As a former high school English teacher, I think it is imperative that kids continue to read (anything) over the summer so their brains don’t hibernate. Check out the statistics below (thanks to Carol Levin of the Somerset County Library system):
10 Ways to Get Kids Reading Over the Summer By Melissa Taylor
Motivate your reluctant readers without forcing them to read this summer. Try one or all of these ideas.
1. Choice is essential—let your child choose what she reads, even if it's magazines.
2. Time to read. Do you have a chunk of time in you day to read?
3. Read aloud to your child -- even older kids. Read at a meal or bedtime.
4. "Read" audiobooks - they count as reading for a variety of reasons. Try Playaways (available through our library) or Tales2Go .
5. Read comic books—they count, too.
6. Read with a headlamp and stay up late. Breaking the rules is fun!
7. Get help. Ask a librarian or bookstore employee for suggestions.
8. Start a parent-child book club. Let your child pick the book. Socialization can be very motivating.
9. Get him a library card to use voraciously. (Hint: don't limit the number of books!)
Use bookstore money (or join the library Summer Reading Club and get books and other prizes) as a reward.
More resources:
Reading Rockets website
Scholastic - ideas for reading over the summer
Reading is Fundamental website
PBS Kids reading games
Here's one more secret to motivate your kids to read.
It's really easy. Be a reader YOURSELF!
You know that old adage, "Practice what you preach"? It's a good rule, don't you think? So, if we want our kids to read, we need to read, too.
The Reading Is Fundamental website agrees saying, “As much as they may deny it, most children want to be like their parents. Their lifelong habits start to form at the earliest ages, often by mimicking older members of the family.
