There is no greater joy than being immersed in a good book – and the school holidays are the perfect time to get reading. As the long summer days ramble on, there’s no better time to inspire young imaginations with tales of great romances, talking animals, marauding buccaneers or even warring nations.
But the benefits of a good read go far beyond pure enjoyment. Getting children diving into the world of literature can also help combat the summer slide – that dip in reading skills that often occurs during the holiday period.
To aid parents in their quest to encourage summer reading, the Guardian Teacher Network has gathered some useful resources and ideas. Some of these tips can also be used by teachers looking to inspire a love of reading throughout the year.
Getting started
Don’t worry: you’re not expected to put together a rigorous summer reading schedule. Instead, start small, and use the holiday to build reading into everyday life. Simple activities such as getting younger children to read out a shopping list or a quote of the day can help integrate new words into their vocabulary.
It’s also important to stock your bookshelves with a good list of novels, comics and other stories. Tom Nicholson, professor of literacy education at Massey University in New Zealand, says the summer is a wonderful opportunity for children “to enjoy the books they didn’t have time or inclination to read during the school year”. So pick something they don’t get to read in term-time.
The Guardian children’s books site has lots of great recommendations for under eights, eight- to 12-year-olds and teenagers. The teens section includes An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine. Another great way to browse for the right story is with Reading Rockets’ themed booklist. It includes stories on the seasons, taking action, creatures and friends and family.
Keep it in the family
Show children the value of reading by picking up a book yourself. Nicholson says: “It is always better if the child is reading but parents can assist by reading the book to them when they first join in. Make the process as engaging as possible. Remember, the first line of the story should sound really exciting. Change your voice according to the characters and the action. Pause at the end of sentences. Read the last line slowly and with feeling.”
The Discover Centre, the UK’s first hands-on story museum, has some story book activity cards, which offer handy advice on enjoying books. They give tips on how to share and engage a child in a story. For example, you can get kids to create a story box containing items that relate to a book they’ve read. It’s also a fun idea to get them to decorate the box.
If you have both older and younger children, encourage them to help one another. The Scottish Book Trust has a great handout that introduces the concept of shared reading and gives suggested approaches. It advises asking students to do an active reading of a poem and discuss which poems they liked the best and why. Having older children reading aloud to younger ones is also a great way to develop talking and listening skills.
Family outings can also inspire literature. Get young readers to keep a diary of what they get up to over the break and read aloud what they have noted down. Get started with this template for keeping a diary.
You might also want to reward children for picking up a book. Nicholson recommends making your own incentive card and drawing a star on it everytime a child reads for 20 minutes. When they have five stars, Nicholson says, give them a reward.
Use games and hobbies
Like anyone, children respond well to reading when it’s on a topic or subject that they love. Encourage football fans to read by sharing the books their favourite Premier League stars are reading. Having positive role models is hugely important when it comes to inspiring and engaging reluctant bookworms.
You might also want to try something a bit more lively, such as this trading card activity. Simply ask kids to read a book and then use the trading card creator from Read Write Think to create cards with their favourite characters on. The trading cards should include vital information about different figures from literature. You can also get children to create completely new characters, based on members of the family; they can then use these characters to create their own stories.
If you’re sick of friendly games of Monopoly turning into bitter family feuds, then it might be worth playing a different game over the summer. You could try one with a literary twist by putting together your own Battle of the Books-style challenge with older children. All you have to do is get everyone to read a set of books and then compile a list of questions on them. Ask, “In what book did …” or “Which character said …” Whoever has paid the most attention can be crowned reading champion.
Get out and about
Lots of outdoor reading events are taking place over the summer. The Guardian is holding its first ever children’s literary festival later in August. Tickets are free but will need to be booked in advance to avoid disappointment. The National Literacy Trust has also put together a guide to the literary calendar from January to October.
Another way to get teenagers out is by encouraging them to set up a reading group. They can head to a local cafe or coffee shop and discuss the latest additions to their bookshelf. The Reading Agency charity has put together a nifty guide on how to get started with this. You could set eager readers the challenge of publicising their new group, using social media and making flyers. Think about how many people should be part of it, how long the meet-ups should be and how frequently. The guide also includes tips on what to think about for your first meeting.
For more ideas on summer reading check out our how to teach articles on reading for pleasure and the summer slide in literacy. Teachers also offer advice on how to encourage boys in particular to read for pleasure.
