5 Summer Reading Routines for Kids

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There are plenty of kids who don’t like to read, but the benefits of at least encouraging summer reading routines for your kids, especially at an early age will set them up for success. If your child habitually seeks out ways to build their vocabulary, critically think about human nature, and focus on a single task for stretches of time, this will positively affect their future. What’s amazing is that encouraging your child to read is easier than you think.

Creating an environment where reading is encouraged can be as simple as setting up some summer reading routines. Here are 5 summer reading routines to implement this year!

1. Be the Example

I’m not quite sure when I developed a love of reading. Perhaps it’s the vivid memory of my dad’s thick green cloth covered book of Mark Twain’s best short stories and novels, and my mother’s bedside table always stacked haphazardly high with books she was continuously reading. Stories before bed, on a rainy day, snuggled up with a blanket, listening to the quick canter or slow drawl of different dialects my dad or mom would try to accentuate as they read aloud to us kids. I had great examples from a young age.

Do you read in front of your children? Try to make this a habit. You are the model and your child is watching you and how you spend your time. This is especially important for fathers, as boys culturally are encouraged less to read. Find something you truly enjoy to read: magazines, how-to manuals, sports, cars, fashion, fiction or nonfiction!

2.Create a Routine around Visiting the Library

Maybe it’s Monday morning, or Wednesday after you’re done working, but make a habit of visiting the library. If a child doesn’t have any books interesting to read, reading is less likely to happen. It will take several trips to the library to see what your child is interested in. Get anything – graphic novels, comics, magazines, picture books etc. Enjoy the time spent learning about your child’s interests. Many libraries have incentives for meeting a goal in the summer reading program.

3. Fireside/Rainy Day Stories

There are days in summer that are rainy, and a great activity on those days is to snuggle up with a great book. Lead your child by reading a book together on one of these days. Also, just telling stories around a campfire, or when you’re stargazing is a great way to develop literacy skills. My brother-in-law is such a  gifted storyteller and comedian. It’s truly an art. Stories told with words written on a page, or performed build literacy skills too! 

4. Bedtime Shared Readings

If you haven’t set up a habit of reading before bed, try to implement this. Some of my fondest childhood memories include a relaxing story after catching fireflies or swimming on a summer evening, snuggled up next to my dad and siblings reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Pick a book that your child will enjoy listening to. I can’t wait to read Harry Potter with my daughter!

5. Afternoon “Quiet Time”

If your child is old enough to read independently, try to set up a routine for silent reading every day. Granted, it won’t be perfect, and sometimes your child will do anything but read. However, giving them the opportunity and modeling your own reading will create a habit through the years. You might also find this blog post on more ways to encourage your middle school student to read.

Disclaimer: I’m also the mom that skim reads through a story at 8:30 pm, because I’m utterly exhausted and I only have one toddler! Creating some of these routines will help your child pick up on skills, and they don’t have to be followed perfectly. My goodness, sometimes I can barely make time to brush teeth and put on pajamas before shuffling my daughter to bed. Make it work for your routine and your schedule. 🙂

Join the Discussion

What reading routines have you implemented this summer?

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Author

-Maria Halcumb
B.A. in Secondary Education, English, and Physical Education
M.A. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and Reading Specialist