5 Tips for Helping Your Kids To Read in the Summer

Most schools demand students read at least two books off their summer reading list. This can be a most difficult task. Most kids will put off the reading until the last week of vacation. This is where you need to step in and make sure they attend to their obligation. I’m sure you can sympathize with them, but after a week or two of avoiding their reading it’s time for you to make sure they get on the ball. Here are five tips for you to help your child to get interested in reading this summer:

Read the same book as your child. Make sure you get your own copy of the book to make your child feels like it’s important to you that you’re reading the book.

Read in front of your child; don’t wait until they’re in bed and you can whip through it. If they see you curled up with the same book, they’re going to be more apt to want to read too.

Read to your son or daughter. Even if they’re in high school, read to them. Sure, they may not admit it to their friends that you’re reading to them, but that’s not the point. If you show interest in whatever your child is doing then they’re going to feel good about their decisions.

Let them make the choice. If you show up at the house with a book or two and force them on your child they’re going to resist and never read that book. Take them to the library and go off on your own while they explore the stacks for themselves.

Subscribe to a magazine in their name. Children love nothing more than getting something in the mail. Sign up for Sports Illustrated for Kids or Highlights in their name. This will give something to look forward to and they’ll probably open up their mail and read it. Try to remember how much you loved getting anything in the mail. It gave you a real reason to wait for the mailman.

Set up a pen pal relationship for your child. If your kids are young, then they may be sad that school is over and they’re not going to see their friends as much. Talk to the other parents and set up a pen pal relationship. Explain how important it is that they express themselves properly to their friends and this will foster strong language arts skills.

By-line:
This article is contributed by Heather Johnson, who regularly writes on the topic of college scholarship applications. She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

(A personal aside from Bellezza: the singular most important thing I have done to encourage reading in my students is to read aloud to them. They are caught up in a story which they can't wait to hear unfold. Their imaginations provide better imagery than film. They share in the experience with you. They are exposed to vocabulary they would not necessarily hear, or be able to read, in a book on their independent reading levels. It is the thing I miss the most during the summer when I'm away from my class.)