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The summer holiday months present many opportunities for children to have fun outdoors and take a break from the daily routine of going to school. Unfortunately, this long break also provides an excuse for children to stop reading. Children that are learning to read, especially very young children, can benefit greatly from continuing to read over the summer. This ensures that when they return to school in September they have maintained or bettered their reading abilities. Children who are struggling with reading can make great progress through the summer months if they have the assistance of their parents or older siblings. Going to the library during the summer is a great way to break up the day and expose your child to books that they don’t have in their collection at home. Make it a routine to go to the library once a week to check out books. Challenge your child to read all the books they have checked out before they have to be returned the next week. Many libraries have summer reading programs that are designed to encourage a love of reading. A library is also a great place to go to listen to the librarian read stories, and a place where your children can participate in crafts and group play with children their own age. Most parents know that the summer can seem very long if their children are bored. A regular trip to the library not only exposes your child to a huge selection of books, but also helps to fill some of those empty days that parents of young children struggle through. It is important for your child to see that you read on a regular basis. Try to schedule some time during the day when you sit down with a book and a cup of tea, and encourage your child to do the same. Many children would rather sit in front of the television or play a video game, of course, so you may have to negotiate with your child to get them to read. Try not to make reading time a battle. By leading by example, hopefully, you will be encouraging your child to read during their leisure time. Make a deal with your child that if they spend half an hour reading they can spend equal time on the computer or playing their favourite video game. Take the time to discuss what you both have read and what you liked or disliked about your books. Read a story to your child before bed every night, or encourage them to read if they are older, before lights out. Illustrated books offer a great opportunity for entertaining bed-time reading. Or get into the routine of reading a portion of a children’s classic book every night. This is something that may fall by the wayside if your child has a lot of homework and is rushing to get to bed at a certain time during the school year. Relax the bed time rules during the summer to allow time for bed-time reading. The summer is a great time to nurture a love of reading for fun, not just for schoolwork, that can last a lifetime.
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books, reading, summer holiday, children,
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