Summer Reading Just for the Fun of it

*Summer is a time when kids play, and they should. Play is important and you’re only a kid once. During all that play time, however, it’s important that the our little superheroes of summer don’t completely lose all the skills they learned last year in school, lest we pull our hair out when the school year begins again.

Love this article in The Atlantic titled “How to Trick Your Kids Into Reading All Summer Long.” In the article hey suggest offering rewards for reading. Sure, that’s good, but better yet be sure there are books everywhere. Baskets of books in their room, in the minivan, by the couch, in the swim or beach bag, so that when they happen to get bored or tired, there’s a book right there for them to pick up to fill the time.

The Charlotte Library has it’s Summer Reading Program up and running again this year. It’s offering rewards to kids who read and provides book lists by age category in case you run out of ideas. Digital devices can make this momma batty because it seems to consume my child, but there are plenty of apps out there that encourage reading and it’s OK for kids to read on a tablet. Check out the StarWalk PopUp Library that’s offering free digital books for children in grades K-8 for the month of July – no logins, no passwords, just books for kids to read or have read to them.

For more ideas for fun ways to keep their minds alert and open this summer, read our article on how to prevent summer slide. I recommend a cool trip (pun intended) to the Mint or Bechtler musems uptown followed by a visit to Romare Bearden Park to play in the fountain and mist garden!

*This blog is a re-post while I’m away for a couple days enjoying summer fun with the family.