15 Ways To Encourage Reading This Summer
Are you wanting your kids to read more this summer? Or do you want to make summer reading feel more fun instead of like more school? Here are 15 ways to encourage reading this summer.
Create a Reading Bingo Challenge
Make each square contains a category, like: read a book with a dog on the cover or read a book with a red cover. You can get small toys or treats to give for getting a bingo or a blackout (where you cover the whole board). Don’t have time to make one? That’s fine, there are several places online where you can find a printable board.
Participate In Your Library’s Summer Reading Program
Most public libraries have some sort summer reading program that is free to participate in. Our local library offers prizes for reaching certain goals, they also have many summer activities that are always fun. When my girls were little, we participated in a lot of summer reading fun at our local library.
Set Aside Daily or Weekly Reading Time
Pick a time for everyone in your house to sit down and read. Make it fun; have snacks, play some music and everyone picks a book and reads together.
Visit Your Library Often
Let your kids pick out books often and allow them to pick books that appeal to them. If they are able to pick what they want, they will be more willing to read more often. We try to make a trip to the library once a week, its not always possible but we do try.
Have a Parent/Child Bookclub
Let your child pick a book for both of you to read, set a date to read the book by, and then make time to sit down and discuss the book. I read many of the books my daughter’s read and I love talking with them about books they are reading. I love having that in common with my girls.
Read Books That Have Been Made Into Movies, Then Watch the Movie
My husband and I did this with our oldest daughter when she read the Harry Potter series. After she read each book in the series, we watched the corresponding movie. It was fun to watch the movies as a family and to talk about the differences between the books and the movie and what changes we liked and the changes we didn’t like.
Reward Reading With More Reading
Set a reading goal, such as total pages read, total books read, or total minutes read; if your child meets the goal, they can earn a trip to the bookstore to buy a new book.
Let Them Earn a Prize For Reading
Set a reading goal, and if your child meets that goal reward them with a toy or game they want. Determine what the reward will be when you both decide on the goal so your child knows what they are reading towards.
Make a Stack of Books
As your child reads books throughout the summer, make a stack of those books. Challenge them to see if their book stack can get as tall or taller than them.
Make a Family Reading Goal
Make reading a family affair instead of just the kids. Set a family goal for reading and if everyone in your family meets the goal, reward yourselves with a dinner out to a favorite restaurant, or a weekend trip.
Allow Kids to Push Back Bedtime
There is nothing more fun then getting to stay up past bedtime. Add in reading by a book light or flashlight and that makes it even more fun. As long as you don’t have to get up early the next day, staying up late to read can be fun.
Book Scavenger Hunt
If it is a book you’ve read before, give your kids a list of things to find while they are reading. If you haven’t read the book, you can always use google to see if there are scavenger hunts already created for the book your child is reading.
Special Reading Snacks
Buy special snacks that your kids get to have during reading time.
Make a Cozy Reading Spot
I know I love a cozy spot for when I read, so it seems it would be fun to create a cozy spot for your kids to read. Add a bunch of comfy pillows in the corner of a room, a blanket fort in their bedroom, or a backyard hammock to read in. Whatever it is, just make it inviting to curl up with a good book.
Tickets for Reading
Give your kids a ticket for every book they read, or a ticket for a certain number of pages read. Have your kids cash in their tickets for small prizes or special snacks.
I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful and are able to incorporate some fun reading time into your summer. Make sure you take pictures and tag us in your pictures on Facebook or Instagram.