Keeping kids engaged with reading over the summer.

1. 7 Ways To Help Kids Kick The
‘Summer Slide’

2. We all know how important reading and academics are during
the school year, but what about the summer months?
Should you let your children take a break from ‘traditional’ learning
and allow them to kick back, play video games and relax, or should you
keep them engaged with school and academics so they aren’t
struggling to keep up when they get back to school in the Fall?
While it may be tempting to let the kids take
the reins on their schedules for the next
couple of months (ahem, let yourself kick back
this summer…), experts agree that having your
kids stay mentally engaged throughout the
summer really pays off.

3. The earlier you instill the love of reading, the better. Babies love
pictures and the sound of your voice (and being held!) so why
not combine these and read to them out loud? For toddlers and
older kids, changing the tone and pitch of our voice can keep
them engaged for longer periods of time.
1) Instill the love of reading.

4. 2) Make it an adventure.
Often neighborhood libraries have weekly story hours where
someone reads out loud to the children and even acts out the
book. This is great for younger kids and also provides an outing for
you and your family. You can also pack a small picnic and take
books to sit on a blanket in the park and read to them.
You may want to take your kids on
a summer ‘field trip’ to a local
museum or art gallery and take
the time to truly soak it all in and discuss
what you saw.

5. 3) Let them lead their very own
‘Summer School’
Have your kids pick out a few skills or
topics they are passionate about, like
juggling, coding, or endangered
species. Together, go to a local library
or bookstore and pick out a few books
and sit down with your children to
create a fun summer curriculum
around the topics they have chosen!
Not only is this a great way to
encourage your children to explore
learning outside of the classroom, but
it also makes them feel more involved
and in control!

6. 4) Read every night before bed.
This can often be the best time to foster a love of
reading in your child. During this quiet and lazy time of
the evening, children are more apt to sit still and
usually begin to look forward to this nightly routine
(…another way to stay up a little longer!).

7. 5) Reading with older kids.
As my children grow and are able to read on their own, we have
started to read aloud to each other. This is a real treat for me at
the end of a long day and the kids get to show off their reading
skills. It’s important to keep reading together even when they
can read on their own. Remember, you are not only getting them
to read, but also sharing some real quality time with your kids.

8. 6) Put them in coding camp!
With coding becoming more and more of a relevant skill for kids
to learn today, there has been a huge boom of coding camps
popping up everywhere! If your child is interested in technology
and even coding specifically, see if you can find a local camp that
will get him thinking outside the box!

9. 7) Set up a summer-long
nature scavenger hunt.
Not only will a summer scavenger hunt
encourage your children to unplug and
get outside, but it will also keep them
busy learning at the same time!
Create a list of creatures, bugs, birds and plants that are local to your
area and see if you can get a few kids involved to make it more fun.
Have them document what they find, either with pictures or drawings,
and then learn everything they can about each creature or plant.

10. If you can use these ways to keep reading and learning fun and
interesting, chances are pretty good that your kids will get back to
school in great shape and ahead of the game, and hopefully with
a few new interests or hobbies under their belt!
How do you help your kids avoid the summer slide?