How to Keep Your Child Reading This Summer

Reading is probably the last thing on a child's mind during the summer months. We all know those unusual children that always have their nose in a book, but most children are too busy playing and swimming during summertime. Keeping your child interested in reading is easier said than done, but by making reading interactive, your child is more apt to read. There are a few easy ways to create interactive reading, or reading that goes beyond the pages of a book.

Connect the Book to a Hobby

Encourage your child to read books that are related to a hobby or interest. If your child loves butterflies, find a book about butterfly life or types of butterflies , then plan a field trip to a butterfly farm or a zoo with a garden. Learning about butterflies will have new meaning, once real life connections are made. A great butterfly book for beginners is Are You a Butterfly by Judy Allen for children four to eight years of age. A good intermediate book is Butterflies in the Garden by Carol Lemer for children aged nine to 12.

Vacation Related Books

Even a simple beach trip can become an interactive reading experience. Beach and sea related books are plentiful. Your child could chose to read about the moons effects on tides, sea life, or a beach erosion. A good choice for preschoolers to second or third graders is Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae. A book choice for older kids aged 8 to10 is A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle.

Books Related to Museum Trips

I recently took my grandchild to the Jacksonville Museam of Science and History( MOSH). Their special exhibit was on dinosaurs, complete with recreated skeletons. A quick call to your nearest art or science museum will help you choose an interactive reading book for your child. The topic at our museum has since changed to "Savage Ancient Seas: Dinosaurs of the Deep." We chose to read half the book prior to our trip and the other half after our trip. Dinosaurs Internet Linked by Rachel Firth is a unique book that can fit almost any age group. Younger children can look at pictures, elementary school aged children can read the book, while older children can use the internet links listed in the book to learn even more about dinosaurs. This is the book I used with my grandchild after our trip to the museum.

This summer, you can help your child maintain or increase his reading level. The bottom line is, reading should be fun and by making it interactive, a child is more apt to read and a child who reads more will be better able to meet school challenges in the fall.