Summer is a time for vacations, outdoor adventures and well-earned breaks from the classroom. The weeks between school years are full of fun, but they’re also an opportunity to help kids keep their reading skills strong. Without regular opportunities to read, children can lose some of the literacy skills they built during the school year—a phenomenon often called the summer slide. According to recent research, students’ academic progress often slows during the summer months. Researchers agree that helping kids stay engaged in learning over the summer can help them start the new school year with confidence.
The good news? Preventing the summer slide doesn’t have to feel like homework. Small, consistent reading habits can help kids stay engaged with books while making the most of their summer.
Here are 10 simple ways to keep kids reading all season long!
1. Make Reading Part of the Daily Routine
A consistent reading routine can help keep reading skills sharp all summer long. It doesn’t have to happen at the same exact time every day, but setting aside a few minutes for books can make reading a regular habit. Try reading after breakfast, during quiet time or before bed—whatever works best for your family. The goal isn’t to read for hours. It’s simply to make reading part of the day.
2. Let Kids Choose Their Books
Summer is the perfect time for kids to explore books that genuinely interest them. Whether they love dinosaurs, sports, graphic novels, mysteries or fantasy adventures, giving them the freedom to choose helps keep them motivated to read.
When kids are excited about a book, they’re much more likely to keep turning the pages.
3. Visit Your Local Library
Libraries are full of opportunities to keep kids reading throughout the summer. Many offer free summer reading programs, book recommendations, storytimes and activities designed to encourage reading in fun and engaging ways.
A trip to the library can also introduce kids to new authors, series and topics they may not have discovered otherwise.
4. Read Wherever Summer Takes You
Reading doesn’t have to happen at a desk. Bring books to the beach, the park, the pool or on a road trip. Keeping a few books within reach makes it easy to fit reading into everyday moments.
Those small pockets of reading time can quickly add up over the course of the summer.
5. Read Together
Reading aloud isn’t just for young children. Sharing a story together gives kids the opportunity to hear fluent reading, build vocabulary and enjoy conversations about what they’re reading.
Take turns reading pages, ask questions about the story or talk about your favorite characters. Reading together makes books even more memorable.
6. Keep Books Easy to Find
Making books easy to access encourages kids to read more often. Keep a few favorite books around the house, or bring Epic along on your device for reading on the go—you can even download books to read offline! Whether you’re waiting at the doctor’s office, traveling or relaxing by the pool, kids can enjoy the books they love.
When books are always within reach, it’s easier to turn spare moments into reading moments.
7. Connect Reading to Summer Activities
Reading becomes even more exciting when it connects to real life. Before visiting the zoo, read about animals. Planning a camping trip? Choose a story set in the outdoors. Heading to the beach? Explore books about ocean life together.
These connections help build background knowledge while making reading feel meaningful and fun.
8. Set Fun Reading Goals
A simple reading goal can give kids something to work toward without adding pressure. Challenge them to finish a certain number of books, try a new genre or read for a few minutes each day.
Celebrate their progress along the way. The goal is to build confidence and keep reading enjoyable.
9. Mix Up the Reading Formats
Every child enjoys reading differently. Picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, nonfiction and audiobooks all help build literacy skills while keeping reading fresh and engaging.
Offering a variety of formats can help kids discover new favorites and stay excited about reading all summer long.
10. Keep Reading Fun
The best way to prevent the summer slide is to help kids associate reading with enjoyment. Skip the quizzes and worksheets and focus on great stories, interesting topics, and books they’ll want to come back to again and again. Need inspiration? Explore Epic’s Summer Hits collection, featuring favorites like Pete the Cat, Disney’s Encanto, SpongeBob SquarePants, Toy Story 5 and more!
When reading feels like something kids get to do instead of something they have to do, they’re more likely to keep the habit going long after summer ends.
Keep the Reading Going All Summer Long
Just a few minutes of reading each day can help children maintain the skills they’ve worked so hard to develop during the school year. More importantly, it helps them continue discovering the joy of getting lost in a great story.
Looking for books to keep your child reading all summer? Epic offers thousands of books, audiobooks and Read-To-Me stories for every age, interest and reading level. Explore our summer reading collections and help your child make reading one of the best parts of summer!
Frequently Asked Questions
▶ What is the summer slide?
The summer slide, sometimes called summer learning loss, is the decline in academic skills that can happen when children don’t regularly practice what they learned during the school year. Reading is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help prevent it.
▶ How much should kids read during summer break?
There’s no magic number, but experts generally recommend reading for 15–20 minutes each day. The key is consistency. Building a daily reading habit helps children maintain their reading skills and stay engaged with books throughout the summer.
▶ What kinds of books are best for summer reading?
The best summer reading books are the ones your child is excited to read. Whether it’s graphic novels, chapter books, nonfiction, mysteries or audiobooks, choosing books that match your child’s interests helps make reading fun and encourages them to read more often.
▶ Can audiobooks help prevent summer learning loss?
Yes. Audiobooks introduce children to rich vocabulary, fluent reading and engaging stories. While they don’t replace independent reading, they’re a great way to support literacy during road trips, quiet time or family vacations.
▶ Why is it important to let kids choose their own books?
When children choose what they read, they’re more motivated to keep reading. Giving kids choice builds positive reading habits, increases reading confidence and helps turn summer reading into a routine they genuinely enjoy.
▶ What are some fun reading activities for kids during summer?
Try taking books to the beach or park, joining a local library’s summer reading program, reading together before bed, setting fun reading goals or choosing books that connect to upcoming family activities. These simple ideas help make reading feel like part of the adventure.
▶ How can Epic help with summer reading for kids?
Epic gives families access to thousands of books, audiobooks and Read-To-Me stories for every age, interest and reading level. With reading available anytime and anywhere, it’s easy to fit books into your family’s summer routine and help prevent the summer slide.
