Parent Tips: Keeping Kids ReadingThrough the Summer

• Schedule a regular one-on-one lunch and book-buying trip.
  
  
• Find a series of books which interests your child. Nothing develops the habit of reading as well as a series of books.
  
  
• Let your child subscribe to her/his favorite magazine.
  
  
• Recycle old magazines (i.e. National Geographic) to indulge non-fiction reading and browsing or to cut up for projects.
  
  
• Purchase comic books starring your child’s favorite cartoon character. Remember reading is reading. :-)
  
  
• Make weekly family visits to your church or public library.
  
  
• Is your child into jokes? Check out joke books from the library.
  
  
• Select books you can read aloud to your child. Discuss what you have read.
  
  
• Follow a favorite sports team by reading the newspaper together.
  
  
• Keep books and reading materials which tie into your child’s summer activities in a special reading corner.
  
  
• Check out books on tape for car rides or hot days when everyone is to droopy to move.
  
  
• Encourage your children to play act a favorite book or scene from a book. Invite the neighbors for a backyard or basement production.
  
  
• Ask your child to read to you.
  
  
• Invite your child’s friend and parents for a reading party or book discussion.
  
  
• Host a reading sleepover.
  
  
• Organize a backyard ghost story camp out.
  
  
• Pack great reading for summer camp.
  
  
• Give bookstore gift certificates.
  
  
• Use a tape recorder to record your child reading stories.
  
  
• Check out recipe books from the library with recipes of different cultures. Select a culture to read about and pick a recipe to make
  
  
• Try a sewing project that requires following a pattern.
  
  
• Ask you child to look up needed information in the phone book.
  
  
• Ask your child to read the directions for cleaning products or any other item which comes with instructions.
  
  
• Limit and monitor what TV your child is watching. Together plan and select which shows they can view. Focus on educational TV and discuss all TV the shows your child watches.
  
  
• Ask your child questions which require more than yes or no answers.
  

Grace Martin
Longfellow Language Arts Specialist