Summer Bridge Activities: How to Squeeze the Four Types of Reading Into Your Day

Some of you type-A parents may have started having a mild anxiety attack when you read my post about needing to do FOUR types of reading with your child over the summer. How on Earth could you fit FOUR reading sessions in between meals, family outings, doctor’s visits, errands, soccer, swim practice, summer camp and vacations!?

I promise it’s a lot more natural and easy than you’d think  When you think about your typical weekdays during the summer you can break them up into 3 parts. You have Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. Basically Morning would be from breakfast until lunch. Afternoon is from lunch until any little kids are up from their naps (or 5pm if you don’t have little ones) and Evening is from roughly the time you start prepping dinner and the time the kids are all in bed.

Here’s a sample idea of a family’s summer routine

Morning:
Breakfast
Get Ready for Day
Clean Rooms
Shared Reading (this can be done at the kitchen table or living room)
Errands/Activities/Sports/Outside Play
Lunch

Afternoon:
Lunch Clean-up/Chores
Reading Aloud
Naps for young children, possible rest time or quiet play for older kids
Guided Reading (during naps/rest time, lay down with whichever child you are working with on their bed and work with them on reading a short book for 15-20 minutes.)
Snack
Outside Time/Inside Activities when the weather is bad or the kids are tired

Evening:
Dinner Prep (great time for a little TV )
Dinner
Family Time
Baths
Independent Reading*
Bedtime
*Note, independent reading can be inserted at any logical time in the day, about 30 minutes is great for most kids so it is a good way for older kids to relax in the afternoon, or to spend a rainy morning reading snug in the living room. Take this chance to sit down and read a book yourself, how many moms complain that there’s no time for pleasure reading anymore? Well, here’s your chance!

I will also say that if you’re a family that practically lives in the car or are planning a long road trip this summer, buy some books on CD. Kids usually love these things in cars and get all excited. I have C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia on CD and used them when driving my nannying kids to and from school. The sound effects and dramatic music had even the 3 and 5 year old boys on the edge of their seats, asking all sorts of questions! I was hard pressed to get them back out of the car so they wouldn’t be late to school some days.

And if you don’t get to every kind of reading 5 times a week don’t stress about it! If you even do it 3 days a week then you’ll see the difference when your children go back to school in the fall. Or if you want to, simply use this routine for days/weeks when you have nothing big planned as a way to structure days between big vacations, summer camp, and other unique summer opportunities.