How do you get your kid to keep reading during summer?

Marcelle - posted on 07/11/2009

Reading comes before anything else. During holidays, before the pcs or ps3 can go on, reading must be done. It is one of the most important skills in life, and needs to easy to do.

Tracey - posted on 07/10/2009

My Nine year old chose not to do the library reading program this year. Instead I made a program for her with reading, Writing reports, and math. I have prizes for her for each goal. She really has seemed to enjoy it.

Melanie - posted on 07/09/2009

My seven year old daughter is now an avid reader, but last year not so much. We also started reading novels to her at bedtime - a chapter or half a chapter denpending on their length. On occasion I would make a 'mistake' (eg say blue instead of orange or something like that, I never mixed up words I didn't think she would know). The 'mistake' was not obvious, but she loved pulling me up on my 'mistakes'. I figured out that although I was the one reading the text aloud she was following it. Now she is more confident with her reading she always seems to have her nose stuck in a book. lol.

Paula - posted on 07/09/2009

Both my kids have signed up for the reading club at our public library. They get chances to win prizes thru out the summer.There`s also activity days. After so many books are read they get coupons for free stuff. My son is 14 almost 15 and he enjoys the program.So does my 9 year old daughter. The age limit is 14 so i have to figure out something for my son next summer.

Angela - posted on 07/09/2009

Good for you for encouraging reading! I'm a high school English teacher, and I love hearing about kids reading throughout the year. Here's what we do. My 11 year old loves to read, but he also loves to play in the summer, so this year we let him pick a novel and we (husband, son, and I) independently read 2 chapters at a time, then discuss those chapters in a study group. He picked The Lord of the Flies because he hears me talk about it so much. It's my favorite book to teach. I was worried because it's about children hurting children, but he is extremely mature for his age, and we will be reading/discussing it together so we decided to let him read it. I know a few schools teach it in 6th grade (the grade he will be in). Anyway, in our study group, we discuss foreshadowing, imagery, symbolism, allusions, etc. It's a wonderful way to keep him focused on literature in the summer. He isn't liking the book as much as he thought he would, but at least we're reading together, and we're almost to the really good part! Our 5 year old practices reading to us every night also, but he doesn't read Lord of the Flies. ;-)

Jennifer - posted on 07/08/2009

There are a couple of things I do with my daughter. SHe loves to read but since school is out she really doesnt want to. I have sat down with her and had her read me a couple of chapters in a book and then by the time she is ready to go to bed she wants to read more. I also tell her if she wants TV time at night she needs to read a chapter when I cant sit down with her to read. I has helped.

Vicki - posted on 07/08/2009

During school, my 9 year old son is required to read 20 minutes per day, and to sign it in his reading log. He often reads more than that, and it has turned into a habit. One key is to let him pick books that are interesting to him, like Pokemon, or Ripley's Believe it Or Not series. Be sure to check out the non fiction section of the library too. Another way I encourage my son, is to keep a book in the car at all times. He reads it while we do errands and automatically reaches for it right after he buckles up. He's been a habitual reader for several years now and he still loves snuggling up with me to read outloud before bed. There are times when he'd rather play the DS than read. When it starts getting out of hand, I'll say he has to read for 30 minutes, to earn 30 minutes of DS time. As a general rule, he's allowed 60 minutes of DS time per day in the summer, unless he earns more by doing chores or homework or reading :)

Nancy - posted on 07/08/2009

My kids love the library programs. If they read a certain number of books they get prizes. My kids are aiming for WEBKINS.

Elizabeth - posted on 07/08/2009

I had the same concerns about my 6 year old so I enrolled him in our local library's summer reading program. It has been a success and he enjoys the rewards he receives for reading. It has also helped with my 13 year old too.

Gayle - posted on 07/07/2009

On Monday morning after breakfast my 8 year old and I got onto my bed and cuddled up together to read our books. This morning I got my 5 year old to bring his book through and we read together. I think the quality time together is lovely and actually a good incentive in it's own right. It also means I'm on hand to help them if they get stuck at a word.

Suzanne - posted on 07/06/2009

We have reading time scheduled in every night, so the last 20min before bed we all read. We have year round school, and the school does Reading Counts, so my 6yr old is really pumped up about reading right now, he wants to earn a medal at the end of the year. Incentives are a great way to get the kids to read for themselves.

Cherisse - posted on 07/06/2009

Incentives are great! Enjoying what he is reading will help too. I have my 12 year old son read every day for 30 minutes as a regular part of the day. I will admit as he becomes more active in the summer we may miss days, but I find that if he has something special planned for later in the day, and will not be allowed to go if he has not read, he gladly reads and can share with me what he has read too!

Jodi - posted on 07/03/2009

Thanks for your responses, ladies. They were definitely helpful. Took my son to the library yesterday to sign him up for the summer reading program and he just finished 2 chapters of his chapter book!

Julie - posted on 07/02/2009

what we do is our kids have "chore" charts that they have to do every week we include read a book into their daily jobs and that day if they did all their chores (clean room, clothes in hamper, shower, read book, feed pets) they get a bed time treat (usually 100% real fruit snacks or something else delicious and nutricious) and i remind them daily that reading with keep their brains smart for when school starts again it really works mine cant get enough of their favorite books (my six year old is now on chapter 5 of his first ever chapter book!!)

Josephine - posted on 07/02/2009

My son LOVES Harry Potter & has seen all the films so he loves the books 2!! if you can find books that he will like - my 4 year old loves ben 10 & we write our own books and stick pictures in & then he "reads" them to his daddy in the evenings! Good luck x

Dawn - posted on 07/01/2009

Hi I have a 7 year old daugther, We read all the time. We joined a reading program at our local libabary. She loves it. For she gets prises and stickers after she completes so many books, of our choice. This year were aiming for 100 books over the summer. So far so good. Now that she can read good. She reads to me every night instead of me reading. This has really helped with her reading skills. Good luck..

Jodi - posted on 07/01/2009

Quoting sonia:

have him go to the library and chose a chapter book that he really likes and you have to push him to read it everyday until he start understanding the story of the book and then he'll want to finish the book, my son got professor poopypants, it sounds bad but for a 7 years old it's fun...

Thanks Sonia. That's a funny title, I'll have to check that out.  I think my son might like that book. 

Sonia - posted on 07/01/2009

have him go to the library and chose a chapter book that he really likes and you have to push him to read it everyday until he start understanding the story of the book and then he'll want to finish the book, my son got professor poopypants, it sounds bad but for a 7 years old it's fun...

Mary - posted on 07/01/2009

At our house reading is just one of those everything day things we do. No incentives other than the summer reading program at the library. It's fun and all three of my boys like it. I believe Barnes and Nobel have incentive summer reading too... check them out. I have found that letting them pick out a book of their choosing is better than one of my suggestions. And sometimes I'll start with my 7 year old by my reading the first couple of pages in a chapter book then he has to take turns reading to me or his brothers.



But in the end you need to do what ever you need to do to motivate him. I wouldn't say he will fall behine but may start not as ahead as he would have if self reading. Is he willing to have a conversation about what he reads after, so that you know if he has actually read the book. Family reading time is helpful. Good luck!!!

Theresa - posted on 07/01/2009

the best way is to sit down with a favorite book based on like you say a film and every night read a chapter before bed or on trips if you can take books to keep him occupied also help with travel sickness it will keep you both entertained and you will spend time together