Summer Reading - Why It's Important to Keep Kids of All Ages Reading over Break

It’s summer, and, if you have school-age children, you know they’re excited for a break! But you should also know it’s important to keep your kids of all ages – even babies! – reading through the summer. In this blog (the first of a three-part series) we’re taking a look at why it’s important for your children to keep up with their reading.

We’ve all heard of the “summer slide” where kids tend to forget things they’ve learned. Did you know that reading not only helps kids retain knowledge and skills but also helps children improve their mental, emotional, social, and academic growth? What’s amazing is that this is true for babies too – not just pre-school or school age kids. Let’s look at a number of ways summer reading benefits all of our kids.

     Prevents summer slide: According to the University of Tennessee Knoxville, students who don’t read over the summer can lose at least two months of reading development skills while students who do read over the summer may actually gain a month of proficiency. And keep in mind that reading is fundamental to a child’s ability to learn not only in school but in college and the years beyond.

·       Increases a child’s knowledge: Dr. Alice Sullivan conducted a study showing children who read often beginning in elementary school had better intellectual progress in vocabulary, spelling, and math than kids who read only what their schools required.

·       Increases emotional intelligence and broadens perspectives: When children read about different people and experiences, they learn about empathy and adversity which helps them express emotions, understand others, and become good friends.

·       Increases brain and intellectual stimulation: Reading signals the brain to develop a complex network of circuits which become stronger as reading improves, leading to increased literacy.

·       Increases focus and concentration: In a digital world where it’s easy for kids to become glued to their screens, reading helps them improve focus and concentration, both of which are required for learning.

·       Improves vocabulary and writing skills: One study shows that a child who is read to/reads 20 minutes a day at home will be exposed to more than 1.8 million words annually. Not only that, it’s easier for children to learn the meaning of words through context clues in reading as opposed to memorizing definitions. Children also pick up the “sound” or rhythm of sentence structure which, when combined with improved vocabulary, can lead to better writing and more effective communication skills.

·       Improves memory and analytical thinking: Whether children are anticipating what’s coming next in a story or using problem solving skills to try to solve a mystery, reading improves children’s memory and analytical thinking skills.

·       Bonus: Summer reading is a great activity when kids need a break from the hot outdoors, summer storms, or their screens – or when you need some quiet time in the house!  
 
So we know it’s important to keep our kids reading through the summer, but we also know it’s not easy. Join us for part two of this series where we’ll list a number of summer reading programs offering incentives for kids to read. Be sure to visit our website here for a summer reading BINGO download inspired by Imagination Soup. Encourage your child to read from the BINGO categories then reward him/her with a fun treat or activity when he/she hits BINGO! In part three of this series, we’ll discuss why it’s important to read early and often to babies.
 
At One by One, our mentors teach new moms baby development needs and parenting skills and provide activities for moms to do with their children so they grow and develop on schedule. If you’re a pregnant or new mom and would like a mentor, you can click here to apply. If you’re a seasoned mom who loves helping new moms become great moms, click here to apply to become a One by One mentor!