FREE printable list of ways to keep your child reading over the holidays

Free printable checklist of fun ways to keep kids reading over the summer break!

December 31, 2018

Summer means a much-needed break for kids (and parents!), but it can also mean a break in learning and, in many cases, an unfortunate loss of newly developed reading skills.

The so-called “summer slide” is particularly problematic for kids who are already struggling with reading. If you don’t want to risk a child losing ground over the Christmas break, it’s important to make sure he has opportunities to practice his growing reading skills. Summer doesn’t need to stall your child’s progress, and it can even be an opportunity to gain reading fluency and enthusiasm.

So what can parents do?

It is critical to highlight the concern of the ‘summer slide’ and suggest ways to encourage more reading and engagement with books. Here is a solution! Download and print the following Reading Challenge checklist. Use it with your child/children – how many can he/she tick off? We think this list will motivate even the most reluctant of readers.

Whether you decide to practice reading drills, try tutoring, or just join the library, the most important rule to summer reading is to be encouraging. Help your child have fun, positive reading experiences, and you’ll see his skills mastery and confidence grow, too.

Please see our other blog on how students fall behind over the summer break.

Some extras for parents…

The Scholastic Reading Report backs the importance of reading for fun. Encouragingly, the report has again revealed that more than half (58%) of the children surveyed love or like to read. But what about the other 42% who say they don’t really enjoy reading? And how exactly do you foster a love of reading, when there’s a tendency for kids to associate books with ‘un-fun’ things like school work and assessments?

To help parents, we’ve included an infographic , based on recommendations from librarians and education experts. We encourage you to download it (it makes a good bookmark), so you’ll have a go-to stock of ideas to help get your kids reading for fun over the holidays.