Summer is just around the corner! Don’t let the dreaded summer brain drain hit your kids this break. On average, students lose up to 3 months of knowledge over the summer. That loss is a big reason why teachers spend so much time in the first months of the school year reviewing / catching up students. There are several ways to keep little minds actively learning over the summer and reading daily is one of those. Here are three ways to inspire your kids to read over the summer break:

Build a Little Library

Have you ever seen a cute little box near a sidewalk full of books? It’s called a little library! It’s a community driven space where people can take a book and or leave a book, much like a city library. The idea of getting something “for free” is so much fun for kids. Here are instructions on how to build a little library for your street and encourage friends and neighbors to swap books to read. Click here to littlelibrary.org for more information, plans, and other great ideas.

Design a Book Nook

There’s nothing quite like a cozy spot to snuggle up with a good book. Have your kids help designate a reading space in the house. Clean out the area and add in everything your child needs to read like a comfy chair, pillow or beanbag. Add some light with a little lamp or even a head lamp! Stack up books or add a small shelf to hold their latest treasures. If a permanent space isn’t possible, create a temporary one using a small structure like a foldable play tent or even a cardboard box! Anything can be fun with some decorations and imagination.

Create a Contest

Sometimes a little competition goes a long way in inspiring kids. Create a book reading challenge among family and friends. It could be daily, weekly, or monthly. You can count the number of books read, pages read, or even who can get through and entire series of books. Keep track with a chart where everyone can see how they’re doing.

No matter what inspires your kids to read, getting in at least 20 minutes of reading a day goes a very long way to keeping their minds engaged throughout the summer.