Summertime for your children means increased time to play, explore or relax. However, summer vacation can also be a time when kiddos forget the literacy skills they established at school. It’s very probable that children who don’t read over the summer can regress, and their hard-earned reading skills can decline. Whether you have assigned reading from school, or you’re looking to expand your child’s bookshelf, our team at ALLMemphis has a few tips you can use to keep the literacy momentum going during these summer months away from the classroom!
Field trip to the library
The temptation to get out of the house, especially during the summer, is common among children. Make one of those outings a weekly trip to the library. They’ll enjoy the freedom of choosing their own books. And, having their own library card will instill responsibility – especially if you have them keep up with the due dates!
Book club with other kids
Find (or start!) a book club in your area through your local library or parenting group. Children’s book clubs can be geared toward certain ages or reading levels and offer a wealth of benefits. A book club can serve as a way for your child to make new friends; a motivator to finish books; and a safe environment for them to explore their own thoughts on what they’ve read and process others’ interpretations.
Make reading part of your summer routine
Reading at home greatly increases a child’s learning ability at school. During the summer, make reading part of your child’s routine by dedicating 30 minutes a day and having weekly goals of how many chapters you aim to finish. Add an incentive and offer a reward! For example, 30 minutes of reading time equals 30 minutes of play time.
Ask questions about their reading
When children talk about what they’ve read, it can help develop their ability to understand language and build on their phonics skills. Ask them to retell or draw the stories about the characters they’re learning about in books!
Start a reading journal
Have your child create a reading journal so they can keep track of all the books they devour this summer – even if it’s just writing the titles. They can even create their own system for ranking the books they liked and why. This list will give a sense of accomplishment when it’s all filled up and will be a great resource to keep track of their progress.
Summer reading helps prevent loss of education from the previous school term and maintains and improves a child’s reading level. ALLMemphis encourages parents and guardians to keep reading part of their little readers’ routine year-round. If you want to get a jump-start on new books, we suggest our full-length decodable books. These books cover the entire scope of foundational literacy. Click here to learn more and order your set.