Most of us are either already done with school or counting down the final days until summer officially begins.
Pools and parks. Ice cream and s’mores. Bikes and bouncing. Swings and slides.
But not all slides are fun.
It was only this year that I learned about something called the “Summer Slide.” According to Dartmouth Health Children’s, the Summer Slide refers to the decline in academic skills that can happen during summer break. Researchers have been studying the phenomenon for decades, and the findings are eye-opening.
Studies suggest children in grades 3-5 can lose approximately 20% of their reading gains and 27% of their math gains over the summer months. Younger children and those transitioning into middle school are often the most vulnerable.
As a mom of two early elementary-aged children, one of whom has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for hearing loss and childhood apraxia of speech, holding onto all they’ve worked so hard to learn feels pretty important.
The good news? Preventing the Summer Slide doesn’t require turning your living room into a classroom. Small, intentional moments of literacy can go a long way.
Here’s what’s on our family’s summer reading bucket list this year. Maybe you’ll find a few ideas to try with your little ones, too.
READ EVERYWHERE
Fridays at the Library
We’ve become big fans of library visits in our house. This summer, I’m considering making Fridays our official library day. Better yet, we may challenge ourselves to visit a different local library every week. New books, new spaces, and new adventures, all without spending a dime.
Where in the World Are We Reading?
Reading doesn’t have to happen at home. Take a book to the park, the beach, a picnic, a campsite, or even along for errands. Challenge your kids to read in as many different places as possible this summer. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes to make reading feel exciting.
Read on Theme
If you’ve read my previous post on themed reading, you already know I’m a fan of building books around a topic. June might be all about water. Read books about lakes, oceans, coral reefs, sea creatures, or weather. Themed reading helps children make connections between books and the world around them while keeping curiosity front and center.
WRITE, TALK, EXPLORE
Introduce Journaling
Before you panic about handwriting, hear me out. Journaling doesn’t have to mean pages of perfectly written sentences. Give your child a notebook, some crayons, markers, or pencils and let them create. Whether they’re drawing pictures, practicing letters, or telling stories through scribbles, they’re building important literacy skills. Bonus points if they tell you about what they’ve created.
Walks for Words
Pick a letter before heading out for a walk and see how many things your child can find that begin with that sound. “B” might lead you to birds, bikes, bushes, and butterflies. It’s a simple game that helps build vocabulary, phonics skills, and observation skills all at once.
Start a Summer Scrapbook
Summer always seems to fly by. Print a few photos throughout the season and create a scrapbook together. Encourage your child to write captions, dictate stories, or tell you about their favorite memories. You’ll be strengthening literacy skills while creating a keepsake you’ll treasure long after summer ends.
Get Poetic
Poetry can feel intimidating, but children are often natural poets. Read a favorite poem together and then invite your child to create one of their own. It doesn’t have to rhyme. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be theirs.
MAKE READING FUN
Set Reading Goals
A little motivation can go a long way. Set a goal that works for your family. Maybe it’s one book a day, twenty minutes of reading each evening, or a certain number of books by the end of the month. Celebrate milestones with a ice cream cone, a trip to a movie or a small reward.
Join a Reading Challenge
Many libraries, schools, and organizations offer summer reading challenges. If your child enjoys a little friendly competition, invite a sibling, cousin, or friend to join them. Reading can be even more fun when it’s shared.
Gamify It
Who says reading can’t be a game? Create a reading bingo board with squares like “Read outside,” “Read a nonfiction book,” “Read with a flashlight,” or “Read to a stuffed animal.” Every completed square becomes a reason to celebrate.
Will we do all ten of these ideas perfectly this summer? Absolutely not.
There will be missed library days, unfinished journals, and weeks when the only thing we’re reading are restaurant menus and road signs.
But that’s okay.
The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is keeping literacy woven into the memories we’re already making. If we can sneak books into beach bags, poetry into rainy afternoons, and storytelling into family adventures, then we’re heading into the next school year a little stronger than we left it.
At Making Spirits Bright, we believe literacy starts long before a child sits in a classroom and continues far beyond the last day of school. If you’re passionate about helping children discover the joy of reading, we’d love to have you join us. Whether that’s through volunteering, donating, subscribing to our newsletter, following us on social media, or simply sharing a favorite book with a child in your life, every effort matters.
Together, we can help ensure that this summer’s only slide is the one at the playground.
Ashley Estes has served on the board of Making Spirits Bright since 2024. A lifelong reader and advocate for childhood literacy, she believes that access to books opens doors, creates opportunities, and gives children the freedom to imagine what’s possible.
There is nothing like holding a good book and losing yourself in its world. Reading is everything. My favorite book as a child was a compilation of old fairy tales, I would read one at bedtime each night, again and again.