Benefits of Summer Reading Programs

Marilyn Gardner, Lawyer
2 min readMay 2, 2023

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Summer reading programs have become increasingly popular over the years and for good reason. These programs offer a range of benefits to children and adults alike, helping to promote reading skills and a love of literature.

Here are some of the significant benefits of summer reading programs:

Prevent the Summer Slide

Summer reading programs help prevent the “summer slide.” This term is used to describe the loss of reading skills over the summer break from school. Research shows that children who participate in summer reading programs are more likely to maintain or even improve their reading skills during the summer months, helping them to start the school year off on the right foot.

Promote a Love of Reading

Summer reading programs also help promote a love of reading, introducing children to new authors, genres, and stories they may not have discovered on their own. This can help foster a lifelong love of reading, leading to improved literacy skills and academic success.

Encourage Family Bonding

Many summer reading programs offer activities and events designed to be enjoyed by the whole family, such as book clubs, author visits, and storytelling sessions. This can help to encourage family bonding and create shared experiences that promote a love of reading and learning.

Improve Vocabulary and Comprehension Skills

Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve vocabulary and comprehension skills, and summer reading programs offer an excellent opportunity to do so. Children and adults can expand their vocabularies and improve their ability to understand complex ideas and concepts by reading various books and materials.

Boost Confidence and Self-Esteem

Summer reading programs can also help to boost confidence and self-esteem, particularly in struggling readers. By providing a safe and supportive environment to read and learn, these programs can help children and adults feel more confident in their abilities and more enthusiastic about learning.

Support Academic Success

Finally, summer reading programs can support academic success by helping children to develop the literacy skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. By promoting a love of reading and improving vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, these programs can help children to excel in all areas of their academic lives.

Summer reading programs offer a range of benefits to children and adults alike, helping to promote reading skills, a love of literature, family bonding, improved vocabulary and comprehension skills, boosted confidence and self-esteem, and academic success. Whether you are a child, a parent, or a lifelong learner, there are plenty of reasons to participate in a summer reading program and reap the many rewards of reading.

Article originally published on marilyngardnermilton.org.

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Marilyn Gardner, Lawyer
Marilyn Gardner, Lawyer

Written by Marilyn Gardner, Lawyer

Marilyn Gardner is a lawyer and educator in Milton, Massachusetts. MarilynGardnerMilton.com

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