Tips to Get the Kids to Read This Summer

Summer is officially here and although I am all for having a summer full of fun and adventure, I am also 100% not going to let my kids do the summer slide. Our summer reading challenge is in full swing this month and I wanted to share some tips we are using to get the kids to read this summer.

Tips to Get the Kids to Read This Summer

Make Really Cute Bookmarks – these were so easy to make because we used items we had around the house. Paint swatch samples, ribbon, and a decorative paper punch were all I needed to let the kids get creative and they were excited to get to use them. 

Use Reading as a Currency for Screen Time – I have no shame in telling my kids they need to read before they use their devices. Since my kids spend all day being active at day camp, I know once they get home they want to relax. I ask them to do 30 minutes a day of reading and while my girl prefers to lay in bed while she reads, my son gets it done right in the morning while he eats breakfast. 

Make Themed Reading Snacks– I headed to my local Bulk Barn and picked up some pretzels, sprinkles and candy melts to dip the pretzels in. I like to challenge my kids to come up with snacks or treats that match the themes of the books they’re reading. For snacks for the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, which my kids are currently working on, we went with pretzels dipped in all blue everything because if you know the series, then you know that Percy loves blue food.

1. Set up a snack station with your cooking materials: pretzels, sparkly blue sprinkles, and a microwavable bowl filled with a mix of white and light blue candy melts.
2. Take the bowl of candy melts and microwave for 1 minute at 50%. 
3. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir the candy melts. They won’t be entirely melted yet but once you’ve stirred them around a bit, put them back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.
4. Repeat this process until the candy is melted. Be sure not to overheat your candy by microwaving on too high of a setting or for too long and do not add any other liquids to the mix, otherwise your candy will lose its consistency.
5. If there are still small pieces of candy that haven’t melted, let the mixture sit for 1 minute. Once the consistency is smooth and resembles cooked pudding, you are ready to dip and drizzle your candy.
6. Dip a corner of a pretzel into the liquified blue candy melts, then top with sprinkles. Admire your snack’s beauty and enjoy!

Reward with Activities – If you read my first post in the series you know that kids are not always at the same level of excitement when it comes to reading. One thing I know for sure though is that my kids are motivated by a common goal, so we let them know we can go do a local activity of their choice when they finish each book. That way they feel they are being rewarded, even though we know that we would take them to the place regardless. Sometimes we have to be sneaky and I am all for it. 

Our Summer Reading Challenge Progress

Here in Canada our summer break just started and the kids’ last months of school were full of last-minute book reports and projects. Add in our own vacation since we started the Percy Jackson Summer Reading challenge back in May and we have only just finished book 1. Do I wish we were further along? For sure. But the kids were reading lots of other books so I don’t feel like they have failed.

That being said, there are now 4 books left in the series that I would love to see the kids finish this summer. Currently, we’re on book 2, The Sea of Monsters. I will keep you all updated as they progress and I can’t wait to see how the kids react to the series once they are all done. If you want to pick up your own set of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books or learn more about Rick Riordan’s demigod universe, head on over to ReadRiordan.com.

How do you encourage reading during the summer months?

Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

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