Did you know that on average, students lose about 20% of their reading gains over summer break?
Hilary Duff is working with Epic (digital reading platform for kids ages 3–12) to fight this summer slump by encouraging kids to read for fun and explore other worlds through books. She offers the following summer reading tips:
Encourage Reading at Bedtime
Storytime has always been a big part of my family’s nighttime routine and it’s a great way for us to spend quality time together at the end of the day. Luca and Banks (and even Mae!) now look forward to reading at the end of the day and are excited to see what adventures we will get into before bed.
Allow the Kids to Choose
Since their interests are constantly changing, Luca and Banks are always most excited to read when they get to choose their own books either at the library or through digital libraries—like Epic. Whether they are interested in puppies or are in a superhero phase, Epic has thousands of books (including some of my family’s favorites) so they never get bored.
Implement Theme Weeks
Throughout the summer when the kids are home from school, I like to create themed weeks when we choose books and corresponding activities that get the kids excited—sometimes we learn about animals while other times we will explore magical lands.
Take Books To-Go
When we travel or even just leave the house for dinner, we never leave home without a few books, especially for Banks and Mae. They are a great distraction from car rides, flights, or long wait times, and always having books around has made reading an important part of my children’s lives. You can bring physical books, or I love to bring an iPad so the kids can access book digitally.