Promoting Learning and Literacy during the Summer Months

The summer season is finally here! It’s time to enjoy summer vacations, camp, visiting friends and family and spending more time at home. An important thing to remember is that these everyday occurrences are also opportunities to encourage a child’s love of reading while practicing those important skills learned this school year! Caregivers and parents have infinite opportunities to develop a closer relationship with their children; spending more time with them, conversation-modeling, listening and oral skills, cooperative reading, and “hands-on” activities create a healthy and wonderful environment. When we develop a closer relationship the learning begins. Here are some tips on helping children develop their reading skills while having fun:

Reinforce to your children that reading is helpful to people:

  • As you walk or drive through the neighborhood, casually mention the words you see-stop signs, traffic signs, street signs, even your GPS monitor.

  •  Show your children “signs” for places you regularly visit- the bank, post office, grocery store and gas station-and tell your child what the words mean.

  •  Point out the pictures on cereal boxes or other packages; read the words and verbalize what they mean.

Help your children see the connection between reading and writing:

  • When you write down telephone numbers or take messages, show your children what you have written.

  • When you make a grocery list, show it to your children. Explain what needs to be purchased.

  • When your children draw a picture, write down their explanation of the picture and read it back.

Involve your children in “play” when it comes to reading and writing:

  • Save used envelopes, old calendars, stickers and sheets of paper to create an “office.” Include tape, pens or pencils and a toy telephone.

  • Keep a box of catalogs, magazines and old phone books for your children to play with.

  • At lunch or dinner time, let the children pretend being in a restaurant, making menus and taking orders on a small note pad.

Create ways to help your children enjoy books and reading:

  • Make reading a part of your child’s bedtime routine

  • Set up a cozy place for reading and looking at books.

  • Carry a little book in your pocket or bag to read to your children while waiting at the doctor’s office.