Turn Your Child into a Summer Bookworm

Academia is the last thing on your mind as you plan your summer fun with outings to the park and camping trips. But to keep your children from backsliding next year at school and having to relearn the material already mastered, get them reading this summer. There are many fun and encouraging ways to get them interested in reading without nagging and bribing. Here a few ways to turn your child into a summer bookworm.

Make It Fun

Plan a date or outing to the bookstore or library and have your children pick out which books they would like to read.  A series with an ongoing story line and evolving characters is always a good choice for sparking excitement in young bookworms, making them want to continue their reading adventures.

At home, create a reading nook for them that’s quiet and comfortable. Let them pick it out and help you decorate their surroundings. It can be as small as the corner of their room or as elaborate as converting an unused closet. “We created the perfect, most cozy reading spot in our playroom closet, with pillows and shelves for books,” says Kim Huggins, Olathe. 

Upon starting a new book, have children design and craft a bookmark. It can be related to the book or other hobbies and interests they like. At the end of the summer, it will be fun for them to visually see all the books they have read represented by the bookmarks they have made.

Plan activities that correlate with the books they are reading. If they are reading about baseball, take kids to a baseball game. Or if one of the characters is learning how to cook or has a favorite meal, make that with your child. “We boiled eggs and cracked them on our heads while we were reading Ramona Quimby, Age 8. It was so much fun!” Megan Bishop, Lee’s Summit, says. 

Get Involved

Create a book discussion group or reading club for other children and their parents. Have weekly or monthly meetings together to discuss the book and have the children come prepared with their own discussion questions. It’s a good idea that you read what your child is reading. That way you can have discussions about the book or answer any questions he might have. “It’s so inspirational to see the kids get excited about reading and then discuss amongst themselves. I was shocked when my daughter asked if she could read ahead!” Courtney Holt, Prairie Village, says.

Check out your local library for summer reading programs, such as Teens to Tots, Family Story Time and Read to a Dog. Librarians are always very helpful and would be more than happy to help select books that cater to your child’s interests.

Sign your child up for the Scholastic Summer Challenge at www.Scholastic.com. You can track your children’s minutes spent reading while they earn rewards and recognition for themselves and their school. You also can register them at www.Reading-Rewards.com.

While you replace their backpacks with beach bags and soccer events with bike rides, you can find fun ways to get your children to read. Let your creativity and imagination run free, and your children won’t think you are taking all the fun out of their summer by slipping in some reading.

Jennifer Duxbury is an Olathe resident who used to read under the covers with a flashlight at night and only hopes her 3-year-old will have the same passion for reading!