Here’s a reality many parents don’t fully appreciate. If children neglect to read during summer break, their reading skills deteriorate. It’s called "summer slide." The reading loss is cumulative year over year, too. In fact, by the end of sixth grade, kids who haven’t read during the summers are two years behind their classmates according to Reading Is Fundamental, the nation’s largest nonprofit children’s literacy organization.
A summer slide reading program helps keep this from happening. In addition to summer reading, the extended break is an excellent time for kids to try lots of new activities. Things to learn over the summer might include new crafts, art, a different sport or even the history of your family, city or region.
Make Time for Reading
Finding time to read can be a challenge, especially when family vacations, camps and sports start to kick in. Here are a couple of summer reading tips you can use to naturally encourage reading throughout the summer.
- Visit the library. Yes, it’s a no- brainer. But it’s also a great way to let kids find topics that interest them.
- Create a summer reading list. Have your kids write down three or four books they intend to finish over the summer. Then reward them each time they complete a book.
- Read books together. Read a book the same time as your child does and talk about the characters in it, the plot and the theme.
- Read a book/watch a movie. Is there a movie your child is excited to see? Have them read the book first and tell you how the book and movie are different.
- Think outside the book. A summer slide reading strategy can include more than just books. Encourage kids to read cereal boxes, road signs, brochures from trips or even write letters to friends and family.
Be Creative About Learning
When you look for things to learn over the summer, don’t limit your children to just books. Now is the time for kids to do things they might not otherwise have time to try.
- Plan an educational getaway. Trips to Springfield, Illinois, Washington, DC, the Freedom Trail in Boston, or Colonial Williamsburg are all great ways to combine learning and fun.
- Explore new crafts. Want to make wind chimes from used cans? How about building a recycled bottle bird feeder? These and hundreds of other inexpensive, kid-friendly crafts can be found on Pinterest.
- Give art a try. The National Gallery in Washington, DC, has a really cool, kid-friendly app. It incorporates eight interactive activities that are inspired by works in their collection.
Encourage Outdoor Activity
Some of the most memorable experiences come from hands-on activities. So make sure to sprinkle in lots of fun outdoor activities, too.
- Get out and do stuff. Want to teach your child about photosynthesis? Try planting (and maintaining) a small vegetable garden. Want to boost their leadership skills? Have them plan a neighborhood bicycle parade.
- Limit TV and video game time. A little gaming or television is OK. Spending hours in front of the TV is obviously not. Try to set some parameters for your kids during the summer months and then enforce them.
- Join in the fun! Children respond to what parents do even more than what they say. So take a walk together when you get home from work or play catch in the yard. Show them you think it’s important to learn how to throw and stay fit.
With just a little bit of planning, you can put together a summer slide reading plan. Better yet, sprinkle in a mix of hands-on learning and outdoor activities and your young scholar is practically guaranteed a fun-filled summer.