Tackling the Summer holidays like a boss.
Summer holidays are fast approaching which means kids are at home and school work is well and truly in the back of their minds.
Although giving them a break from the hustle and bustle of education is important, it’s also a good idea to keep them learning so they can continue to progress academically.
There are plenty of hours to fill while at home with the kids over the Summer break so filling one or two of those with reading and writing is the way to go.
With the help of Cafemom, here’s how you can keep your kids excited about reading over the next few weeks.
Take learning practices from inside the classroom to your home
Kids get very excited about learning and doing school work outside of the confines of the classroom makes it fun.
We know the weather right now is a bit temperamental but when the rain clears up, bring your children outside and get them reading and writing.
You could even play games like ‘I Spy’ and ask them to write down their chosen object.
Read out loud everywhere you go
If you’re out walking with the children, ask them to read all the road or shop signs. This is a super fun way to get them reading and learning new words.
It encourages them to try pronounce words they may never have seen before and you can teach them their meaning.
This can be adopted in the car too. While you’re driving, encourage the kids to read the town signs out loud and have some fun with it.
Whether you’re out and about at the Zoo, the museum, at the pool or doing the grocery shopping, ask your kids to read and tell you the meaning of the words they see.
Not only will this be very beneficial to their learning development, it promotes reading in a really fun way.
Another simple way to encourage your child to read is at bedtime. Instead of you reading a bed-time story to your child, allow them to read one to you.
Crazy creative writing sessions
Building on your child’s existing writing skills is crucial over the Summer holidays because although you may think two months is a short time, their handwriting and spelling skills can slip in that time frame.
A fun way to introduce creative writing into your child’s day could be through a daily game.
Try introduce a crazy creative writing session every day where your children write a one page story that can be as bizarre as they wish. You could also ask them to read it out loud for you and their siblings, friends or cousins.
Check out your local library for Summer reading clubs.
More and more parents in Ireland are signing their kids up to the library over the summer months.
Libraries all over the country have family fun days dedicated in the week to encourage children to read so it’s something to look into.
There are hundreds of book clubs for children and teenagers all over the country. There’s even clubs for parents and toddlers and children with autism to attend.
Summer reading clubs are usually super easy to find just call up your local library and they’ll share all their upcoming events with you.
You can also check out your County Council’s website for more information, they’re usually very helpful.
Our #SummerStars reading programme is back! Children across the country are invited to join the adventure and enjoy the fun of reading and writing, right through the summer?
Drop in to your local library or follow them on social media for events happening all summer long! pic.twitter.com/LI02jdMr5N
— Libraries Ireland (@LibrariesIre) June 12, 2023
