Inspiring Ideas for Summer Reading

Summer Slide is a real thing! Students who don't read over the summer break are in fear of losing an average of 2-3 months proficiency*, which can add up over time. The good thing is Digital Libraries don't take a summer break! Online reading is still available, anywhere, anytime.

To help keep your students motivated to read over the summer break, we've put together some ideas to ensure the summer slide is only used in reference to the playground!

Handy Hints to promote your Summer Reading Program to Students & Parents
- Include a note in the last school newsletter with instructions how to sign in and add this same info to the school website.  We've even created a handy link with videos to assist parents: https://eplatform.ac-page.com/librarysupport-schools
- Remind the kids at the final assembly – offer incentives, make it a competition with prizes or awards. (time for students to catch up on books they ran out of time to read in class). 
- Audiobooks are great for long car journeys. Reluctant readers can enjoy the story no matter what their ability, or the whole family can listen together.
- Create fun activities to engage the kids over the Summer: make a blog, remind them to visit the local library, run a photo competition: – where is the weirdest place you’ve read a book these holidays…?
- Encourage the habit of a lifetime love of reading for leisure.

Teacher/Librarian Ideas
- Set the challenge to read stories from around the world
- Encourage daily word games like Wordle or Wordfind or a family game of Scrabble.
- Set challenges or competitions with prizes to win: Who can read the most books over Summer? / Can you read a book a week?
- Create quizzes on books to read over Summer
- Suggest a project to do or make after reading a series…..and take photos.
- Send a letter to parents to get them on board (we've even created a draft for you to download below)

Ideas for Kids
- Random Read Challenge - choose a random book - you might love it!
- Write your own story where you are the main character from your favourite book.
- Become a film critic! Read a book and then watch the film to compare over the holidays.
- Take photos of different places you have read - in a tent, at the beach, on a picnic blanket in the backyard, under a tree, or even in a cosy spot inside on a rainy day.
- Read subtitles when watching TV or a movie - it's still reading!
- Listen to Audiobooks in the car as a family on your journey.

Wellness Collection Subscribers
For senior students remind them of the Wellness Collection - to help support Mental Health and Wellbeing over the long Summer break.
Not a wellness subscriber? View the collection HERE.

*Booksource.com