Making Summer Reading Compelling, Not a Chore

In a recent article from The Atlantic Daniel Willingham describes the tips and tricks of how to get kids excited to read even in the summer months.

As the school year ends, students’ thoughts turn to summer vacation staples like swimming, camp, and popsicles. Teachers—and most parents—would like them to think about reading, too. School and district officials offer summer reading lists, hoping that specific recommendations will move students away from video games and toward books. But most will ignore these worthy suggestions, and indeed will read very little. How can parents nudge kids toward books this summer?

While many children won't want to even think about reading while counting down their days of freedom, Willingham gives parents tips on how to sneakily make reading fun and accessible. At first it may be difficult to tear them away from their tablets and computers, but once they find the books they truly want to read, they won't be able to stop. They might even discover that the same adventures explored in a video game can be found within the pages of a book. Great readers can be formed outside of syllabi and reading lists, but they must also learn to balance what they want to read with what they need to read. Once kids appreciate the wonders of literature beyond the confines of school, they will find themselves indulging in reading both inside and outside of the classroom.
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