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Keep Reading

byCheryl Best

Expertsagree keeping your child reading through the summer months improves theirretention and comprehension when they return to school in the fall. Many teachers complain about the amount of reviewingthey have to doin class every fall.  If you and your child have been caught up in summer fun,its not too late to prepare for school. Here are some suggestions and tips to keep summer learning fun.

Read, Read, Read

AnHour a Day- Set aside a time to read each day, maybe right after lunch, in thehottest part of the day, or right after dinner .

ReadAloud or take turns reading- even listening to a book can expand your childsattention span and vocabulary

MakeFun Book Selections- If your child enjoys what he/she is reading they will bemore apt to continue reading.   IfHarry Potter is too weighty and the Summer Book selections are too dry, ourseven-year-old has a new favorite Captain Underpants these clevercomic-style books are silly, gross and funny enough to keep your child wantingmore.

Libraryreading programs

Takeadvantage of the summer reading programs at most local libraries. Read-a-thons and book clubs are great fun and really can inspire yourchilds reading with some healthy competition.

SillyPoems

Makeup silly poems and rhyming songs and encourage your child to ad verses.  Have them notice the rhythm and the rhyme as you create

newverses.  Adding some silly words andridiculous images lets your child laugh and giggle while still learningimportant literary lessons.

Makea Book

Make a picture book with your child. Have them draw pictures or use photos to illustrate stories from theirreal life or create a fictional tale.  Howabout creating a scrapbook of your family vacation and having your child writethe captions.

AlphabetI Spy

ISpy something beginning with the letter   Play this and other word games that encourage your child to exercisetheir imagination, vocabulary, and grammar skills.

TongueTwisters

Haveyour child give you adjectives, nouns etc starting with a certain letter and putthem together to form silly tongue twisters.  This game encourages imagination and reinforces grammarlessons while still being a fun and silly game that your child can enjoy.

Whateveryou choose, do something, anything wth your children that encourages reading andthinking.  The brain is a muscle, itneeds constant exercise to keep it fit, even in the summer!

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