The school year is wrapping up and summer vacation is a great opportunity for children to explore their interests, make new discoveries, and use their imaginations. This also means families need ways to balance unstructured play time with academic practice. Check out these tips and activities to keep your child actively engaged in reading all summer long!

1. Sign Up at Your Local Library’s Summer Reading Program

All New York City libraries host summer-long reading programs that include Virtual Summer Camps, take-home activity kits, and free online events! Each library branch has a unique theme tailored to students’ interest such as: imagine together and reading takes you everywhere.

2. Earn FREE Books through Barnes & Noble’s Summer Reading Journal

This program runs through September. Children can earn a free book after they read eight books and log them on the downloadable reading journal. The Barnes and Noble kids’ summer reading program is only available to students in grades 1–6.

3. Start a Neighborhood Book Club with Other Families in Your Community

This is a great way to keep summer learning social, plus the warmer weather allows for creative meeting spaces, like your local park. June Behrmann, a special education blogger, shares her ideas for starting a mother-daughter "accessible" book club using print alternatives.

4. Encourage Active Citizenship!

Providing children with literature about their world encourages critical thinking skills and empowers innovative problem solving. Newsela focuses on nonfiction literacy and world events through hundreds of news articles (you can filter by grade). You can also support them springing into action by participating in community service activities. Volunteer Match offers a searchable database of volunteer options for kids. Other great ideas here: 10 Simple Ways Kids Can Volunteer in Their Communities and Make a Difference and 12 Amazing Volunteer Ideas to Inspire Kids and Teens.

5. Lead a Nature Scavenger Hunt

Children are actively developing their spatial thinking skills, which supports visualization when reading. And like all skills, practice makes better! Try combining early orienting and mapping skills with adventures outdoors, children will build their spatial thinking skills and foster their curiosity about exploration and discovery. Make a list of things to find outside (such as an orange leaf, feather, or American Robin). Give your child the list and let the hunt begin!

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