How to Promote Summer Reading at Home

Ways to Encourage Reading Over the Summer Holidays

Jun 13, 2009

Over the summer, children may not want to read daily. Promoting reading at home can be difficult for parents but there are many fun activities to make reading enjoyable.

Encouraging your child to read can be difficult, especially when he or she may not feel success as a reader. Promoting reading in your home over the summer can help your child have a strong start to the new school year. Creating your own summer reading program will help your child maintain and improve reading skills learned over the school year. Here some ideas to help you encourage your child to read at home.

Read With Your Child Everyday

Reading with your child or listening to him read aloud is an important activity to take part in daily. Make this time fun by reading outside or spread out a beach towel and read on the carpet. Play soft instrumental music while your child sits with three or four books. You can read together or let your child have quiet alone time. Reading for at least ten to fifteen minutes a day is an essential part of your child's reading program.

Make One Book the “Family Favourite”

Often beginner readers will read a book once and then they are done with it. But rereading is a very important strategy for a new reader. By keeping one book as the family favourite for a week, your child will notice something new each time.

Visit Your Local Bookstore

Bookstores provide lovely areas where children can hold and explore picture books. Ask the employees for their top picks and they can help your children find the perfect storybook or series that will make them want to read at home.

Go to the Library

Check out your local library for free programs that offer children the opportunity to listen to storytellers. Your child can get a library card of their own and should be taken there at least once a week. Librarians are fantastic resources and can help your child find the right book to take home.

Make Homemade Books

Have your child dictate a story to you and he can be the illustrator. You can make different formats of books from a flap book, an all about me book, a letter book to a jungle animals book. These also make the best gifts for Grandparents and your child will be so proud to give this special present to a loved one.

Be a Role Model

Children imitate what parents do. Let your children see you reading newspapers, magazines and novels. Seeing you will encourage them to follow your lead.

Making reading a daily routine over the summer will help reluctant readers have a strong start to the next school year. Daily reading is essential to creating a strong reader. Make reading fun by visiting the library, making books or going to the bookstore will help your child on the way to being a life long reader.

The copyright of the article How to Promote Summer Reading at Home in Kids Educational Activities is owned by Jackie Parsons. Permission to republish How to Promote Summer Reading at Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.