The school holidays are a time for everyone to wind down and switch off. However, research shows during school holidays students’ literacy levels can decline by as much as 20 per cent.

While play and relaxation are an important focus for students during the holiday break, encouraging them to read during this time will mean it’s easier for them to pick up where they left off when they return to school next year.

Below are some simple ideas from the AISNSW to help to stabilise the gains from the hard work throughout the year and develop children’s love of books and reading.

Tips on Holiday Reading
• Summer reading
Summer is the perfect time to embed reading as a life-long habit in children. The days are long, the sun is hot, and the air-conditioned libraries and bookshops are full of enticing titles for children to expand their reading repertoire.

• Be a good role model
Take time to relax and read with your children. Let them see that you make space for the joy of reading in your busy day, and so should they.

• Provide access to great reading
If you aren’t sure of what titles to suggest or buy, check with your child’s teacher, the school or local librarian and, if you are lucky enough to have one, ask your local bookshop.

Make regular visits to the library, check out the local Vinnies Op Shop and the street libraries.

Bring out the books you loved as a child. Books don’t date as quickly as fashions in clothing and hairstyles. The classics never go out of style.

• Share a book to double the joy
If your child is a reluctant reader, or even if they aren’t, read books together. A shared book can be as bonding as a family trip, outing or movie with very little cost outlay and no queuing.

For a family novel, read a chapter each night of a series such as Deltora Quest.

Or show a child how special they are, by reading about a special child such as Rowan of Rin.

• Quarantine time for reading
To create spaces in the long empty days that only reading can fill, set a ‘reading only’ time in the last 30 minutes before lights out or establish device-free times each day or have a device-free day each week.

• Increase the status of reading
Talk with your children about the books you are reading and the ones they are reading. Discuss books at mealtimes, humorous short pieces by Andy Griffiths make a tasty dessert.

Start a summer book club with parents and children, where the reading and discussion of a book is followed by a treat related to the book. Eat peaches after James and the Giant Peach, make chocolates after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, watch the film of the book or just have water play or a bike ride after reading any book.

 • Capitalise on the value of audio books
Listening to books may not build up fluency, but it will expand children’s vocabulary, general knowledge and enjoyment of books.

In the car, especially if you are travelling to a holiday destination, listen to a reading of a classic book you can all enjoy. Audio narrators have such elaborate ways of presenting stories that they are entertaining for the whole family. Make use of the free Borrow Box app from your local library.

Show your children how even tedious chores such as room cleaning, car washing, or potato peeling are never boring when accompanied by an audio book, perhaps with headphones.

Encouraging your children to read throughout the holidays will avoid a possible summer slide in progress. Even more importantly, it will support the development of a lifelong love of books, opening your children to a world of enjoyment and knowledge.

Sam Hamilton
Learning Enhancement Teacher