imgresBy Kari Riedel.

There are many alarming statistics about the learning loss that occurs when kids leave for summer vacation (aka Summer Slump.)

One EASY way to counter this is to encourage your kids to read every day. For some families, that’s easy peasy.  For others, that sounds like a fight waiting to happen.

Here are five practical tips for getting kids excited to read this summer.

1. Let Kids Choose Their Own Books. Most kids will read more if you truly let them choose what to read. Don’t stress out if it’s the 5th comic book they’ve read this week.  You’re helping them build a habit of reading.  But, finding good books can be hard for kids.  According to a 2015 Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 73% of kids say  “I’d read more if I could find more books I liked.”  Here are some ways:

  • Check out book discovery sites made for kids like Bookopolis.com. This site lets kids share book reviews, recommend books to friends, and explore curated book lists. (Disclaimer: the author of this article is the founder and Mayor of Bookopolis)
  • Make a weekly library date. Carve out time to let your child browse, explore, and interact with lots of different books at the library.  Make it a treat, not a punishment.
  • Ask your kids’ friends.  When I see my kids’ friends, I make a point to ask the them they are reading so that my kids will hear it.  This simple question often starts a dialogue between the kids about new book ideas.

2. Make Reading Social. Reading seems like the ultimate individual activity, but making it more social can deepen comprehension and make reading something kids think of as a shared experience among friends.

  • Hold dinnertime book talks. Designate a different family member to be the “book talker” for a night.  Or, have everyone read the same book and then talk about it over a meal.
  • Organize an informal book club with 3-4 kids. It’s amazing what you learn about kids when you give them space and time to talk about a book and how they relate to the characters. Here are ideas for how to run a Book Club for Kids.
  • Go to an author talk at a local bookstore.  Indie bookstores frequently bring in authors to talk about their latest books. In this setting, authors instantly become rock stars. Invite a couple of other families to join you to make it a social event.

3. Embrace Alternative Book Formats. While we usually think that reading means sitting down with a physical book, mix it up with some other options.

  • E-books on Kindle or tablets are perfect while traveling or away from home. Use them to borrow e-books from the library. Some libraries will even let you check out a kindle or iPad if you don’t have one of your own.
  • Audio books are a unique alternative. Kids can listen to them on a road trip, while walking the dog or doing stuff around the house.
  • Magazines are a great source of reading material. Sports Illustrated Kids is a hot commodity in our house. It’s a great way to introduce current events and nonfiction topics, too.

4. Have Books Everywhere. Research shows a correlation between the number of books in a kid’s home and their educational success. The moral of the story: fill your home with as many books as possible.

  • Scatter them around the house.  While I have a visceral negative reaction to most of the clutter around my house (ahem, kids’ shoes), I encourage book clutter. Books are stacked everywhere – in the living room, the kitchen, behind the sofa, and, of course, in the bathroom.
  • Put a few in the car. I find that if there’s a new book laying in the back seat, my kids can’t help but pick it up and check it out to see if it’s worth reading.
  • Stick one in your purse/bag and your kids’ backpacks/sports bags.  I rarely travel without a book just in case I have 5 minutes free during my day.  I’ve gotten my kids into this habit by encouraging them to put a book in their backpack or sports bags for those unexpected reading windows of time.

5. Set Up Reading Challenges. While “reading is it’s own reward”, some kids are motivated by challenges that will encourage them to read. Making the prizes book related rather than just ice cream or pizza will help encourage a lifetime love of reading.

  • Make a bet. Bet your kids they can’t check out 50 books from the local library at one time.  Or, that they can’t read a book a day for a week. Winner gets to pick a book for the loser to read.
  • Bookopolis Summer Challenge.  Kids can log their reading online at Bookopolis.com and use their minutes to win a Summer Challenge badge and be entered to win free books or a gift certificate to a local book store.  They can earn even more points and badges in Bookopolis by writing reviews and book reports.
  • Local library program – Check your local library to see if they are running a summer reading contest or program.

Bonus Tip. Read aloud to your kids.  Especially if they are older, independent readers.  Research shows this simple act can help sustain a love of reading as kids grow up.  Reading a long book or series together over several nights is a great bonding experience.  Or, try a picture book.  There are wonderful picture books like thesewith deep meanings or advanced subjects that I love to read and discuss with my 8 and 10 year old boys.


Kari Ness Riedel is the Mayor of Bookopolis.com, an online community where 7-12 year old readers can share their love of reading with friends and find new book ideas. She’s also the mom of two elementary school boys who love to read — when they find the right book to capture their attention. Need a book idea? @bookopolis or kari@bookopolis.com.

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