I am excited to partner with YMC and TD Summer Reading Club on this post about getting kids reading this summer!

I had such big plans this summer for my little on-the-verge-of-reading guy. We were going to snuggle up and read each afternoon. We were going to have extra long bedtime stories. We were going to be reading machines!

We were going to … but…

Then we had some afternoons at the pool and late nights at the campfire. Some afternoon rainy day movies and early bedtimes due to those late night campfires. It seemed summer was getting in the way of my summer plans.

However this Mama knows that there is more than one way to get those little ones reading. It seemed I would have to get a little creative and fit reading into our summer, instead of the other way around.

Here are some fabulous ways to get little ones reading WHILE enjoying all that summer has to offer:

• First of all, even if we claim we won’t — let’s be honest, we all watch a bit more TV during those summer months. A great way to sneak in some reading is to turn the closed captioning on while kids are watching their favourite shows. They will be reading along and picking up sight words – how cool is that!

• A second great way to encourage reading is to get those little ones writing letters. Send out a few letters to friends, Grandma, and cousins with three simple words at the end — Please Write Back! Perhaps you could even find a pen pal. Little ones will be eager as can be to read those letters once they arrive.
• Planning a trip this summer? Encourage reading by  writing your little ones their own packing list. Excited vacationers will be all too pumped to read that list and get ready for their special trip.
• On your way to that vacation, you could read in the car as a family. And if you are one of those unlucky ones who gets sick reading in a car, you could try making up a story. My kids love when I do this – no matter how pitiful I feel my storytelling is! John is much better at it than I am and has made up a whole series about a clumsy scuba diver named Steve. Just another way to make storytelling fun and bring our whole family into it.
• Summer is also a great time for little ones to have some time exploring and discovering their passions and some hobbies. It really doesn’t matter whatsoever what that passion is – leap on it! Pop on over to the library and grab some books on the topic. Woodworking? Insects? Video Games? Anything goes. The library is a fabulous resource for summertime fun.
• While you are visiting your local library you can take advantage of the TD Summer Reading Club which is another fabulous way to get your little ones reading this summer. This year the TD Summer Reading Club is celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday by inviting children to celebrate what makes books, Canada, and libraries great.

It is completely free to join the TD Summer Reading Club – and best of all, it is completely flexible allowing you to participate at libraries, at home, online, or anywhere your summer takes you. The 2017 recommended reading list includes 75 English titles and 75 French titles in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.

Joining is as simple as can be! Simply visit your local library (the TD Summer Reading Club is available in over 2000 libraries across Canada) and sign up. It’s never too late to participate! You can then chat with a librarian about the great programming and reading adventures available.

It is so important to keep those little ones reading all summer long and the TD Summer Reading Club is one more great way to make reading fit into your summer plans!

You can click here to find out more about the TD Summer Reading Club (there are also some great online activities as well).  You can also follow along with the TD Summer Reading Club on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thank you so much for reading friends – I hope you are having a lovely summer!