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Tips to keep children reading over the summer
Tips to keep children reading over the summer
With the end of term in sight, the BookSpace team have been thinking about how challenging it can be for families to encourage reading for pleasure over the break. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve come up with a few fun, engaging and low-cost ways to keep children motivated and inspired to continue reading throughout the summer holidays.
Allow children to make their own reading choices
Once school is out for the summer, it can be difficult to get children to pick up a book again until September. Allowing children to choose what, when and how they read can help them to develop positive, lifelong reading habits.
Introducing different types of reading materials such as magazines, comics or graphic novels (perfect for dropping into a beach bag or rucksack) can be a gentle way to encourage children to engage in reading and let them know reading doesn’t have to mean long dense texts.
Shorter reading materials are a great way to encourage reluctant readers and studies show magazines about sports, nature or history go down particularly well with boys
And don’t worry about children reading on phones, tablets or eBooks. Research carried out by the National Literacy Trust shows that reading both print and on screens benefits children’s literacy.
“Digital reading is becoming an increasingly important part of children’s literacy lives. It gives children new and exciting ways to access a wide range of reading materials and is particularly effective at getting disengaged groups of children excited about reading”
Jonathan Douglas, National Literacy Trust
Plan a trip to your local library
Public libraries are a fantastic resource if you can get to one in the holidays. Most libraries run special events, storytime sessions and lots of different activities that bring the local community together to share a love of reading.
Why not arrange a ‘book-date’ with your child’s friends so they can visit the library together and share their personal reading experiences with each other and make recommendations.
One of the biggest free events over the holidays is the Summer Reading Challenge which aims to prevent the summer reading ‘dip’ that many children experience over the break. This year’s theme is ‘Ready, Set, Read’ and is all about sports and games to keep both children’s minds and bodies active over the break. It kicks off on 24th June in Scotland and 8th July 2023 in England and Wales. Click below to find your nearest library running this year’s challenge:
Combine reading and play
During the school holidays, picking up a book may be the last thing on your child’s mind. However, by incorporating creative games you can turn reading into a fun summer activity and get children excited about books.
Treasure hunts are always a hit with children and are ideal for days at home. The game is simple: to find books that have been hidden around the house or garden, solve the clues and win a prize.
Start by giving your child a clue about a book they have at home e.g. “This worm is no ordinary worm”. Once the children have found the book (Superworm), tucked inside is another clue which will lead them to the next challenge until they find the prize.
Go Find a Book is another fun game that can be played at your local library and is great for introducing new books to children.
Here are some ideas to start you off, feel free to click on the image to download the cards.
Build a reading den
It’s no secret that children love making dens. Using household items such as boxes and bedsheets, you can create a cosy reading nook outside or inside depending on the weather.
For outdoor dens, encourage your child to find natural objects such as leaves, sticks, flowers and stones for decoration and then fill it with lots of lovely books. If you’re creating an indoor reading den, create an extra-special storytime experience by turning down the lights and using torches or nightlights.
Take reading outside
Research tells us that outdoor reading has a wide range of benefits for children’s physical, mental and emotional health. So why not have a ‘booknic’ this summer? Head to the park or garden, grab a blanket, a few books, some snacks and have your own unique storytime in the sun.
In fact, reading outside can help bring stories to life, especially when that book is about nature. If you’re looking for some ideas and suggestions, for outdoor reading, check out our free booklist with 50 Great Books to Read Outside.
Look for reading everywhere
The summer holidays might seem like fun but we know everyday tasks still have to be done around the home. So why not turn household chores into fun reading challenges?
A trip to the supermarket, for example, can be turned into an activity that develops reading and writing skills. Start by asking your child to make a list of items that you need from the shop and once you’re there, you can encourage children to use signs above the aisles and shelf labels to locate the items on your shopping list.
Another popular indoor activity with children of all ages is playing ‘Masterchef’. You can either find a new recipe to try or re-create a much-loved favourite. Not only does it encourage reading instructions and ingredients, there’s a valuable reward at the end to enjoy!
Lead by example
It’s a well-known fact that children copy their parents’ behaviours so why not use the summer holidays to send an important message to your child – that ‘reading is fun’!
Use any opportunity to talk about books, on a journey, at the dining table or on a walk to the park.
Just a few positive mentions (“I was so shocked when…”, “I laughed out loud when…”) can make a huge difference to your child’s attitudes towards reading.
Take reading material on holiday
BookSpace designer, Hanna Carlton, recommends taking a few books for family holidays.
“I always pack a few books for days at the beach so when it gets too hot, my children can take a break in the shade and enjoy a moment of calm. For my youngest child Eliza, I’ve found having her favourite picturebooks to hand provides a sense of familiarity, which can also help her adjust to new surroundings more easily.’’
This idea of using familiar books links back to our first tip – let children choose what they want to read. Don’t worry if your child wants to choose a book they’ve already read. Rereading is shown to provide comfort, support fluency, build comprehension skills and develop confidence as a young reader. So don’t be afraid to take a few favourites on holiday, you might just find your child prefers to revisit a much-loved tale.
If you’re looking for ideas or suggestions for new books, take a look at our Summer Booklist 2023 which features the latest releases this year. You can download a free copy here: https://www.bookspaceforschools.co.uk/summer-reading-list/
We hope you find these tips useful. If you have any ideas then please feel free to share them on our social media pages – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
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