Monday, July 28, 2014

Quick and Fun Ways to (Get) and Keep Kids Reading This Summer

Summer always seems especially perfect for lazy afternoons reading. With a month left before kids go back to school, it's a great time to add something new to your summer fun.

Here are some great ideas from The Reluctant Reader: How To Get and Keep Kids Reading on how to get kids to enjoy reading!

1. Take kids to the library often and show them how to use its resources.

2. Be seen reading and enjoying it!

3. Read detective stories out loud together and have the kids guess whodunit.

4. Have a book scavenger hunt. Read something together and then create a scavenger hunt.

5. Give rewards for reading. Consider this more incentive and less bribery if necessary. Incentives (okay, bribes!) could include stickers, small toys, more books, a trip to a museum or zoo, or an opportunity to stay up late and read.

6. Keep a list at home of reading progress. Make this list visible to show progress.

7. Let kids read short stories instead of longer books-they'll get a greater sense of gratification and completion.

8. Encourage kids to write their own plays, poems, and stories.

9. Start a book club.

10. Collect books on a theme that will get your kids excited about reading-think dinosaurs, space travel, or fascinating places and animals.

11. Have your kids read the newspaper. Anything goes-comics, horoscope, or world news.

12. Sign up for story time at the library.

13. Take a library tour with your kids.

14. Make a special area for your kids to read in your home. A special reading fort sounds like great summer fun.

15. Head to a museum or zoo and then find books on what your kids found most interesting.

16. Have kids make a map of their favorite place.

17. Have your kids find recipes that sounds yummy, read them, and then make them together.

Happy summer and happy reading!


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