Many schools have called it quits for the summer and the kids are sleeping in late (if they’re older) or enjoying their first days of a relaxed and maybe non-existent schedule. When the new and exciting freedom that comes along with summer wears off, Moms and Basic Moms alike will be searching for ways to get their kid(s) back on some sort of schedule and doing things that don’t involve sitting in front of a screen for hours on end.
When you get desperate for activities, you might recall that most kids get the dreaded “Summer Reading” assigned to them. Many students wait until the week before summer ends to conquer this daunting task, but why not add reading in general to your family’s summer to-do list.
For me, there’s nothing like reading a good book on the beach; however, with a 9-month-old playing in the sand, I doubt much reading will get done. I’ll save my books for nighttime and train commutes.
Here are 10 ways to get your elementary – high school child to possibly enjoy reading in the summer:
- Pick the Book(s) Outing
Head to your local library or nearby Barnes & Noble to pick the assigned reading book up and/or choose a book of interest with your child. Do a little research beforehand. Is there a wish list or genre your child likes? Are they into Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Hunger Games? Choosing a series rather than a solo book is a good way to get kids to continue to read. Go with your list in hand and help the child decide, choose a few options and narrow down the pile.
The list might look like:
Space/Astronauts
Pirates
Fiction – explain what each means
Biography
2. Make Sure it’s on Grade Level
When you are headed to the stacks, make sure to either ask or direct your child towards the appropriate section of the library/bookstore. Think about how overwhelming Barnes & Noble is as an adult, now put yourself in your little one’s shoes. There are so many books! You can also check the front pages of most books to see what the grade level is so you’re not setting your kid up for a tough read, that most likely won’t be finished!
3. Set Reading Time Goals
Asking your child to read for an hour each day might be asking a bit much. For elementary and middle school, 15 minutes is a good place to start. You can put a “Reading Happy Hour” in place or set a time/timer for all the kids at once to get their reading in. If they want to continue to read past 15 minutes, that’s totally up to them. For a “Reading Happy Hour” make hot chocolate in the morning, smoothies and milkshakes for afternoon or evening. You can choose your adult beverage and read too if you wish.
4. Make Predictions
Have your kid(s) make bets on what the outcome of the story will be once they get a chapter in on their books. This is a great follow up on Day 1 or 2 of reading. Make a note of their guesses in a central location of the house, possibly where their books are kept and reference them when they finish the book. If they were right, celebrate their problem solving/guessing skills with a fun activity of their choice. Make sure the reward isn’t crazy lavish; going to Great Adventure or a theme park for guessing the ending doesn’t match the situation.
5. The W’s
Once they are a few chapters in, have a family chat about the books you are reading. Answer the age old “W” questions.
Who? What? Where? When? Why?
When I say “family chat,” I mean Mom & Dad too. Practice what you preach people. You want the kids to read and be engaged, pick up a book too, Pops.
6. Act It Out
Pick a favorite scene/part of their book and act it out. Solicit support from siblings or parents to play other characters. Go all out with dressing in character and using props from around the house. This is where the kids can really bring out their capabilities and having someone do it with you helps those that are shyer. Having to explain the character the sibling or parent will be playing will help build comprehension of the text. This is great for a rainy day!
7. Take It Outdoors
Break out the sidewalk chalk and draw about your character(s) or book. Build off of the “W’s” activity (#5). What did the setting of the book look like? Use the descriptions from the book to draw the scene. If there aren’t many details about what the characters actually look like, use your imagination to draw their picture. However, don’t forget to apply some sunscreen when sitting outdoors working on your masterpiece.
8. Go Live!
Take to Facebook or Instagram (of course, depends on the age of the child and/or their exposure to the internet). Have them start talking about their book? How are the characters like them, how are they different? What was their favorite part so far? Is their prediction still true or were they totally off base? If they weren’t on target with their prediction, what do they think will happen now? Many encourage aunts, uncles or friends to jump on the live video and ask some questions.
9. A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words
So how many words is a picture collage worth? Get out in nature and snap pics (have your kid do it themselves, or do it with them) to capture the themes of their story. Maybe their story takes place in a desert and you’re smack middle in the suburbs of NJ. Walk around a local park and snap a pic of sand to cover that piece. Put them all together in a pic collage if you have more than one and have your kid(s) caption the picture. Maybe they use a quote right from the text and then add in their take on it.
10. Reflect, reflect, reflect!
At this point, if you’ve done all 10 ideas, your driveway or sidewalk will be covered, you’ve seen plays of your kids acting out the book, you’ve had family chats about the details and been out-n-about exploring nearby sights. Let’s bring it all together.
What did they think about the book? Was it what they expected? What was their favorite part and character? Was their prediction about the end correct? How? Why not? The point of the reflection on their book as a whole is to ask open-ended questions. Which of their friends do they think would like this book?
Finally, dedicate a bookshelf in your house to books that have been “read.” Try to fill that shelf as a family by the end of the summer. When each child finishes a book, have them write their name on the inside cover. Unless it’s a book that belongs to the library, then return it and get another one!
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