With summer literacy activities, kids stay busy and entertained. AND studies show they maintain and even improve their reading skills! Regular contact with print materials—books, magazines, writing games—helps little kids get ready to read and big kids raise scores.

Note these points from research:

• Reading gets better when you practice it.
• Kids lose school-year reading gains over the summer if they don't read (especially disadvantaged kids)
• Kids who attended a summer library program read better than those in a summer camp program.
• Kids in a summer library program are more likely to read at their grade level or above than their non-participating peers.
• Kids in a summer program who visited the library and did free reading made more reading test gains than those in a traditional language arts summer program.

Every summer public libraries throughout the state sponsor a free, convenient, fun way to encourage children to read -- the Summer Reading Program. Contact your local public library. And try some of these web sites:

10 Weeks of Summer Reading Adventures for You and Your Kids
Now there's absolutely no excuse for having nothing to do this summer! Reading Is Fundamental has put together a great list of fun activities for parents and kids that involve reading and related skills while traveling, cooking, camping, stargazing, and more.
http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/391

Plan Ahead for Summer Reading
Find out what you can do to get kids to lose themselves in a book by taking a look at a selection of summer reading articles for parents, librarians, and teachers.
http://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/summer

Colorado State Library - Summer Reading Program:
Each year the CSL sponsors a statewide theme and provides free materials for libraries, along with resources for parents, caregivers, schools and libraries. Explore this year's activities at
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/SummerReading/index.htm

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