Ask your child’s teacher what’s the most important activity your child can do over the summer and you’ll likely hear, “Read for pleasure.” In an informal poll conducted by Education Week, that was the overwhelming response from teachers at all levels, K-12, regardless of the subject area they taught. 

“As early as the 1970s,” writes Ed Week’s Elizabeth Heubeck, “research concluded that reading was the only activity strongly and consistently related to summer learning.” Yet despite clear benefits, the percentage of kids reading for pleasure is less than it’s been in decades.  

What You Can Do

Creating opportunities for more reading over the summer doesn’t take much effort. Start by ensuring that your child has access to reading material they enjoy, then carve out time for them to do it. Following are some strategies to help make that happen:

• Visit the public library frequently. Many libraries have summer reading programs that offer child-friendly incentives to encourage reading and keep kids coming back. Moreover, librarians are an invaluable resource. Use yours for age- and interest-appropriate recommendations. 
• Mix it up. Encourage your child to try different genres and formats (e.g., fantasy, humor, YA historical novels, series, biographies, graphic novels, audiobooks, etc). Again, if you’re stumped, the librarian can offer guidance. Also, experimenting may result in some flops. If that happens, encourage your child to ditch the title that’s not working in favor of one that might be better. Remember that the goal is to read for pleasure—it should never feel like punishment.
• Explore different places to read: Anywhere that’s comfortable will do, including In the shade of a tree or on a raft in the pool. Challenge your reader to be creative, maybe even making a game out of finding new and different venues as the summer progresses. 
• Read together, either literally or figuratively, depending on your child’s age. With a younger child, take turns reading paragraphs or pages, and talk about it as you go. With an older child, treat it like a two-person book club: Read the same book independently, then set aside time to discuss it. Or consider a larger group book club with some of your child’s friends and their parents. 
• Be consistent. While summer is a time for less structure and more flexibility, save those for other activities. Making reading for pleasure a part of your child’s routine will not only help them stay engaged with the material but, more importantly, will ensure that they’re practicing the all-important skill of reading.