Did you know that kids often experience what’s called the “summer slide?”
With months of off time, it’s easy to forget what they’ve learned during the school year. In fact, one study shows that, on average, about 20% of the reading gains of 3rd-5th graders are lost over the summer.
Luckily, there’s a pretty simple solution for this. Encourage kids to read over the summer!
And here are 3 insanely easy ways to do it:
1. Find the Right Books
Do you wonder what books are the right reading level AND interesting to your kids? It can be confusing!
That’s why I started a series to help you find good books for your kids based on age. So that you have easy lists done for you!
Check out this best 3 year old books post first.
It has a free printable on it that you can use it at the library too. More ages will be coming soon, I promise. (Comment and let me know what age I should publish next!)
2. Make it Fun
These ideas require very little work:
Bookmarks – Have kids use fun bookmarks when they read their books.
Coupons – Challenge your kids to read for so many minutes a day or a certain number of books. When they hit the number, let them pick out a homemade coupon for things like “no chores for a day,” “stay up late 30 minutes,” or “family game night.”
Go to a different library – Instead of going to the same library each time, switch it up occasionally. Kids will love exploring new surroundings.
3. Read Together
And finally, don’t forget that reading aloud at any age is great for kids’ development – and can be a fun family thing too. (And if it seems like too much work, try an audiobook instead. There’s no shame in making things easier.)
Or take a different approach and implement a reading time where everyone in the family reads individually throughout the summer. Adults will benefit just as much from carving out time to open a great book. And it makes for a great wind down activity on summer nights.
Happy reading this summer! What helps you or your kids get into reading? Leave a comment and let me know!