Reading is an essential skill that helps sharpen the brain and improve learning. The problem: reading often takes a backseat during the summer months when the weather is nice and school is no longer on the brain.
Why Is It Important To Read Over The Summer?
Although kids need time during the summer to relax and play, reading is a great way to keep your child’s brain active so he or she can continue to learn over the break.
On average, one month of learning and two months of reading are lost over the summer break. If students don’t make an effort to read over the summer, they risk losing many of the important skills they learned during the school year. Reading over the summer helps curb summer learning loss and builds good habits for when school resumes in the fall.
Getting your child to read this summer doesn’t have to be an uphill battle—it can be a fun and enjoyable activity! Check out our summer reading tips for parents below to help keep your child motivated to read this summer.
How To Get Kids To Read Over The Summer (10 Tips For Parents)
- Set Goals Together
- Create A Rewards System
- Read The Same Book As Your Child
- Lead By Example
- Record Progress
- Find Similar Books To Ones They Enjoyed
- Take Day Trips
- Subscribe To Magazines/E-zines
- Allow Your Child To Pick His or Her Books
- Explore Different Types of Reading Materials
Encourage your child to set reading goals at the beginning of summer. Make sure they are achievable and match your child’s reading level—such as finishing a certain number of books or reading a certain number of chapters per week. Revisit these goals throughout the summer to make sure your child is on track.
Create a reward system with your child for reaching certain milestones of the reading goals he or she has set for the summer. A rewards system is a great way to keep track of your child’s progress over the summer while providing some extra motivation to keep him or her excited about and engaged with reading.
There is no better way to have meaningful discussions about what your child is reading than by reading it together! Ask your child questions about characters or events from the story to improve reading comprehension. Sparking conversations about the book shows your child you have an interest in his or her reading hobby.
are influenced by what they see happening around them. Set a good example for your child by keeping lots of reading materials available in your home (such as newspapers, magazines, and brochures), and taking time to read while your child does too.
Keep track of the books your child reads over the summer months on a chart and put it in a place where your child will see it often. Showcasing progress helps reinforce good habits and keeps your child motivated to continue reading—and it’s a great way to use the reward system you and your child have created.
If your child really enjoyed a book or series, try to find books that are similar. Ask your librarian or bookstore employee for recommendations, or search online to see what other titles or series your child might enjoy.
Encourage reading by taking your child on field trips related to what he or she has read. If your child finished a book about dinosaurs, take him or her to a museum to explore exhibits and learn more. These types of field trips are great motivators and they encourage curiosity, self-directed learning, and curiosity.
Magazines are a great way to encourage reading while catering to your child’s interests. Lots of kid-friendly magazines are available and include articles and stories geared to your child’s reading level. Many magazines are also offered in online formats (e-zines) and can be viewed on a computer or tablet.
Don’t try to force your child to read something he or she doesn’t have an interest in. Let your child pick out books that pique his or her interest—your child is much more likely to read something he or she picked out! Encourage your child to read a few pages of a book before choosing it to make sure it matches his or her reading level.
There are countless resources available that encourage reading in ways other than books. Have your child read through a recipe book and highlight ones he or she would like to try, explore educational apps and games on your computer or tablet, or buy graphic novels or comic books. Variety is key to keeping your child engaged in reading all summer long.
Make Reading A Part Of Your Child’s Summer Break
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore—there are many ways to encourage your child to read more often by making it fun and motivating. Help prevent summer learning loss and improve your child’s reading skills by using some of the above tips to encourage summer reading.
Remember, if your child keeps reading this summer, he or she will keep learning!
Check out our other resources about encouraging summer learning and improving literacy skills:
How To Finish Summer Homework Assignments
Seven Strategies To Improve Reading Fluency of Struggling Readers
13 Fun Reading Tips To Turn Your Reluctant Reader Into A Book Lover
