Summer Reading Time for Fun and Learning
by Patricia Whitaker

Whether your children are too young for school or out for summer break, there's one activity you need to schedule daily - reading aloud to them. From infants to teens, children benefit when parents read aloud. Literacy experts agree on the success of this simple act of love. Reading aloud to children helps them become learners who will read eagerly, independently, and fluently. Reading aloud to children begins their lifelong relationship to the printed word, whether they read for knowledge or pleasure.

While school-age children might want to retreat from anything seeming like schoolwork, you can spark their desire for what's written by introducing stories or nonfiction they might not think to choose for themselves. Try reading aloud what you love, but consider what's appropriate for them. Choose novels, poetry, and magazine articles too. Be expressive as you read; enthusiasm is contagious! If a book isn't clicking, choose another. Allow interruptions and answer their questions; allow for discussion after reading time, if they desire. And before too long, encourage and assist vacationing school kids in selecting books they will be able to read comfortably on their own, separate from your reading time.

How can you motivate younger children to want to read? Exemplify it! Let them see you reading, and don't hide the emotion. Maybe you grimace over today's newspaper headlines, laugh at your friend's postcard message, or cry over that book you can't put down.

Show reading's importance in everyday life. Pick out words on food boxes. Write the grocery list together. Read street signs and license tags while on the road. Play letter and word games with fridge magnets or bathtub letters. Keep paper, pencils, markers or crayons handy for writing and drawing, be it scribbling by toddlers or stories illustrated by grade-schoolers.

As a parent, you needn't any special talents or knowledge to provide a solid literacy background for your children. Just be yourself. Never play teacher! Your reading aloud is not just about sharing words and pictures, says Mem Fox, children's author and literacy expert. "The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading....It's the relationship winding between all three."

Your "babies" most certainly will grow - yet not outgrow the enjoyment of your reading to them. As a parent, you can give your children what teachers cannot: individual snuggle time shared over good books; safe exploration of thoughts and feelings with someone they love and trust. Those nightly moments in bed - or since it's summer, in the porch rocker, a hammock or beach chair! - will create treasured memories for your children. Who better to comfort your child, if scared by an evil character or sad situation? Who better to share a grand adventure with glee?

Keep read-aloud times fun and relaxed. Kids get distracted or tired. So take a break. Have that popsicle or ice cream and talk things over. But never push them into more. " And NEVER offer treats for reading," advises Porsche Young, Director of Learning Power. "Reading itself should be the treat."

Another suggestion I read said, "Have older children read aloud while you do the household chores." When I told my husband, he quickly retorted: "Have older children do chores while you read!" We laughed over that wishful thinking.

Ideas for choosing books
If you’re wondering, "What's the trick to reading aloud?", or "What books should I pick?", then consider these resources:
- Reading Tips for Parents, a brochure produced by the Colorado State Library available at the Parenting Place or public library, or call 303-866-6900 and request one by mail. It offers guidelines on development stages for children ages infant-kindergarten, and techniques to use during read-aloud times. For example, toddlers like finger plays, so add puppetry to enhance a story through drama.
- Reading Magic by Mem Fox or The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. I also browsed through Let's Read About: Finding Books They'll Love to Read by Bernice Cullinan, who also authored Read to Me: Raising Kids Who Love to Read.
- Internet searches. I used www.google.com and entered "booklists for preschoolers." Numerous sites are given, this one, http://www.ifg.inc.com/Consumer_Reports/LearnToRead, featured Cullinan's advice.

And there are other places to find good books for children beyond your local library and bookstores, such as:
- Word of mouth. Don't overlook what your friends' kids enjoy.
- Parenting books and magazines usually offer recommendations.
- Children's magazines. With 100+ to choose from, Cullinan suggests checking the library for reviews published by the

American Library Assn., Ed. Press or the Intl. Reading Assn.
- Museum shops. (When vacationing in the San Diego area we visited the Birch Aquarium in LaJolla. The museum store had a great supply of related books for kids).
- Book fairs. Many local schools host these.
- Summer reading booklists from teachers and school librarians.
- Yard sales. (I've had moms tell me which books their kids loved or hated).
- Educational TV programs, such as Reading Rainbow on PBS stations.

Need help selecting books? Consult a children's librarian or a knowledgeable bookstore staffer or your children's teachers. They can be your best allies in developing your child's reading interests and might offer suggestions you hadn't considered. One librarian suggested narrowing on-line offerings by: 1) looking for booklists by age, and 2) reviewing only listings ending with "lib" (library) or "edu" (education).

Remember, the key is not grabbing just ANY books. You want books suitable to your child's age, interests, and reading abilities. Moreover, you want reading to elicit emotions, so choose books that are, says Fox, "terrific!"

Happy reading!

Patricia Whitaker writes from Boulder and is the mother of Laura, 8, and Joshua, 4. Her e-mail address is: patwhit@hotmail.com.

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;
They are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
And the most patient of teachers."
Charles W. Elliot, Educator

Public Library Resources: Call for Summer Reading Times and Programs
Since summer story times and programs often differ from the school year, contact your local library directly. Also inquire about a summer reading program, which many offer for children of all ages.

Boulder Main: 303-441-3099
Bldr. George Reynolds branch: 303-441-3120
Bldr. Meadows branch: 303-441-4390
Broomfield: 720-887-2315
Lafayette: 303-665-5200, ext. 3862
Longmont: 303-651-8477
Louisville: 303-335-4821