Can you believe we are already talking about summer learning loss and tips to keep kids reading this summer? It doesn’t seem like they went back to school that long ago, time goes by way to fast. Which is why it’s important to have a game plan to help your kids avoid summer learning loss.
Kids spend most of the year in a classroom keeping their minds active, sure they’re ready for the break but not keeping their minds active can hurt them when school rolls back around. Many students lose about 2 months
Tips To Keep Kids Reading This Summer
Here are a few tips to prevent summer learning loss and help keep kids reading this summer. Plus, you’ll love learning more about The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™, Energizer® Instant Win Game, and more!
- Visit your child’s teacher – My daughter has a fantastic teacher and we’ve kept in close contact. It’s so beneficial to make an appointment with your child’s teacher before school is out and get a few summer learning suggestions. The teacher should know your student, areas they are having problems, as well as material they should be reading. You can help your child stay on track better with advice from their teacher.
- Old enough to work? Get a job – I did it, and many of you worked as a teen. It’s a great way to keep the mind busy and active. Plus, I don’t know of many jobs that don’t involve some sort of reading. Plus, it’s a great way for them to earn a little extra money, responsibility, and have a peek at the working world.
- Activities with directions – Things like baking, cooking, crafts, and anything else you can find to keep your kids busy, make sure they have to read and follow directions. Last year I even typed up instructions for a few crafts my kids did because it got them reading, doing something fun, and kept their mind busy without them even knowing it. Sneaky right, lol.
- Library – Take the kids to the library! Get kids away from those devices and do things like we did in the old days! It’s fun, different, and they’ll have a blast visiting the library to check out books. You can even get them their own library card.
- Reading tracking sheet – Inspire summer reading by tracking your kids progress and rewarding them when they reach an agreed upon point.
- Reading to younger sibling – If you have a child who isn’t reading yet try having the older sibling read them a story. My youngest loves it when big sister reads to her and big sister enjoys it because it makes her feel good being able to help make her little sister happy.
- Digital Reading – Grab your tablet and give the kids digital reading time. If you don’t allow your children to read a device too much, it’s more fun and they look at it like a reward. Plus, it’s an excellent way to changes things up a bit so they don’t get board.
- Rewards – Give them something to work for! Get together with you kids and agree upon reward system and stick to it.
- Get them involved in something fun like The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ – You might remember our post from last year. We are huge fans of The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ because our daughter has such great results and loved doing it. There are so many reasons to join the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™.
The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™
The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ is free, online, and needs your kids help to set another NEW reading world record for the summer of 2015. The program runs from May 4th until Sept 4th, 2015 and want you to join us and all the other Scholastic participants to set a new reading world record! Beating last year’s world record was 304,749,692 minutes
The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ theme for this year is “Power Up & Read” because it’s Powered by Energizer®. Which I think is fitting because my kids are defiantly getting powered up and ready to read.
Vayda and I have already been talking about The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ and her goals. We’re still coming up with a game plan because her last day of school is a few days away. I do know her first goal is to read a book we received from Scholastic called The Invention of Huge Cabret. She’s been chomping at the bit to start reading this book, but I’m making her wait until school is out, but we are signed up, ready to go, and are already jotting down goals in her notebook.
Vayda was part of last years challenge and this year I want to do my part to help her get the most out of the program. So we’re setting long-term as well as short-term goals. I want her to be able to reach her short term goals so she stays motivated and in the game long enough to reach her big goal. We’re writing everything down and utilizing the tools we received from Scholastic. One of my favorite is the Scholastic Reading Lists for different ages, which Vayda’s teacher agreed the books listed in Vaydy’s age group are definitely an excellent choice for her to read this summer.
Mattie will be going to kindergarten next year and this will be her first time taking part in The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™. Needless to say she is VERY excited and I’m pretty excited too because Vayda wants to help Mattie with her reading for the challenge, which will be GREAT for both of them. It’s a win-win, another way to keep kids reading this summer without making it a chore! Vayda is the big sister and is doing an excellent thing by stepping up and helping her little sister and Mattie gets to hang with her cool big sister and learn a few things from her. Mattie too has a small notebook with goals for the summer. Of course, she wants her sister to help her with them, lol.
I’m armed with a few fun tools too! I have my Scholastic reading certificates; minutes log sheets, activities sheets, which even includes a creative writing innovation story starter as well as innovation machine activity and reading pledges.
We sure hope you’ll join us and the other participants and register your kids(s) for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ here.
Parenting expert Maggie McGuire
There is also excellent parenting videos and reading tips on the Scholastic website! You’ll find Maggie McGuire, parenting expert and VP of Scholastic Parents Channel at Schoolastic.com, providing great tips book choices for kids of all ages. Be sure to check out her unique tips for parents to get your kids to “power up & read”, such as:
Introduce children to STEM and science with reading
- Rainy day reading activates
- Find books that make kids laugh
- Ways to get crafty with your children favorite reads
- Tips for reading on-the-go on summer vacation
Energizer® Instant Win Game
You’ll want to check out the Energizer® Instant Win Game As we mentioned earlier Scholastic and Energizer® are partnering and they are creating the “Power the Possibilities” campaign. This campaign will gives moms the tools they need to unlock your kid’s talents, fuel ambitions, and set them up for success. Right now, parents can purchase specially-marked Energizer® brand batteries and scratch for a chance to win thousands of great prizes that will power learning and discovery.
There is some great prizes too, like:
- Family trip to New York City
- Library of awesome Scholastic books
- Tablet with Scholastic apps
- Scholastic Study Corner Makeover
- And more awesome prizes
Learn more about the Energizer® Instant Win Game.
Sign up for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ here and let your kid(s) be part of setting a world record for summer reading. To learn more about keeping kids reading all summer head over to the Scholastic Resources. As always, don’t forget to be social and follow @Scholastic on Twitter, like the Energizer® Bunny on Facebook, and see what others are saying by with the#SummerReading hashtag.
Power Up & Read Parenting Tip: Make kids laugh with books
If you would like additional information about making kids giggle with books check out these resources for Scholastic Parents:
- Books Guaranteed to Make You Laugh
- Get Your Child to Have Fun Reading
- Hilarious Board Books by Jim Benton
- Funny Books for Tweens
The Scholastic website is filled with all sorts of helpful information for parents, students, and even teachers. To learn more or enroll in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge™ be sure and visit Scholastic.com.
What tips to you have to keep kids reading this summer?
This is a sponsored post written by us for Scholastic. All opinions are our own.
