15 Ways To Make Reading Fun All Summer Long

While swimming, camping, hiking, and going to the park are some of the best activities kids can do in the summertime, reading can also be included in the list of fun activities that can be done in June, July, and August.

Now we know that some kids don’t equate reading with entertainment and will therefore balk at the thought of opening a book. There are, however, some ways you can make reading fun for these less-motivated kids.

Below is a list of 15 things you can do to make reading more interesting during the summer months (and other times of the year). Before you delve into these, remember that first and foremost, you should let your kids choose books they are interested in. One of the biggest motivating factors for reading is CHOICE. When kids are given the opportunity to read books that fascinate them, they are more likely to want to go back and find MORE books that do the same. So keep that in mind.

15 Ways To Make Reading Fun:

1. Set up a reading nook. This can be a tent, fort, canopy, tree house, special couch, pile of pillows, or anything that will make a cozy, quiet environment.
2. Bring books to the beach or park. When your kids need a break from running around, they can read.
3. Go to the library…a lot. Libraries have air conditioning. Libraries have comfy chairs. Best of all, libraries have lots of books! This will give your kids a chance to find out what types of books they like.
4. Sign up for summer reading programs. They often have rewards for the number of books or pages read.
5. Let your kids dress up as their favorite story book characters while they read. Alice in Wonderland, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Bilbo Baggins are some examples of fun characters your kids can dress up as.
6. Bring books when you travel. Kids can take time to relax and read in the car, at national parks, in hotel rooms, or wherever you go.
7. Let your kids read in unusual places around your home. They can read in the garage, under the kitchen table, behind the couch, on the steps, in a tent, in the car, in the closet, or any other wacky place your (or they) can think of.
8. Have a book sharing time. Your kids can tell you about the books they’re reading. They can discuss what they like or don’t like, what they think could be different, what is exciting or boring about the book, and more. Showing an interest in the books they are reading will make them want to read more.
9. Let your kids read to the family pet. Fido and Kitty love to hear stories. And they sit quietly through them too. 
10. Make or buy special reading hats. These are hats that can be reserved just for reading.
11. Have a themed party based on a book or author. Little House on the Prairie, Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Magic School Bus are some possibilities.
12. Have a reading picnic. Bring books and lunch and relax in the sun.
13. Have a Reading Olympics. Who can sit still in one place and read the longest? Who can read aloud the fastest? Those are just a few possible events for this exciting, summer sporting event.
14. Let your kids act out parts of a story. This can make the story they are reading more exciting.
15. Do Reader’s Theater. This easy-to-put-together form of drama is a fun way to get kids reading aloud in groups.