6 Summer Reading Tips for Parents

Researchers have identified a phenomenon called summer slide, the loss of students’ academic skills when school is not in session, which is largely due to a lack of summer reading. A recent study of third to fifth graders showed that on average students lost about 20% of their school-year gains in reading. Reading especially benefits young children, and having adults in their lives who prioritize summer reading is crucial to developing frequent readers. Here are some tips to promote summer reading in your home this summer.

1. Read every day. Develop a routine for reading each day. Find a time that works for your family—after dinner, before bed, on the bus ride home or in the laundromat—and either read to your child or with them.

2. Use resources from the library. Visit your local library either in-person or virtually. Libraries are great resources for summer reading lists, family activities to promote reading and local community activities. Libraries also help identify age-appropriate books to read to children and for children to read independently.

3. Talk about the book. Ask your child questions about the book as you are reading to see if they are comprehending it. If your child is reading independently, ask them questions that invite them to tell you about the book. Also, while reading, explain the meaning of words you think your child may not know. After reading, talk with your child about the book using some of the new words they learned and help connect new information to things they already know.

4. Read aloud as a family. Gather your children of different ages and read a book out loud for all to enjoy. Give your child who reads independently a chance to read aloud too. And ask questions about the book.

5. Select books with your child’s input. They will be more motivated to read a book if they participate in selecting it. The Association for Library Service to Children provides reading lists by grade.

6. Make sure there are books in your home. Explore community resources that offer free books so that you always have books in your house to read.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services