10 Ways to Optimize Summer Reading
"The lack of summer reading is actually a reflection of how well we have taught them to be independent readers during the school year.”
- No More Summer Reading Loss (Cahill, Horvath, McGill-Franzen, Allington, 2013)“
Gosh, this is so true.
But it can be a mighty task.
I often hear, “well she just won’t do it! She won’t read at all no matter what I say.”
Maybe because they just aren’t an independent reader yet. And that’s OK.
BUT, we need to support our readers where they are on their reading journey, even in the summer. Because it’s still important. In fact - maybe more important. They aren’t getting that reading support that they do in school each day.
If you approach summer reading as a chore or assignment that must be done before anyone gets to use the iPad , you are setting yourself up for battles. This makes the iPad sound like a reward and *better* - so try to avoid this sort of language. Especially if you have a reluctant reader.
Let's ensure that your kids get in some quality summer reading time this year amidst the beach trips, lake adventures, ice cream parties, and barbecues. Here are 10 of my favorite tips!
1. Let your kids see you read
This is hard. Because time is limited. But be creative! If you come downstairs before the kids in the morning, maybe try to read then (and they can naturally discover you reading in peace, of course).
Find a time to dedicate as “book time” during your day - after snack, before lunch, in the late afternoon, whenever it fits your day best!
Maybe you could read a book together, and then each read your own for a few minutes. Stick to it each day and it might become something you all really look forward to! Perhaps you could sneak 5 minutes of reading in while your child is playing or working on their own.
Modeling reading for pleasure is a huge positive reinforcement without any nagging or begging. Kids want to do what they see the grown ups in their lives doing - be an advertisement for reading.
2. Create weekly adventures that encourage reading.
I have vivid memories of going to both the library and the book store with my parents and wandering for what seemed like hours.
Explore with your child, but then let them see you looking for your own books! Bring home a stack of books from the library, and keep them in a special spot in your home. Sometimes when I go to the library for my daughter, I get a whole bunch of books related to one or two themes which is fun and starts a lot of great conversations.
For older children, look for books that really interest them. Series books work well to get kids "hooked," and graphic novels are always enticing. There are so many wonderful picture books, and they are such valuable tools for discussion at every age.
3. Make space to nurture skills
So your child isn’t an independent reader yet. While we can support your budding reader in all the fun ways included on this list, it is also important to cultivate skills that will support independence. So that might mean a number of things depending on where your child is on their reading journey:
Letters and sounds
Blending sounds into words
Reading with greater fluency
Learning new word parts and patterns
Developing comprehension skills
It is important to observe what your child’s reading strengths are (always start there!) as well as what needs practice. When you know this information, you can more seamlessly incorporate practice into your day-to-day activities.
Reading over the summer should hopefully be fun for your learner. But they also need to continue to work on skills so they don’t experience that “summer slide” and can keep moving forward on their road to reading independence.
4. Read out loud to your kids!
Reading aloud has so many benefits for both younger AND older children:
strengthens vocabulary and models sophisticated language use
improves attention span
exposes children to books at levels higher than they can read independently
presents opportunity for conversation regarding deep issues and themes in books
expands understanding of the world beyond what they see and interact with daily
Develops empathy for other perspectives
5. Create an environment that encourages reading
Establish book baskets with favorite titles, new titles. and various genres throughout the house. If it feels like a chore to get up and find a book, then it is less likely to happen.
I personally keep an upstairs book (fiction) and a downstairs book (nonfiction), and this TOTALLY works for me!
My daughter has baskets of books scattered though our home and will often grab a stack, cuddle up in a corner or on the couch, and “read.”
6. Make time for reading, everyday!
No exceptions.
We read books to the girls before naps/quiet time, and before bed. Those are non-negotiables, and then we will sprinkle in more books throughout the day.
A great hack here is to make it a habit that comes right after another habit (this is called habit stacking). For example, we read EVERY NIGHT after we brush teeth and before the girls get tucked in. We don’t think about it. It all just happens. Maybe you read while the kids eat breakfast. What works for you?
7. Make use of podcasts and audiobooks
These are great comprehension and vocabulary builders! They totally count and REALLY help budding readers find genres and series that they enjoy. If you have a resistant reader, give this a try.
8. Start a family book club
This is a great way to increase engagement and excitement around reading. Find a chapter book that is friendly for all ages, pop some popcorn, get cozy, and read a few chapters. Make sure you leave time for the book club chat after each chapter!
9. Create a backwards reading log, AKA a “Books I Want To Read List”
If your child is keeping a summer writing journal, this is a great ongoing list to have in there.
Bring your journal, or a blank sheet of paper, to the store (or library) with you, and since you couldn’t possibly buy all the books your kids will love in one day, have them write down their favorite titles. You can even take a picture and they can glue them in later.
For younger kids ,you can of course write them in yourself.
Then, the next time you head out to the library or book store, go ahead and refer to this list! Honestly, this is really just a great mind trick to keep kids EXCITED about reading, rather than dreading the task of recording how long they read for.
10. Use a reading tracker
These create some accountability and motivation - without a traditional reading log (I’m not a fan). I know I love logging my books with a tool like GoodReads, and this works similarly. Your child can color a small picture for each book they complete. I send one in each of my weekly newsletters, and they change each month! Sign up below!
