Summer Learning

Give Them Choices.

First, expose your child to different genres to find the books they are most interested in. The children’s librarian at your local public library is a great resource. Allow your child to have as much choice in selecting their book as possible. You can offer guidance to be sure the book is at the proper level (see below) and appropriate for their age, but within those parameters, your child will be a much more motivated reader if they have a say in what they read. Remember the forced readings you had in high school? Need I say more?

Choose Books at the Proper Reading Level.

If your first experience with mountain climbing was on a steep mountain covered in a sheet of ice without proper support or equipment, you would most likely avoid repeating the experience at all costs.

The same is true for budding readers. They will receive more enjoyment and love of reading if their book is on the proper level. Books on a just right reading level facilitate comprehension and enjoyment.

One way to tell if the level is appropriate for your child is to try what teachers refer to as the 5 finger rule. It’s pretty simple really. Open the book in question to a full page and ask your child to begin reading. Have them hold up a finger for each word they do not know. After they finish the page, count the fingers they have up. Here’s the general formula. Use your discretion as you understand your child’s frustration level best.

0-1 fingers = too easy

2-3 fingers = just right

4 fingers = challenging. I can probably read this with help.

5 fingers = too hard; frustration level; pick another book

Leave Them in Suspense.

If you knew my son now you would never believe he was once a reluctant reader. He loves reading so much, he minored in literature. He is one of the most well read individuals I know, consistently building his wonderful book collection. He is always reading at least one, if not several books, at any given time. He definitely has a love of reading!

There are some specific strategies I used that helped him progress from a reluctant reader to an avid bookworm, the most effective being leaving him in suspense. I had read to him since infancy, so he had a love of books and of being read to. It was the reading to self he didn’t much care for. He was content to just relax and have me read to him. It was easier. I decided to make being read to more difficult than independent reading. I used the steps above to help him choose books that were interesting to him and on his reading level. When we sat down to read, I would first read to him. I would purposely stop at a very intense part, saying I had other commitments and we’d have to read more later. All day long he would beg me to read more. Each time I would tell him that we would pick up the book again at our reading time the next day or he could go ahead and continue the story by himself any time he wanted. I loved reading with my children and they were a definite priority in my life so it was painful telling him “no.” However, it paid off when, after several days, my son could stand it no longer and began reading on his own. Soon (and, honestly, before I was ready) he was an independent reader and much too impatient to wait for mom to read to him. One of those sad, but necessary, rites of passage.

So, if you have a reluctant reader, don’t give up! Give them choices at the proper reading level, get them hooked and leave them in suspense. Just as important, let them see you read.

Looking for ways to help kids avoid that summer slide? Here are 6 fun and easy tips to keep them learning!

#1: Read! Read! Read!

Read anything and everything. Find something your child is interested in and go for it. Don’t underestimate the benefits of graphic novels. Your child should have at least 20 minutes of reading a day, 5 days a week to maintain their reading level through the summer. If you want to increase their reading level, increase the time they read. Studies show children benefit from reading whether they are being read to, reading with (you read a page, I read a page), or reading to you.

#2: Develop Real-Life Math Skills

Cook with your kids! Have them do the measuring. To increase the level of difficulty half, double, or triple the recipe (especially if you’re making cookies). Cooking is great for counting, fractions, multiplication, and division. Take your child shopping with you. Have them help you count 5 apples, then see what they weigh. Ask questions like “If there are 3 people in our family and they each want 2 tacos, how many shells will we need to buy?” Or “If we need 6 taco shells and there are 10 in a package, how many shells will we have leftover?” Craft or build with your child to help them learn measurement, area, perimeter, diagonal, and circumference. Another fun way to keep your child fresh on math skills? Play games together!

#3: Journal

Journaling is a great way to keep writing skills sharp. Vacations (and staycations) provide interesting topics but journaling can be as simple as writing down what you did that day or week. Another fun way to get your child writing is to suggest they make a joke book, complete with illustrations. If your child has not yet learned to write, have them tell you a story while you write it down. Prompt with questions such as “What happened first, next, last?” Many children find it easier if they draw a picture first and then tell about it.

For older children, have them write a story in their favorite genre (adventure, mystery, etc.) or have them write an alternate ending to a story they have just finished reading. Confidence is a large component of both reading and writing, so you want to keep your feedback positive. After handing out the kudos, some good things to remind your student to check for are sentence structure (does the sentence tell who or what, what they did and also make sense?) and sticking to the main idea and using interesting words (adjectives). You will want to adapt these to your child’s age. It is not necessary (or advisable) to critique everything your child writes during the summer. After all, they are on break, right? So complement generously and occasionally share one or two prompts or suggestions.

#4: Encourage your child’s sense of wonder.

Summer is your child’s chance to focus on something they love and run with it! Spark that interest by taking your child to new places and asking questions that get them thinking. Expand their thinking by helping your child find books, research on the internet, or conduct simple experiments. Anything that keeps your child thinking and learning during the summer will be a benefit when school resumes. This can be very informal, fun, and prepare your child for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) thinking once school is back in session.

#5: Visit your local library often.

Libraries have so many resources! One of the best being the children’s librarian. She can recommend books according to your child’s age, reading level, and genre preference. She can also suggest helpful books on a research topic (see #4). Story hours are a wonderful way to spark your child’s love of reading! Check your library website to see all the activities they have this summer and calendar in the ones you and your child won’t want to miss.

#6: Use activity books to keep skills fresh

Here are the activity books I (and many other teachers) highly recommend. In fact, my grandchildren have used these for several years with great results. The positives for my daughter have been:

It takes just 10-20 minutes a day.
It’s a great opportunity for her to work one on one with her children and see first hand their strengths and weaknesses and right where they’re at.
There are fun extras such as experiments, fitness tips, and interesting facts.
Her children have an opportunity to set and achieve goals every month.
Each book contains a 2-page reading list of fiction and nonfiction grade level books. Some are classics, others are popular reads, while some books wouldn’t have been discovered otherwise and have become family favorites!

*Before I share the Amazon link, let me mention that I will receive a small kickback from Amazon if you order from the link. The price will be the same for you either way. Thanks for supporting Adventure Tutoring!

Find the activity books for your children here:

Pre-K – entering Kindergarten in the Fall: