By Zrinka Peters
It's finally summer, the great outdoors are calling, and sitting down with a book might be just about the last thing your child would choose to do. After all, doesn't that sound kind of like school?
Sure, summer reading does have a lot to do with learning. But that doesn't mean it has to be dull. Summer can be a great time to exercise not only the body but the mind as well. As Elizabeth Kennedy, expert contributor to About.com's Guide to Children's Books, says, "Any time you read, you tend to increase your vocabulary, knowledge, and understanding, even if your motivation for reading is fun."
A great resource for summer reading is your local library's summer reading programs. Many libraries have established programs which can provide extra incentives and guidance to kids for summer reading.
Nancy Smith, a librarian in Washington County, MN, says, "The goal is to keep kids reading through the summer, so they don't fall back." The summer reading program at Smith's library, like at many others, sets reading goals for young readers – challenging them to read (or be read to) 10, 20 or more hours over the summer. Along with goals, the library offers rewards. After completing 20 hours of reading, kids get their names posted on the library's "wall of fame." Readers' names are also entered in drawings for surprise prizes.
Many libraries also offer age-appropriate book clubs and story times for babies on up to teens. Attending story time can even be used as reading time that works towards the child's reading goal.
