While summer camp is about getting outside and playing and broadening your children’s horizons, there’s a whole other way to broaden their outlook—getting inside a great book! However, so many parents we talk to struggle to keep their children engaged in reading when screen time has become such a popular (and frankly, often easier) go-to pastime. Reading, however, is directly related to children’s literacy, academic development, and most importantly, positively impacts children’s development. For example, reading directly impacts cognitive development and emotional performance. So how do you develop literacy at home?

If you can, start early.
If you are a parent of one of our Little Friends, it’s an amazing time to engage in reading together. Have a book as a nightly bedtime ritual.

Get silly with it.
Don’t be afraid to change your voice, pantomime, and act out playful or dramatic parts of a story. Build engagement by showing your child how much you’re enjoying the process, too.

Pause as you read.
Reading stories with your child is an opportunity to pause, check in, and learn together. You may want to rush through it and get the story “done” as another chore, but that would be a missed opportunity! Check in with your child (“What did you think of that part?”), Look at pictures, and ask about them, if they’re still part of your child’s book adventure.

Branch out from books.
No one said you have to read a book. What if you find a magazine you both enjoy? Maybe there’s a blog that you and your tween or teen can keep up with you and discuss. Reading is not limited to hard copy texts.

Model, model, model.
Readers come from readers. If your children see you only watching TV, they’re going to do the same. Have designated reading time at night as a family, even if it’s just for half an hour.

Let your child be the author.
Creativity abounds at all ages, so let your children be the author or playwright and get involved in their stories.

Tie books to movies.
Have a stubborn kid who doesn’t want to read? Have him/her read the story or you read along, too; then watch the movie together. Harry Potter is a great place to start for so many ages!

Building literacy is a life-long skill and a journey you’ll take together with your child. Open their minds to the world of reading and watch their imaginations flourish, their vocabulary expand, and their problem-solving blossom.

Looking forward to seeing your readers soon!