Enjoy One More Summer Reading Adventure Before Going Back to School
Reading Time: 2 min
August brings the “dog days of summer” and a general winding down of summer break for many kids across the country. As families prepare themselves to go back to school, now is a great time for some last-minute fun and adventure. So why not make reading part of the fun?
Start by taking a Summer Field Trip. This could be at the local park, zoo, or aquarium, or consider visiting a faraway place online, such as Egypt, the Amazon Rainforest, or the Antarctic. Both are filled with new topics to be explored. There are many online interactive resources to explore. Learning about a new topic leads to a world of curiosity and questions that need to be answered.
Next, talk about what you see. As you explore a new topic or place, talk about the things that you see and if there is a sign that explains in further detail, read it together. Ask open ended questions to get your child thinking. “If you could be a fish in that big aquarium, where do you think you would sleep?” or “How many pyramids do you think are standing in Egypt? What do you think is inside of them?”
Then, follow up with a book related to your adventure. If a new passion has been ignited, visit your local library to dive even deeper and check out books that relate to the new topic. For instance, if the child takes on a sudden interest in Axolotls, find books that explain more about them and start to answer questions that may be lingering in the child's mind. Encourage their learning with questions like “What do Axolotls eat?” “Why are Axolotls pink? Are they all pink? Or can they be other colors?”
Another way to engage your child in summer reading is to have them create their own book that includes detailed descriptions, photos, and illustrations about your adventure. Making a book together is fun and engaging and creates a memento of your summer adventure that you can cherish for years to come.
