What are you going to do to keep your child(ren) reading and academically active during the summer?

Nadia Sophia - posted on 06/09/2009

I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO JUST TURNED 11...SHE IS A GOOD GIRL BUT LOVES HER HOLIDAYS,,,SO I ALWAYS BRING OUT A CHALLENGE....IF SHE COMPLETES READING A BOOK,,,SHE GETS SOMETHING IN RETURN....AM TEACHING HER TO SAVE MONEY AND MY KIDS SCORE POINTS DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY SAVE....SO SHE BARGAINS,,,,EITHER READ OR HOUSEWORK AND I PAY....SO READS INSTEAD....AND WE DRAW A QUESTIONAIRE SO PROVE WHAT SHE READ....I CHALLENGE HER.....

Gwen - posted on 06/05/2009

We love the library- and they all have some kind of reading incentive program, and usually have some fun classes. The banks and Chuck-e-cheese have a rewards program, too.

We live outside Philly, so we go a few times over the course of the summer to "be touristy". We have memberships to the zoo and aquarium, too- my son loves to point out the interesting facts to his friends, and always comes away with something new.

Ariel - posted on 06/03/2009

Keep handing her new books that will interest her. And pay her an allowance (math practice). But really I think kids need the break from academics, and a little freedom to be unscheduled and not have to be constantly educated. Little do we know they are secretly refreshing their own math and reading skills every day while playing with legos or talking on the phone.

Mikesha - posted on 06/01/2009

Every morning after breakfast over the summer I have my kids do practice work for at least 2 hours a day. I'm very hands-on when it comes to their education.

I have my kids signed up with the reading program at our local library where they get prizes for reading a certain amount of books. I also like to take them to pick out a book throughout the summer at Barnes and Nobles. For my oldest 2, I will have them read books and then have them write me a summary of the book when they are done. I also check out learning books to copy. I always try to get a workbook for the current year as well as one for the following year. There is also a school supply store where I buy learning workbooks and educational board games to work with all summer. I also have them play learning games on the internet. You can put educational online games in the search engine and thousands of them pop up. It's a way to keep up with their learning but also have fun as well.

Maria - posted on 05/28/2009

My boys were initiated from at a young age to read. They have book fair at the elementary school they went to every so often, I'd bring them to pick out 2-3 books they want to read for the summer and we buy them. When they started going to middle school, we started going to Barnes and Noble for them to pick out books and "just read" for couple of hours then to bring home. They're now in high school, and they actually have summer homework to bring home two novels to read in the summer and write an essay on.

Cookie - posted on 05/27/2009

"Library, Coolest place in town, Many choices of books to read from, Activities for children & it's an outing for the entire family to share.

Kimmy - posted on 05/27/2009

My boys are attending Cardigan Mountain School's summer session. It's academic in the am and recreation in the pm.

Becki - posted on 05/25/2009

we go to the library. my girls love signing up for the summer reading program. they also do work on the computer, funschool.com or funbrain.com are two good sites.

Mary - posted on 05/25/2009

I take my kids to Borders and let them look at books. We also go to the library. My son prefers nonfiction and my daughter prefers fiction and graphic novels. I look for things that they are interested in.