don’t assign journal prompts or summaries to go with it. Don’t make it homework, but instead revel in the joyful experience that reading a great book can be.
Happy Reading!
