Summertime = Reading Time: 4 Summer Reading Ideas for Families
At Reading Teacher, summertime is reading time. In any family with young readers, parents often wonder how they can reframe summer as an opportunity for young readers to read more - and with more confidence, skill, and enthusiasm! Of course, this is no small challenge - but with our 4 tips for summer reading success, you’ll be swapping out summer sun for hours of summer reading.
Summer Reading Ideas
1. Join your library summer reading program
It’s time to stop by the local library and befriend your librarian. Across the U.S., hundreds of libraries organize summer reading programs that encourage young readers to meet their reading goals. In addition to summer reading, many libraries are also crucial resources for providing nutrition assistance to families in need. Between reading and summer lunches, libraries are true gems in any community’s social fabric. And if you’re dealing with an especially picky reader, librarians are nothing short of magic: by chatting with a youngster about their niche interests and hobbies, librarians can direct them toward the book of their dreams.
2. Make your family’s summer reading list
‘Tis the season to build a fort in the living room and hunker down for some serious summer reading. Consider compiling a summer reading list for your kids to jumpstart your very own summer reading club. Whether your kiddos are in elementary, middle, or high school, the entire family can engage in your summer reading club. Make it extra fancy with summer snacks and beverages, and be open to your kids’ book suggestions: with the rise of #BookTok and other literary social media outlets, children’s tech knowledge is invaluable when trying to identify the family’s first summer read.
3. Read everything!
When brainstorming summer reading ideas, many reading experts stress the importance of allowing children to follow their natural interests. Graphic novels, magazines, and other “unconventional” texts are just as valid as a hefty nonfiction novel. In any summer reading program, the goal is to cultivate a natural love for reading. Consider graphic series, comics, and other nontraditional reads that can be added to your family’s summer reading list.
4. Use reading technology to your advantage
It’s 2022, which means that screens are everywhere. Use them to support your family’s summer reading goals by finding audio books, TV shows and movies inspired by your child’s favorite books, and even podcasts created for kids to hear and discuss other kids’ literary favs. Some expert recommendations include Book Club for Kids and this handy list of TV shows based on books. The science of reading supports the use of reading technology, and particularly in the summertime when children tend to be less exposed to phonics, spelling activities, and other structured literacy components of early reading.
Take-Aways:
- Summer is an opportunity for families to connect with and support their children through reading.
- Joining your library’s summer reading program, creating a family reading list, and using reading technology such as podcasts, audiobooks, and film are all easy and affordable ways to cultivate a love for reading at home.
- This summer, families are also encouraged to branch out and explore alternative forms of summer reading, such as graphic novels and comics, that can satisfy even the pickiest reader.
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