School might be out of session, but that does not mean young learners should close their books and wait to resume their reading until the fall. Reading is critical to a child’s intellectual and social-emotional development, and children should participate in summer reading programs to continue improving these skills.
At St. Timothy’s School, we encourage students to find joy in reading all year round. Whether on summer break or in the thick of the school year, our children continuously build their literacy skills and discover ways to implement reading in their daily lives. To learn more about how summer reading programs can be a valuable tool for encouraging children to read, read below the benefits of summer reading programs.
Keeps Brain Active While School is Out
Like any human muscle, the brain needs continuous exercise to maintain and make progress. For children, this sentiment holds true, especially during the summer. To retain information from the previous school year and prepare to learn in the coming school year, children must continue exercising their brains over the summer, particularly through reading.
By participating in summer reading programs and incorporating books into their daily summer rituals, young learners can continue to develop their literacy skills and adequately prepare themselves for the next school year.
Expands Vocabulary
Reading is one of the most valuable tools for building a child’s vocabulary. Rather than citing words from flashcards, exposure to new words through a story is the most effective and exciting way to expand vocabulary. With summer reading programs, young learners experience consistent exposure to new terms outside of the school year, allowing them to continue to build their vocabulary and become better readers, writers, and overall communicators.
Encourages Social-Emotional Learning
Students should constantly engage in social-emotional learning, whether inside or outside the classroom. Reading daily helps cultivate vital social-emotional skills, helping young learners acquire the skills to build connections, support their mental wellness, develop real-life skills, and improve their overall academic performance.
For example, observing a character go through challenges in a story can encourage empathy, one of the most valuable social-emotional skills. As a result, these young learners will have a broader world perspective, allowing them to relate to others in kind and authentic ways.
Develops Healthy Habits
Summer reading programs are a great way to incorporate reading into a child’s daily routine. Showing students that reading does not have to stop once school ends, summer reading programs help children make reading a permanent part of their daily rituals. Whether ending their nights with a few chapters in bed or reading their book during a mid-day pool session, children have ample opportunities to incorporate reading into their summer routines.
Improves Focus and Concentration
For many kids, it can be difficult to concentrate over the summer. Participating in a summer reading program can help children sustain and sharpen their focus and concentration. By breaking up their action-full summer days with periods of concentrated reading time, children can maintain their ability to focus so they are ready to return to school in the fall.
Private Education at St. Timothy’s School
St. Timothy’s School is a private school in Raleigh, NC, that lays the groundwork for students to become lifelong readers. Our comprehensive curriculum emphasizes the importance of reading in intellectual, social-emotional, and spiritual development by incorporating grade-level books and reading activities into daily learning. Visit our website today to learn more about reading at St. Timothy’s School.
