1. Find the right books
The American Library Association has recommended summer reading lists for birth through middle school. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools allows kids to access its online reading materials like Raz-Kids, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library has a huge Pre-K through 4th grade ebook collection available online (kids can use their student ID through the ONE Access program.) Parents and caregivers can also sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to receive a free book (ages 0-5) each month and access free online books atTumblebooks and Unite for Literacy.
2. Make time to read with your kids
Spending as little as 15 minutes reading, three times a week, with your child is a way to build their language, vocabulary and comprehension skills. It’s called Active Reading and you can do it anywhere, anytime!
3. Make reading appealing
Make sure you don’t overdo it. Help motivate your child to read books by making sure books are readily available to them, and then step back.
4. Turn on captions
Every word your child reads counts, even if it’s on the television. Enable the captions when the TV is on this summer to help increase the number of words your kids read.
5. Host a book club
Let your child choose a book and then invite some friends to read it too! Host a playdate that involves discussion about the book and, of course, lots of summer fun.
For more fun and easy tips to keep your kids reading this summer, visit SummerReadingCLT.org. And don’t forget to follow Read Charlotte on Facebook!
About Read Charlotte
Read Charlotte is a community initiative that unites families, educators and community partners to improve children’s literacy from birth to third grade with a goal of doubling reading proficiency from 39% to 80%. Reading proficiency at third grade is a critical predictor of school, career and life success. Children who are not reading at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Learn more at ReadCharlotte.org.
