This week, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s oldest and largest children and families’ literacy nonprofit organization, is celebrating Reading Is Fun Week, which was started in 1979 to mark the start of summer reading. The RIF website provides free resources to help families celebrate Reading Is Fun Week including a day-by-day children’s activity calendar for each day of the week.

Summer’s Just Around the Corner

Summer, huh? Well, I don’t know what’s going on in your school district, but this week is my children’s last real week of school. Next week it’s clean up time, field day, parties and preschool graduation.

Like me you may be in a slight panic thinking, What am I going to do with these kids all summer? Thank goodness there are such things as library summer reading programs, summer camps, visits to parks, zoos, and the rec center, and playgroups with friends.

Lucie will be attending a preschool summer camp three days a week. I have Nathan enrolled in several mini-camps at his school, including a book club and a writing club. He’ll also be learning American Sign Language and the principal (who’s also our town’s mayor) will be taking a group of kids to the state capitol building in Denver for a field trip.

Both kids will be participating in a week-long soccer camp and a career day at school. Plus, I’ve signed them up to help with a community service project that two teachers are supervising.

We’ll be doing some camping as a family, too, and before we know it August 18 – the first day of school – will be here. Then I’ll have two kids in school full time. I’m so exited!

How RIF Can Help Keep Kids Busy This Summer

With an Olympic summer just around the corner, RIF has put together The World’s Most Athletic Booklist for children of all ages. The list contains books representing Olympic sports, and is available for free at RIF.org.

“Experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often experience learning losses,” said Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of RIF. “Reading Is Fun Week is the perfect time for parents and educators to encourage children to read for fun during their summer vacation.”

The RIF website provides free resources to encourage summer reading. Visitors to the website can also send a children’s art e-card to spread the joy of reading, and explore RIF’s literacy activities, like Reading Is Fun bingo.

RIF also provides parents with reading tips, including how to:

• Help children start a reading journal
• Find a fun book series for children to read
• Relate what you are reading to outdoor activities
• Be a reading role-model and talk about books

So this summer, partner up with RIF and spend some quality reading time.

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