How to Keep Children Reading During Spring Break and Summer

Patty Duncan, our Vooks Education Director, is here to answer all of your burning questions about literacy in this education-focused Q&A series!

What suggestions are there for parents to help them keep their children reading during spring break and summer?

Keeping students interested in reading during school breaks can be both fun and educational with the right strategies. Here are just a few effective ways to engage young readers:

1. Create a Reading Routine

Set aside a specific time and place each day to make reading a daily habit. Find a cozy spot filled with books and a comfortable place to sit.

2. Incorporate Fun Activities

Offer small rewards for completing reading challenges from a list or bingo card with different reading activities. Read-alouds are always fun for kids to listen to and enjoy.

3. Use a Variety of Reading Materials

Provide a mix of picture books, early readers, fairy tales, and non-fiction, as well as magazines, comics, audiobooks and eBooks to keep kids engaged.

4. Integrate Reading With Other Interests

Try a themed reading approach by choosing books related to the child’s interests and pair them with related activities such as crafts, drawing, and writing.

5. Visit Libraries and Bookstores

Expose children to a vast array of books—there’s something for every interest! Library and bookstore outings are exciting opportunities to let kids explore the world of reading and find something new and engaging.

6. Set a Good Example

Read at the same time as your child. Show an interest in what they are reading by asking questions about their books and sharing thoughts about your own reading choices.??

7. Involve Friends and Family

Organize neighborhood book swaps or create a Little Free Librarywhere you live. Have regular reading sessions with a reading buddy.??

8. Incorporate Technology

Use safe, ad-free apps (like Vooks!) for healthy screen time that takes advantage of online stories, read-alouds, and books.

9. Encourage Writing

Encourage children to write or draw about the books they read or are read to them. Encourage children to create their own stories.

10. Celebrate Progress

Whatever the accomplishment, big or small, celebrate it! Kids thrive off of positive feedback—and connecting a sense of accomplishment to reading is a great way to encourage a lifelong reading habit!

By combining these strategies, you can make reading an enjoyable and integral part of a child’s summer, helping them develop a lifelong love of books!