Summer Reading Skills For Kids

(KPLR) – When should your child be reading? How can you keep them engaged during the summer months? What’s the best way to encourage a child who seems disinterested?

Sue Templeton from St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Eureka has some insight and tips.

One of the biggest challenges for elementary school teachers is getting kids up to speed after the summer months. Parents can help keep kids skills sharp.

• Writing post cards over the summer for writing skills
• Keep up with math skills
• Play games make it fun

STAYING SHARP OVER SUMMER

1. If your kids already know how to read, keep their mind sharp over the summer so they`re ready to go back to school without missing a beat.
2. Play games with your kids so they don`t feel like they`re doing ‘work.’ On your next road trip, ask your children to look for state license plates. Mark off the license plates as you go on a map. Have them name the capital, or Governor to stay sharp in their social studies skills.
3. To keep up with their math skills, ask your children to calculate the tip at a restaurant. Or, help you add up the items in your grocery cart. Tell your child that they can cut coupons or find values, and if there is money leftover, they can buy a special treat…but they have to do the math.
4. Finally, to improve their writing skills, have your children write postcards to their family and friends over summer break. Not traveling anywhere? They can draw their favorite locations of where they wish they were over the summer and write a story about what it would be like if they visited that location.