How can you help your children maintain or improve their reading levels during the summer? It's simple. Keep them reading. Your public library can be a great help. Most public libraries have established summer reading programs for children. These programs are designed to motivate children to read and often provide both special events and special incentives to keep kids reading.
Check with your library to see what's planned for this summer. If you haven't already, establish the habit of once a week family visits to the library. If you don't have a library card, it usually requires little more than proof of your address to get one. In addition to the resources available at the library, many libraries also put a summer reading list online in May; reading lists from previous years are also often available.
Finding Appropriate Books
The library staff will be able to suggest books for your children based on their reading levels and interests. How will you know their reading levels? The best way is to check with each child's teacher at the end of the school year. Ask for both the reading level and any suggestions the teacher has for specific improvements needed and books to read. Then, ask your children what they'd like to read.
To get an idea of what some of the recommended books are for each grade level, you can also make use of online resources, such as the About Children's Books Age/Grade Booklists directory of links. The Children's Choices bibliography of the year's most popular books is a project of the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council. It is divided into three sections: Beginning and Young Readers, Intermediate Readers, and Advanced Readers. Except for the current year, the annual Children's Choices online booklists are all annotated.
One of the best ways to keep your children reading on a regular basis is to find a series of books that they like. Many libraries have shelves of series, from "Arthur" to "Anne of Green Gables." There are any number of series available in inexpensive paperback editions for beginning/early and intermediate readers. If you don't find the books you want at your library, you can buy them at your local or online bookstore.
Another way to encourage your children to read is to read aloud to them on a daily basis. They will improve their listening and vocabulary skills, as well as their overall base of knowledge, while enjoying the stories. You can take turns reading or you can do all of the reading.
Don't forget the nonfiction section of your library. Some children enjoy both fiction and nonfiction. Some children who are not that interested in stories are fascinated by animals, science, the lives of real people, and other nonfiction topics. Some children particularly enjoy books that teach them how to do things, such as drawing, crafts, juggling, scientific experiments, cooking, and gardening, among others.
Make summer a special time for your children to explore their interests through books. Have fun, and let me know if your children participate (or have participated) in any particularly good summer reading programs or if you have suggestions or books to recommend.
