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Summer vacation is beginning soon. Our children will be busy catching up on swimming, ball, and all the outdoor games they enjoy playing. One activity that is not always first on a child’s to-do list is reading. Summer reading with free choice of books may be a good time to get your reluctant readers interested in books. Parents and teachers are often concerned about a loss of skills over the break. Reading through the summer is a great way to stim that loss.

In addition to developing and promoting reading skills, research shows that summer reading helps youths foster social and emotional development by reading stories about people who are different from them. Although students and parents welcome a break from the structure of the classroom, it is important to maintain the skills attained so far. Parents and other adults in a child’s life can make reading more fun by making games that require reading.

For example, students can read road signs and information about local attractions, read restaurant names, etc. Children are encouraged to read both on level books and books that are above or below grade level. This enables them to use the reading strategies they have worked on over the years. Instead of books, parents can look into online sites including pbskids.org or Starfall.com.

Check out the summer reading program at the local libraries. We hope to see you there!

Connie Krupa is the children’s program coordinator for the Lunenburg County Public Library System. She can be reached at cckrupa@embarqmail.com.