Summertime, and the living is easy. Wait! Don’t take that Gershwin song too seriously if you have school-age children. Sure, school's out, and kids want to have fun, but if it’s one big break until September they run the risk of losing important reading skills. Here are some helpful (hopefully) ideas to keep ‘em reading .
To help keep your kids reading all summer long take them to the library. But don’t just send them. Visiting the library as a family gives parents a chance to spend quality time with their children and kids an opportunity to use computers they may not have at home and to socialize with peers. Librarians are available to assist with reading selections.
The London Public Library hosts a summer literacy program of stories, songs, games and crafts for children three to six and their parents or caregivers. Pick up a copy of Access magazine, the library’s free newsletter which lists all special summer reading-related activities and events, such as arts and crafts, puppet shows, concerts, and magic shows.
If you want to subtly work reading into your young teenager’s summer, have them check out the teen annex program of free workshops, concerts and movies. It invites budding young musicians to come in for a battle of the bands – so much for the old rule to be very quiet while in the library. What’s live music got to do with reading? Well, they have to read the posters, directions, rules of conduct, players’ list and prize winners. So the kids get to play music for their peers in a safe (air conditioned) environment or hang out and watch a movie free of charge!
See how much reading material can be found around the house without opening a book. Lead by example and read newspapers, magazines, cereal boxes, toothpaste labels, or the mail and spark their interests. If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will understand that reading can be fun and informative.
Take books with you when going to the park or to the beach. The place where you read a book can make the story even more meaningful. Take books about animals along on camping trips or sit under a tree while reading an adventure tale.
Instead of setting daily time requirements or stating the number of pages they should read, just make sure they pick up books for fun. How- to books, comics or novels by their favourite author are all great materials to get kids reading and keep them occupied.
Kids can read about the places the family is planning to visit for summer vacation before you get there. While captive in the car, they can enjoy favourite reading materials or journal- writing which can include drawings and photographs. Don’t forget to include your version of the licence plate game or the guess- which- highway- sign –is- next game.
Reading aside for a moment, continue to stimulate their brains with family storytelling, where everybody gets involved spinning a silly story out of one starting point. Stories can be embellished around a campfire, in the family vehicle during a trip and at family reunions too. When you’re tired of stories, play the name game where a person states a place name and the next person names a place which begins with the last letter of the last person’s choice.
Check your local newspaper’s entertainment listings for information about upcoming children's theatre and movies in your area. Have your child select a book, read it and then go see the play or watch the movie. Talk about the differences between the book and the movie with your child.
A gift of blank notebooks, calendars or a diary is a nice way to get children into the habit of writing daily. Encourage personal correspondence like writing letters from camp or notes with messages, jokes, or poems as a way for family members to keep in touch. All of these written notations can be read now or later, in private or to an audience.
Reading aloud before bedtime is a fun way to end the day. Whether you're the reader or they are, varying the intonation and improvising with different voices or a silly hat make the story more fun. After all, it’s summer and the living is easy.
Sidebars:
- The Ontario government has launched a new website that gives parents practical tips they can use to help their children develop reading, writing and math skills. Check out www.ontario.ca/abc123
- For children 10-14 who love to read and write, Investing in Children will present a book camp at the London Public Library August 20-24. The camp will offer workshops and sessions with authors and illustrators, cartooning and illustration. Cost is $100 and a registration form can be found at ww.investinginchildren.on.ca.
by Jo-Anne Pettit Whiteford
