There is never a shortage of Summer Reading programs for kids once school ends and many offer prizes, points, graphs, and charts as a way to keep your child reading during the summer months.

This is not a bad thing at all. But as a lifelong learner, educator, and mom I can tell you that many kids will do better with reading if they don’t feel it’s “mandatory.” Sometimes when things feel a little too much like \”homework\” during the summer break. And if this is the case in your home, you may be experiencing some pushback!

With that in mind, we\’d like to offer this Pro Tip on the best way to motivate your reader this summer: Give them books that they will find interesting!

Then provide them with great books that will pique their interest like the books on our list of 11 Green and Environmental Books for Young Conservationists.

Making reading an adventure and not a “task/ chore/requirement” during the summer months is a great way to help increase the desire to read and keep them interested as well. Sit down together and pick out your summer reading or make a family trip to the library. Here are some more tips to get kids jazzed about reading during the non-school months:

1. Skip the List-Make the Shelf:
Make book reading like a seasonal shift in your wardrobe. One of our first family activities, when school gets out, is to make The Summer Shelf. Off come the passing season\’s books and on comes the fun books of summer. Some are old friends and others are new, but The Summer Shelf is a way to herald in the summer reading season.2. Leave ‘em Hangin:
You can leave your readers “hanging” and create a desire to come back to the story by pausing your read-aloud just before the end of a chapter. This creates so pretty big anticipation to keep them engaged and wanting more. Amp it up by throw in a little book-jumping adventure to go along with the story as well. While reading Tom Sawyer to my kids I practiced the “leave ‘em hanging” method and threw in spontaneous bouts of whitewashing, cave touring, and river rafting. These activities created great anticipation and had them asking “what’s coming next?”I’ve had very different experiences with all of my children on when exactly to plan our little reading adventures. My eldest daughter and youngest son like to intersperse their reading with related activities, while my second daughter insists that the entire book is read completely before we dive into the pages. By mixing up everyone’s reading and book jumping preferences, will help to keep them clamoring for the next reading session.3. Think Outside the BoxMagazines are a great “portable” reading option for kids and again, are “bite-sized” information to keep them interested and learning. There is so many wonderful and educational kids magazine available these days too. Some of our favorites include:Highlights,
Cricket
Spider
Appleseeds
Ask
Cobblestone
Dig
Faces
Calliope
Odyssey
Muse
National Geographic kids
Your Big Backyard
Ranger Rick
Stone Soup for young writers and artists
Wilderness kids.

What are your summer reading picks?

ONE MORE THING:

 

---

A Year in the Secret Garden

As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, but it also allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.

This delightful children’s book co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.

 

Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourage them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst for many hours of family growth, learning, and FUN!

Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!