BlogsAcademicsEnglishPre-K to 8Learning CenterUpper School
Summer: The Time for Enjoyable Reading
May 22, 2012 3:04 PM
By Jean Bonnyman - FF/S
It is documented and proven over and over again that children who read in the summer do better in school and standardized testing than children who don’t read. There are countless wonderful books available on every grade level. Like sports, reading improves with practice. Create fun and success by reading!
How to encourage your child to read? The old adage of, “it is not what you say, but what you do” rings true. Is reading a value in your home and do you read? There is a big difference between, “You must read or I will punish you” and “This book is so good, see if you like it!” The like part is the key to success. Adults don’t read a book they don’t like, so summer reading should be books a child can enjoy reading. If you value reading your child will also. Create a passion!
Trips to the library or book store can be a fun event. All three librarians at Darlington have great books to suggest. Encourage your child to browse for a good choice. A “browsing trip” to Barnes & Noble with friends where they can also have snacks is a terrific change from the outdoor heat. Create a book club!
How much should a child read in the summer? For middle and high school, about an hour a day average or about 4-5 books over the summer. For younger children, breaking reading time into chunks works best. An older sibling reading to a younger sibling is a win-win. Make sure there are inviting places to read at home and encourage your child to take a book to the pool or when traveling. This is just building good habits. Show an interest in what your child is reading, and read the book yourself so you can talk about it, just as friends would do. Create a reading relationship!
Finally, do tell your child if they read in the summer there is the double benefit that they are helping themselves in school; they will have an easier time with homework and they will do better on standardized testing. Create a happy student!
How to encourage your child to read? The old adage of, “it is not what you say, but what you do” rings true. Is reading a value in your home and do you read? There is a big difference between, “You must read or I will punish you” and “This book is so good, see if you like it!” The like part is the key to success. Adults don’t read a book they don’t like, so summer reading should be books a child can enjoy reading. If you value reading your child will also. Create a passion!
Trips to the library or book store can be a fun event. All three librarians at Darlington have great books to suggest. Encourage your child to browse for a good choice. A “browsing trip” to Barnes & Noble with friends where they can also have snacks is a terrific change from the outdoor heat. Create a book club!
How much should a child read in the summer? For middle and high school, about an hour a day average or about 4-5 books over the summer. For younger children, breaking reading time into chunks works best. An older sibling reading to a younger sibling is a win-win. Make sure there are inviting places to read at home and encourage your child to take a book to the pool or when traveling. This is just building good habits. Show an interest in what your child is reading, and read the book yourself so you can talk about it, just as friends would do. Create a reading relationship!
Finally, do tell your child if they read in the summer there is the double benefit that they are helping themselves in school; they will have an easier time with homework and they will do better on standardized testing. Create a happy student!
