No more pencils,
No more books,
No more teachers’ dirty looks,
When the teacher rings the bell,
Drop your books and run like hell.
Do you remember that rhyme? While it’s a fun way for kids to blow off steam at the end of the school year, it sends the wrong message about books. Books should be your child’s best companion in the summer. Books keep cries of “I’m bored” away. Books are the best way to keep your child’s mind sharp and ready for school in September. Shhh, you don’t have to tell them that.
Six Ways to Keep Your Kids Reading This Summer
Set aside time for Reading
Just like you set time aside for swim lessons and summer camp, make sure you block off time for reading. If you had a routine during the school year, don’t let that fall by the wayside come June. Make it an activity they look forward to. Set up a mountain of fluffy pillows with a nice fan blowing on them. They’ll look forward to downtime and reading if you make the space attractive to them.
Read to Them
This is something a lot of parents stop doing when kids start reading on their own. Don’t. Reading to your child ( I still read to mine at 9&11) helps strengthen bonds, shows your commitment to being a lifetime reader and opens up great discussion for you and your child.
Offer Lots of Choice
Having lots of books on hand is good for you child’s future, but buying them all new can be an expensive endeavour. I love taking my girls to Value Village for their books, since the inventory is constantly changing and the price is right in my budget. For the price of one new book they can come home with ten used books! I especially love when Value Village has their book sales on and their Buy 4 get 1 Free is always a draw.
Make Books Portable
Just like technology follows kids everywhere today, make sure a book does too. Keep books in their gym bag, summer backpack and in the car. The more places books are lying about the better the odds they’ll get picked up.
Show Them The Way
Make sure you’re picking up a book too now and again. Kids model what they see at home, so if you never crack a book, why would they? Join a book club, or ask your friends for some great reads and start showing your kids the way.
Get Them Hooked on A Series
Kids love cliffhangers and a series is a great way to get them hooked. Think Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter or The Heroes of Olympus. Drop in to your local library and ask what series are popular in your kids age range.
Special thanks to Value Village for sponsoring this helpful post. They are a constant go-to for my little bookworms!
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