{"id":2199,"date":"2024-06-17T14:19:11","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T14:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/?p=2199"},"modified":"2025-11-03T17:52:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T17:52:26","slug":"how-to-improve-your-childs-reading-skills-over-the-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/2024\/06\/17\/how-to-improve-your-childs-reading-skills-over-the-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Improve Your Child’s Reading Skills Over the Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to enjoy a relaxing summer while still making sure your child is immersed in a learning environment. Although the classroom is your child\u2019s main learning hub, you can bring those same interactions and experiences into your home, on the road \u2014 or wherever summer finds you and your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting aside time to read every day for 30 minutes, whether in the morning, midday, or at night, should be a top priority. One of the advantages of summer is the freedom children have to design their days. Use this flexibility to find ideal times in which your child is happy to pick up a book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving children the space and independence to read leisurely without oversight is just as important, adds Karen Baicker, executive director of the Yale Child Study Center\u2013Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience, and publisher for Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at Scholastic Education Solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSummer allows children a chance to reset and not feel evaluated, so be wary of measurement,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, you want to keep your child\u2019s reading skills fresh. Here are ways to ensure your child continues working on their building their literacy when school is out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the table:<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Summer hours mean more time spent lingering over meals and at outdoor gatherings (family reunions!). These are great opportunities to strike up a conversation with your child about what they learned in the last school year and what they\u2019re excited about in the year to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gauge your child\u2019s interests<\/a> by asking what they\u2019re reading and what they like about it \u2014 this could be the characters, setting, or even the format of a book (many striving readers are drawn to graphic novels, for example). Challenge their reading comprehension<\/a> by asking what\u2019s happened so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Word-based board games, like Scrabble, are another opportunity to exercise skills (in this case, spelling) while engaging the whole family. If your child is interested in crosswords, there are many outlets that offer a new puzzle every day \u2014 an excellent brain teaser option if you\u2019re keen to introduce a routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the car:<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Car trips present a great opportunity for getting some pages in, and for you to ask follow-up questions afterward. If your child is unable to read in the car, choose audiobooks that everyone can listen to and discuss as a family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also read aloud to your car crew (since there\u2019s no age cutoff for being read to). The idea is to encourage everyone to put down the screens and use this passive time to engage reading skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the pool or at the beach:<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Setting a reading goal can motivate children who are easily distracted in the summer. This goal might be measured in the number of books read per month or by the end of the season. (If your child\u2019s school has issued a required summer reading list, start here.) Your child will get a boost of confidence and pride as they work toward their target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To encourage your child on their summer reading journey, give their designated reading space a refresh: Change up the colours, art, or lighting for a brighter, airier vibe, or take it outdoors entirely in the form of a fort, hammock, or poolside lounger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have your child collect words they don\u2019t know or find interesting in a journal \u2014 you can look these words up together later. Journaling boosts many skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking. Recording and researching words is an expert-approved technique for improving vocabulary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes words are too good to keep on the page. If you\u2019re at the beach, have your child write their favourite words in the sand. You\u2019ll be practicing spelling and pronunciation skills together while making lasting memories \u2014 at least until high tide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop all the books and activities for improving reading skills at Scholastic Book Clubs<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Originally published by Scholastic Parents on July 6, 2022. Versioned for Scholastic Canada.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s possible to enjoy a relaxing summer while still making sure your child is immersed in a learning environment. Although the classroom is your child\u2019s main learning hub, you can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[5,6,84,72,38,127],"class_list":["post-2199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reading-tips","tag-book-clubs","tag-book-fairs","tag-families","tag-june","tag-reading","tag-summer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s possible to enjoy a relaxing summer while still making sure your child is immersed in a learning environment. Although the classroom is your child\u2019s main learning hub, you can...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Scholastic at School Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-17T14:19:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-03T17:52:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer-1024x768.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"pscarafile\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"pscarafile\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/2024\/06\/17\/how-to-improve-your-childs-reading-skills-over-the-summer\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html\",\"name\":\"How to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-17T14:19:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T17:52:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/30e1d3b907bebd3e0a3a026b45fb9d14\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1125},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/\",\"name\":\"Scholastic at School Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/30e1d3b907bebd3e0a3a026b45fb9d14\",\"name\":\"pscarafile\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b0a01cf3529e42d719c063ef15d134263a8af94dfeccb40ef238e2ccd330059?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b0a01cf3529e42d719c063ef15d134263a8af94dfeccb40ef238e2ccd330059?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"pscarafile\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/author\/pscarafile\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog","og_description":"It\u2019s possible to enjoy a relaxing summer while still making sure your child is immersed in a learning environment. Although the classroom is your child\u2019s main learning hub, you can...","og_url":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html","og_site_name":"Scholastic at School Blog","article_published_time":"2024-06-17T14:19:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-03T17:52:26+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer-1024x768.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"pscarafile","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"pscarafile","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/2024\/06\/17\/how-to-improve-your-childs-reading-skills-over-the-summer\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html","name":"How to Improve Your Child's Reading Skills Over the Summer | Scholastic at School Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png","datePublished":"2024-06-17T14:19:11+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-03T17:52:26+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/30e1d3b907bebd3e0a3a026b45fb9d14"},"inLanguage":"en-CA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-CA","@id":"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/improve-reading-skills-summer.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/06\/How-to-Improve-Your-Childs-Reading-Skills-Over-the-Summer.png","width":1500,"height":1125},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/","name":"Scholastic at School Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-CA"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/30e1d3b907bebd3e0a3a026b45fb9d14","name":"pscarafile","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-CA","@id":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b0a01cf3529e42d719c063ef15d134263a8af94dfeccb40ef238e2ccd330059?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b0a01cf3529e42d719c063ef15d134263a8af94dfeccb40ef238e2ccd330059?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"pscarafile"},"url":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/author\/pscarafile\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}