After a summer filled with outdoor play, screen time, and relaxed routines, getting kids back into the habit of reading can be a challenge. For many families, the transition from summer break to the school year brings a renewed focus on academics, but rekindling a child\u2019s love for reading goes beyond homework assignments.\n<\/p>\n
This is especially important given that kids’ reading skills are at historic lows<\/a> and even some elite college students can’t read full books<\/a>. With summer reading wrapping up and back-to-school in the fall, it feels like a good moment for this topic. Whether your child lost interest in books over the summer or just needs a gentle nudge, Parents spoke to five experts for practical tips and creative ideas to help you raise a reader, not out of obligation, but out of genuine excitement and enjoyment.<\/p>\n Finding Their Niche\u00a0 <\/p>\n Charlie N. Holmberg<\/a>, WSJ bestselling author, thinks that a big part of getting kids interested in reading is to emulate a love of reading. Not only to be seen reading, but to share what you\u2019re reading. \u201cI\u2019ll often share interesting things in my reading with my husband, so why not share them with my kids, too? We like to share highlights of our day at the dinner table, and I think the twists and turns of current stories make for a great highlight.\u201d\n<\/p>\n For Holmberg, raising a kid who loves reading also means understanding exactly what your kids like to read. \u201cMy son has recently gotten into the typical middle-grade novels and will crack them open before bed, but my daughter doesn\u2019t connect with those. She\u2019s not a big lover of books\u2014reading and writing are her least favorite subjects in school. But through some trial and error, I\u2019ve learned she loves nonfiction books, especially ones with photos, graphics, and other visuals. Finding titles at the store or the library with subject matter she\u2019s presently showing interest in makes a big difference, too. Last year it was rocks and minerals, this year it\u2019s astrology and feathers.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Lastly, Holmberg thinks it\u2019s great for kids to have their own library cards and have opportunities to pick out their own books, as well as take responsibility for those books. That sense of ownership and independence places value not only on the books themselves, but on the identity of being a reader.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Skip Read Alouds <\/p>\n Marisa Ware<\/a>, MSEd, literacy specialist and consultant to Charge Mommy Books, understands that weaving reading into daily life can feel challenging, especially for busy parents, but there are many small, meaningful ways to do it. \u201cReading aloud at bedtime, sharing articles on topics their kids are curious about, listening to audiobooks together, or keeping a book or magazine in the car.\u201d\n<\/p>\n She suggests during the summer to avoid letting reading become a chore. Research<\/a> indicates that allowing students to choose their own reading materials significantly benefits their reading motivation, comprehension, and overall academic performance, so let kids choose materials they enjoy \u2013 graphic novels, joke books, how-to guides, or sports articles all \u201ccount\u201d as reading and help build positive associations.\n<\/p>\n \u201cSome parents may find it helpful to establish a daily reading routine,\u201d she notes. \u201cSet aside a specific time each day during which the whole family reads and then discusses what they read. This may be independent reading, or may be a few minutes in which your child reads aloud to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Meet Them Where They Are <\/p>\n Maya Payne Smart<\/a>, author of Reading for Our Lives: The Urgency of Early Literacy and the Action Plan to Help Your Child, acknowledges that too often parents mistake a love of stories for a love of reading. \u201cBut the reality is: enjoying being read to and feeling excited to read on your own are two very different things, and kids need both. When children struggle to sound out words or make meaning from them, reading feels hard, not fun. That\u2019s when screens win, with games and apps that deliver immediate gratification, dopamine hits, and nonstop stimulation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n She says that reading to kids builds vocabulary and background knowledge that support comprehension (as well as story love), but for kids to love reading on their own, they need the skills to do it successfully. So if you have school-aged kids, summer is the time to shore up their independent reading skills.\n<\/p>\n \u201cEven in the midst of packed schedules and long workdays, parents can weave in quick reading moments\u2014asking kids to read aloud during errands, over breakfast, or before bed,\u201d Smart advises. \u201cThese short check-ins offer a valuable window into how they\u2019re progressing. Notice where they\u2019re smooth and where they stumble.\u201d\n<\/p>\n If you\u2019re unsure how their reading compares with the expectations for their age or stage, Smart says that summer is a great time to check out your state\u2019s reading standards or get a screening from a local learning center. \u201cUse the summer break to get a sense of what your child needs to start the next school year strong,\u201d she advises.\n<\/p>\n Smart wants to remind parents that literacy learning happens everywhere. So every time parents talk, play, or explore with their children, they\u2019re building the vocabulary and knowledge that will power reading comprehension later on.\n<\/p>\n \u201cFor my family, nearby Lake Michigan offers sand dunes carved by ancient glaciers and stories of Indigenous communities like the Ojibwe, Menominee, and Potawatomi. We can explore the lake\u2019s ecosystem, spot native fish (and invasive ones, too), investigate shipwrecks and lighthouse legends\u2014or just enjoy beaches and parks while learning how to protect this freshwater treasure,\u201d she says.\n<\/p>\n She further says to remember that reading doesn\u2019t start\u2014or stop\u2014with books. \u201cI was reminded of this when my daughter attended a soccer camp in Colorado. Coming from the Midwest to discover this new terrain together, our conversations suddenly included words like altitude, elevation, and dehydration. And her reading included scouring the camp\u2019s packing list, digesting weather reports, and poring over oxygen canister instructions. It wasn\u2019t storytime, but it was reading\u2014driven by real needs, genuine curiosity, and the excitement of new experiences,\u201d she recalls.\n<\/p>\n Try a Little Tech <\/p>\n