The idea of summer reading always sounds good, but putting it into practice can be a challenge, especially if you have a child who isn’t interested in spending precious summer days with his head in a book. Good news—there are creative ways to encourage kids to keep reading, even if they’re not excited about it.
Why it’s Important
The lack of structured learning during the much-needed summer break can result in a loss of academic and social-emotional skills that kids worked so hard to gain during the school year. Summer reading is a powerful tool that helps bridge the gap.
Start with Your Local Library
Make a visit to the library a regular part of your routine. Get to know the librarians. Have a special library tote bag. The more comfortable kids are in a library, the more likely they are to read and enjoy reading. Beyond a trove of reading possibilities, most libraries offer summer reading programs geared to specific ages.
- Discover San Diego’s local reading programs, at the library and beyond.
Have a Family Book Club
Each week, choose a book for the whole family to read, either on your own or together, then have a book chat to discuss it. Make it fun by having a themed dinner or snack while each person shares their favorite parts of the story. Give everyone a chance to choose a new book.
Connect with a Reading Buddy
Encourage reading by pairing kids with a buddy, such as an age-level peer, a sibling or a grandparent. Setting aside time each week for the pair to read together will help children look forward to reading time.
Designate Rainy Day Reading Time
Rainy days are perfect for reading, but since San Diego has almost no rain in the summer, “designate” is the important part of this tip (and requires some imagination). Establish a time (maybe a couple days a month) to build a fort with couch cushions and blankets or pitch a tent and fill it with pillows to create a cozy space to curl up with a stack of books. You could even set the mood with soothing rain sounds in the background. Kids will surely look forward to “rainy day reading!”
Road Trip “Reading”
Make road trips and running errands in the car fun and interesting by listening to audiobooks instead of scrolling on devices. Find a wonderful list of family-friendly audiobooks at www.beyondthebookends.com/family-audiobooks-for-road-trips.
Take a Book-Themed Vacation
Make a book come to life by embarking on book-inspired activities or destinations for family vacation.
- Taking a road trip through California? Only in California: Weird and Wonderful Facts about the Golden State by Heather Alexander is full of interesting information about California cities, inventions, roadside attractions, food, history and more.
- Read Anne of Green Gables before your trip to Prince Edward Island.
- Read Eloise or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler before visiting New York City.
Visit Bookstores
While it’s easy to order books online, there is something special about visiting a bookstore. Kids enjoy exploring and imagining all the stories they can read. Make a weekly trip, stop in occasionally, or visit bookstores in other cities for a fun family tradition. Have you ever been to Powell’s in Portland, Oregon? It’s easy to spend an entire day there! Some bookstores have summer reading games or activities, so be sure to ask.
Meet Authors and Illustrators
It’s exciting to meet someone who created a book, especially if it’s a book you enjoyed reading. Check local libraries and bookstores for author events near you. Read the author or illustrator’s book ahead of time and bring it with you for a fun photo opportunity and great summer memory.
Let Kids Choose Reading Material
Summer offers a great break from the structure of assigned school reading. Give kids the chance to stretch their reading muscles and discover new genres by allowing them to pick what they read. They might choose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, magazines, e-books or audiobooks. The most important point is that they read.
When kids are given a variety of opportunities to enjoy books, they are more likely to read. Be creative this summer—talk about books, find new books and read together as a family.
Rebecca Hastings is a freelance writer.
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