How to Get Kids Excited About Summer Reading
If you have a child who dreads summer reading like you dread getting a root canal, you may have asked yourself this many times: “What can I do to help my child love reading?” Ultimately, children need to be able to see the fun and the beauty in reading before they can get excited about reading books that are required for academic purposes. Easier said than done, right? In order to help you give your child some literary inspiration this summer, we have provided you with some tips and tricks that might help give them the motivation to knock out that summer reading with ease.
1. Don’t push it (too much).
With some children, the summer reading won’t get done without a little guidance and assertiveness from the parents. However, too much “pushing” can cause children to lose even more motivation. Tread lightly, and use a more encouraging tone when suggesting that they get some reading done, rather than a telling or bossy tone.
2. Ensure reading is a part of their daily life.
If children are used to reading, the task of completing summer reading may not seem so daunting. Make sure that reading is a natural and daily task for your child or children. One way you can master this is by supplying them with a magazine subscription that interests them. Whether it’s pop stars on the rise, dirtbikes, football, or beauty, all magazines that are specific to their interests encourage seamless reading - it doesn’t feel so much like a chore. Another way to do this is to bake a dessert or cook a meal with your child and let them be in charge of reading the ingredients and instructions. This helps in developing their comprehension skills, and what child doesn’t love baking with Mom and/or Dad?!
3. Take them to a book signing.
Kids love meeting people who are rendered famous. If an author is coming to your city or a city near you for a literary event like a book signing, consider taking them to meet the author. If children have an autographed book, that book suddenly becomes so much “cooler” in their eyes, and they, therefore, will be more apt to read it with intent and enjoyment.
Use your imagination here. You know what your children’s hobbies are, so figure out ways to incorporate reading with those. Plus, their comprehension skills will be trained because they will WANT to learn more about these subjects. Using these tips, your child will learn to not dread summer reading so much in the years to come. If they have a favorite genre or are within a certain age range, consider getting a BookCase.Club subscription for them. The element of surprise of monthly shipments containing three books is sure to encourage reading. Visit our website for more information on how to sign up!
