Ahead of the start of the school summer holidays, national children’s reading charity Coram Beanstalk has today published tips for parents to help children choose reading throughout the summer and beyond. The campaign is supported by parenting expert and coach Sue Atkins, who also volunteers as a Coram Beanstalk reading helper.
Coram Beanstalk’s six tips – one for each week of the summer holidays – aim to gently help children discover a joy of reading.
The tips are:
- Find the right time and place to read
- Share different types of books
- Read aloud
- Chat about the books you are sharing
- Look for words all around you
- Communicate with your child’s school
For children who are starting school in September, the tips are aimed at helping them feel more ready for reading and enable them to start forming good reading habits. When children realise that books can be a source of fun as well as knowledge, it will encourage them to engage in new reading activities at school. The tips will also help children who are already at school to keep them engaged with books over the long break and help combat summer learning loss.
The tips complement the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge, running in libraries across the country, which is a great way to get children excited about reading and introduce them to a wide choice of titles and genres.
Sue Atkins, parenting expert and Coram Beanstalk reading helper, said: “As parents, nurturing a love for reading in our children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Reading for pleasure opens doors to creativity, empathy, and lifelong learning. Coram Beanstalk’s invaluable tips provide simple, practical and easy ways to make reading a cherished part of daily life. From selecting engaging books to creating cosy reading spaces, their guidance will inspire your family to eagerly explore new worlds and nurture a love of books. Together, let’s ignite a passion for reading that will empower children to thrive academically and emotionally, setting them on a path to a brighter future.”
Amy Lewis, head of Coram Beanstalk, said: “As Head of Coram Beanstalk I know how important reading is to a child’s future life chances. However as a parent, I also know just how difficult it can be to get children to choose reading amongst all the other distractions available to them! These tips give some simple ideas to help take the pressure off and make reading a fun activity for all, so try them out!”