Avoid a Summer Reading Setback
Your child spent the school year developing their expanding reading skills. Summer may be full of fun memories and activities, but you don’t want to face a summer reading setback. June to August is two months when your child should continue to increase or strengthen their reading skills.
Without a plan, all of the awesome learning momentum your child had during the year comes to a screeching halt. So, indulge in plenty of fun this year, but consider a few of these ideas to avoid a reading setback. Learning is fun too!
Try a Summer Reading Program
Many local libraries offer summer reading programs for children, including impressive incentives. They act as a continuation of their reading pursuits. Kids want to read because they want to earn the incentives offered by the library. Using this programs each summer helps encourage your child to become a lifelong reader.
Build Silly Sentences
Encourage your child’s literacy skills by creating silly sentences with flash card words. Take 15 to 20 index cards and write down words. Mix up the cards and put them in a pile. Have your child select five to six cards and lay them out, creating a silly sentence. Your child reads the silly sentence aloud. She can add another card or mix up the words to make it less silly.
Practice Rhyming
Rhyming is an essential reading skill, especially for children who are still working on learning how to read. Practice rhyming with your child. Make up silly sounds and ask him to come up with rhyming words. Put words on popsicle sticks and have your child sort the sticks based on their rhyming sounds.
Play Board Games
Board games are one of the best educational tools for kids. There are board games for every subject from math to history! Reading is no exception. Purchase Bananagrams, Scrabble, Zingo, and Silly Sentences. Spend time throughout the week playing games with your child.
Read to Your Child Each Day
If you want your child to continue reading throughout the summer, make sure you are reading to your child. A child is never too old to enjoy a story from a parent. Make it a goal to read for 15 to 20 minutes every day to your child. Read a story at bedtime. Take a stack of books outside under a tree. Let your child color while you read a story. Read as often as you can to him.
Set a Reading Goal
Set a goal for your child this summer, and offer weekly incentives. If your child reads for a certain period each week, you’ll head to their favorite ice cream store every Sunday for cones. Come up with a goal and an incentive plan for your child!
Connect Reading with Summer Activities
Get books about where you will go on vacation. If you go to the beach, grab some books about the ocean, sea animals, and seashells. Find books about camping, bicycling and more. If you plan to hit up the zoo a few times this summer, make sure your child has access to books about the animals he will see there.
Make Sure Your Child Sees You Read
Most importantly, take time to read throughout the week. Children are sponges, soaking up what we say and do each day. Kids notice their parents holding a book and reading, which makes them want to read as well. Show your child that reading is fun; make sure you have a book in your hand often this summer.
