Summer reading

Child summer reading in a hammock

Summer reading by Stephen Ondich. Pixabay. License to use.

Summer reading is an important activity for children and teens to help prevent the summer slide in reading levels. Discover how schools, school libraries, public libraries, and families can collaborate to help prevent the summer reading slide.

Contents

Boy in tractor wheel doing summer reading.

Take a community approach to summer reading

Summer reading is an important, enjoyable activity that students can do during the summer holidays to help avoid the 'summer slide' in reading achievement gained during the previous school year.
Summer slide graph.

Research on the summer slide and summer reading

Look at recent New Zealand and overseas research into students’ reading loss over the long summer break. Use the research findings to provide inspiration for planning a summer reading initiative in your school.
Summer reading display

Schools — how to support students' summer reading

Discover how your school and school library can encourage children and teens to read over the summer holidays to help prevent the summer slide in reading.
2 tamariki (children) sitting on chairs in a yard. One is reading a book.

Families — keeping your child or teen reading over summer

Learn ways parents, families, and whānau can support children or teenagers to read for pleasure over the holidays and avoid the summer slide in reading achievement.
Girls reading in the library during summer.

Public libraries — encourage summer reading

Many public libraries offer summer reading programmes for children and teens. Summer reading provides the perfect opportunity to connect (or strengthen existing connections) between schools and the public library.
Reading engagement
Summer reading