Blog
Attention Parents: Tips for Boosting Literacy Over the Summer
Anne Hauth • March 21, 2024
Summer calendars tend to get very busy, despite many parents' best attempts to give their children plenty of unstructured free time. Quiet time to read might not earn a spot on the family calendar, but it should be highly prioritized nonetheless. Here are some tips to entice your kids to make reading part of their daily summer routine:
Make it fun!
- Ask a librarian or your child’s teacher for popular reading suggestions—not just the titles on the Summer Reading List, but a list of student favorites. Which books flew off the shelves this year?
- Find ways to connect your child’s interests to literacy-boosting activities. For example, a child who loves baseball can write a letter to a favorite player. An avid Minecraft player could be encouraged to read a book about the game. A super competitive kid might love the facts in the Guinness Book of World Records. A kid who loves arts and crafts could cut text out of magazines to create word collages or read a how-to book to learn something new.
Make screen time count
- Download Splat-O-Nym on an iPad to help your child build vocabulary skills. This independent word game includes over 8,000 questions teaching synonyms, antonyms, and words in context.
- Sign your child up for One Minute Reader. For just $24 ($8/month), your child can work independently to develop their fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills all summer long! One Minute Reader provides high-interest, nonfiction content and other engaging features. It's a structured and motivating way to keep them reading and ensure they make meaningful strides in their abilities. Here is a flyer with more information about how One Minute Reader can help combat the Summer Slide in reading.
Involve friends and family
- Encourage your child to write letters to friends or family members. Not only does this help develop their writing skills, but it also helps them stay in touch with loved ones. Hopefully they get some letters back to practice their reading skills!
- Set aside time for a read aloud. Take turns with your child to help them develop reading stamina.
Learn more about reading instruction
- Learn about the five components of reading your child needs to develop in order to become a successful reader.
We at One Minute Reader believe reading is the most important activity children should be engaged in this summer. We hope you get a chance to enjoy some good reading time, too!
Highlighted Posts
We've arrived at the season of giving thanks--but shouldn't that be every season? Research shows that grateful people are happier and healthier. Here are 12 easy ways to cultivate gratitude with your kids all year long. Click on the links to download free printables! Keep a stack of these Gratitude Cards in a central area of your house. Anytime your child has someone to thank, encourage them to fill out a card! Play Gratitude BINGO. Download these printable BINGO Cards and instructions for playing . The BINGO Cards are an interactive PDF, so you can type on them before printing if you wish. Keep a family Gratitude Journal. At the end of each day, ask your kids what they were thankful for that day. Write their thoughts in the journal. Encourage your kids to think of things specific to the day, and ask them to try not to repeat things from previous days. This practice will help them notice that there are new things to be thankful for each day. Download this Gratitude Scavenger Hunt and have kids complete this activity with friends, classmates, or neighbors. Design your own scavenger hunt using this interactive PDF with different items, so you can play as much as you’d like. Decorate your home with a Gratitude Tree. Create the tree by drawing branches on a poster board or by standing real twigs in a pot or vase. Have kids write their gratitudes on the Gratitude Leaf Cards and add them to the tree. Hopefully you'll be adding branches all year long as your kids think of more and more reasons to give thanks. Take a Gratitude Walk. Walk outdoors with your kids, and have them carry a notebook and pen. Ask them to be quiet during the walk. Have them notice and write down what feels good and what they appreciate about being outdoors. After the walk, ask them to elaborate, either verbally or in writing, on what they wrote down. The books on this Gratitude Book List are all about giving thanks. Whether you're looking for picture books to read aloud to younger kids or chapter books that inspire reflection in your older kids, this list has dozens of fantastic titles. Sometimes the simplest questions can lead to the most profound answers. Use these Gratitude Conversation Starters to prompt thoughtful discussions in your family. Do a daily Gratitude Meditation. Have kids close their eyes and think about the word “thankful” for a quiet minute each day. When they open their eyes, have them write down, tell you, or simply reflect for a moment on the things that came to mind. Have kids write what they’re thankful for on little slips of paper. Have them put the papers in a jar or add them to a bulletin board. Be a role model. Offer your own reflections whenever you feel thankful for something. Take pictures of the things your kids are grateful for. Print the pictures to make a Gratitude Collage to display in your home. P.S. We are thankful for YOU! Thank you for all you do to help your kids become better readers. Please connect with us if One Minute Reader can support you in any way.
Help your child overcome reading struggles and build confidence with proven strategies like reading together, repeated reading, and progress tracking.
Is your child struggling with reading? Learn 15 key signs to watch for, from avoiding reading to spelling mistakes. Early detection is crucial for providing the right support.
Ready to see an improvement in your child's reading?
Sign up today and get seven days for FREE.
One Minute Reader is just $8 per month after your free trial.