As July winds down, those summer reading lists might still be sitting – unopened – on nightstands. But it’s not too late to spark a love of reading that lasts well beyond the school year.
University of Delaware experts Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and Rebecca Joella specialize in early childhood literacy and know how to make reading feel less like homework and more like play.
“We want to make reading fun, instead of a drag or something we have to push kids to do,” says Golinkoff. “Reading with the family totally normalizes it, and if kids think their family is excited about reading, they are more likely to be excited too.”
She recommends turning reading into a screen-free family ritual or reading aloud together – even for kids who already know how to read.
Joella agrees. "Visiting a local library is an excellent summer activity. Many libraries have summer reading programs for children that encourage reading, so participating in one of those is a lot of fun." Books like "Llama Llama Loves Camping" can lead to a backyard campout – tent, picnic and all.
Some summer favorites include "Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach," "Summer" by Alice Low and "Beach Day" by Karen Roosa – lighthearted stories that celebrate the season and build early literacy skills along the way.
Worried about the “summer slide”? Golinkoff notes the impact is often greater for children from under-resourced families. That’s why she helped create Playful Learning Landscapes, transforming everyday public spaces into interactive learning hubs. She’s also leading a global effort to provide free bilingual e-books through the Stories with Clever Hedgehog project – originally launched to support Ukrainian children displaced by war.
Golinkoff is available to share insights on early literacy, summer learning and why playful education works.
