The Joy of Summer Reading
How to Get Your Child to Enjoy Books on Vacation
Looking forward to those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer? For children, summer reading should be part of a perfect vacation from school.
Summertime, with its laid back schedule and less stringent routines, is a good time to delve into books you don't have time to read during the busy school year. Summer reading projects are a good way to sneak in a little bit of academic learning into vacation.
According to an MSNBC study, reading just six books during the summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing. When choosing the six books, be sure they're just right — not too hard and not too easy.
Set Summer Reading Goals and Reward Your Child
Tell your child at the beginning of the summer what you want him to read – either number of books or specific titles or types of books – and together set some realistic but challenging goals.
Depending on your child’s age and grade level, you may want to suggest a series of books for the summer or a new genre. Talk to his teacher about what books will prepare him for the upcoming school year.
At summer’s end, when he’s met your requirements, reward his efforts with a trip to the bookstore, a pizza night out, or an ice cream. Having some motivation and reward for summer reading can get any child excited about books.
Sign Up With Your Local Library
Most public libraries have summer reading programs for children with themes, fun reading related activities, and rewards for reading books.
Use a School Summer Reading List
Your child may have assigned summer reading for English or language arts classes. Many high school advanced English classes require at least one or two summer reading books, and some high schools require summer reading of all students in all grades.
If your child has summer reading assignments, encourage him to buy or borrow the books early in the summer and start on them right away. Keep a rough schedule of pages per day, so he’s not “cramming” the book right before school starts in the fall.
Talk to your child about adding to his summer reading by choosing other books from the reading list – books he’s not specifically assigned, but perhaps books that another teacher or grade level has assigned. Summer reading lists are a good resource for surefire books worth reading.
Many book stores have designated shelves for summer reading books. They often have the best classic and contemporary novels for school children.
Read With Your Children
Nothing gets a child to read more than seeing his parents reading for pleasure on a regular basis. If your child sees you stretched out on a chaise poolside reading a paperback, he may just want to pick up a good book himself.
Don't forget to pack books for yourself and your children on vacations and car trips. Waiting in airports, long rides in the car, and visits to relatives are good times to relax with a book.
Start a Summer Book Club
The school year may be too busy with other academic and extra-curricular activities to really delve into books. But the summer might be the perfect time to join or start a summer book club.
Gather together your child’s friends and their parents and put together your own book club. Let the children help choose book titles for summer reading, and plan some fun activities to celebrate the completion of each book.
