Go read your book.
Did you read today?
You’re bored? How about reading?
How many different ways can you suggest, 
beg, cajole, or nag to get your kids to pick up a book this summer? We know summer reading is important because it helps student avoid “the summer slide” and maintain the skills they gain during the school year.
Whether your child’s school assigned summer reading books with a book report, gave a recommended list, or just said, “Make sure you read!” the burden of making them read falls to you.
Research on learning and motivation shows that giving kids some choice of how they learn increases their engagement.
For kids in the middle grades, getting them to read one hour a day, and at least 11 books a year, raises their reading achievement. But external reinforcers, like prizes, can backfire by sending kids the message that reading is so boring or unimportant that no one would do it unless they got something out of the deal.
The same study showed that reading-related rewards improve the self-concept of middle grades readers who earn them.
So how do you get your kids to read this summer without driving them (and especially yourself) crazy? Try making a game out of it.
My FREE Summer Reading Bingo board has 24 reading-related activities that give kids ideas for where to read, what to read, when to read, and who to read with. Offer your kids a new book for scoring a bingo, or just foster a little friendly competition in the family. Either way, this game gets your child thinking about reading, and sometimes that’s half the battle.
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