This is a wonderful article from the Reading Rockets website I wanted to share with you. This website is a great source (ideas and tips) for reading with your child over the summer. I encourage you to visit the link posted at the end of the article, and enjoy your time reading together in the upcoming summer months!
Summer Fun to Build Background Knowledge
You don’t need to have a book in hand to help your child become a better reader.
Interesting experiences give kids a broader framework for new information they might
encounter in books. When kids have lots of experiences to draw on, they have a better
chance of making a connection with what they read!
How can you help build background knowledge this summer?
Step 1: Take summer field trips
Go to the park, the zoo, the aquarium, a sports event, a historical landmark, or a
children’s museum. Go on a hike or to a natural attraction in your area. When you’re
indoors, watch a TV program about volcanoes or the rainforest or marsupials, or use
the web to take a virtual field trip to a faraway place.
Step 2: Talk about it
Talk about the plants and animals you see, or the rules of a game, or the history of your
town, or the new things you learned. Ask questions that get your child to talk, like “If
you could be one of those animals we saw today, which one would you be?” or “Why
do you think those boulders were shaped like that?”
Step 3: Follow up with a book
Find out what interests your child, and visit the library to get more information. Check
out books about butterflies or basketball players or whatever caught your child’s
attention. Encourage their learning with comments like, “That was cool to see the
inside of a computer at the museum today. Let’s learn more about that.”
You could even have your children create their own book, with photos or illustrations
of your activity and their own commentary. This is great writing practice and makes a
wonderful summer memory book.
Building background knowledge isn’t just fun, it’s also a great way to spend your
summer!
For more ideas to help kids learn over the summer, visit:
www.ReadingRockets.org/calendar/summer
