Category: summer reading

How Your Family Can Give Back This Summer

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Children learn a lot by example, and certain habits tend to make the best impression when they are part of a routine. For instance, children are more likely to develop an interest in reading if they see their parents reading by example. When it comes to routine, children may grow accustomed to reading at a certain time of day which helps instill the act of reading as an important part of their lives. This can apply to other things too: children are more likely to eat healthy if they see their parents eating that way. The same goes for other habits and interests that parents feel may be beneficial for their children. As the summer holidays near, parents may be wondering how they can encourage their kids to do something meaningful, and by making it part of your routine, you can help your children grow into well developed individuals.

Aside from planned vacations, there are plenty of things that families can do together during the summer holidays, yet not many people may realize just how fun, fulfilling and inspiring it can be to spend some time with your family while you also help your community.

Being charitable is a virtue, and as a parent it is a great ideal to instill in your children. Like reading, leading by example and making it a part of your everyday can make giving back a huge part of your child’s life. Here are some ways you can give back with your children this summer and make some memories too:

● Does your family have a favorite park or hangout spot? The next time you plan an outing, see if there’s anything that you can do for this community space. Do they need any assistance cleaning up or setting up activities? Cleaning is a great skill, especially for children who are just learning how to pick up after themselves as independent individuals while also learning to complete other tasks on their own. Cleaning up and helping others is a great way to teach accountability and compassion.

● Is there a local pet shelter near your home? If your kids love animals, volunteering at shelters is a great way to provide your children with opportunities to play with them as well as help them out, and it can be especially beneficial for kids who may not have pets at home. Unadopted pets need love and your family, as well as your children, can help shelters out by playing with the animals, taking them for walks, or completing other tasks in order to help improve the lives of these animals. You might find that doing so just might help to improve your own life as well!

● Do you have a yard or is there a garden close to your home? Planting trees with your children can help impart the idea that taking care of the earth is important, and that even planting one tree can make a difference and help the planet.

● Parents can also encourage kids to donate. As the new school year approaches, your children may want new school supplies. Encourage them to gather the things that they may no longer want, such as last year’s backpack or the pair of sneakers they outgrew, and go along with them as they donate these items to other children in need.

There are plenty of other things that you can do to give back with your kids, but remember, by making it a part of your everyday and by leading by example, parents can help make a huge difference in their child’s lives and it can even encourage them to make a positive difference in other people’s lives as well.

How Do I Keep My Kids Reading During the Summer?

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Now that the end of school year is in sight, kids are probably gearing up for the summer holiday. The summer months are when most families go on vacation, relax and spend time with one another. The season may go by in the blink of an eye for parents, but summers can feel quite long for kids, and it’s a rather long time for kids to go without reading. In order to keep kids on the reading level they finished with in the school year, it is important that parents remember to keep reading a constant throughout the summer vacation in order to keep their kids’ minds sharp and ready to learn once the new school year rolls around.

Encourage Them to Keep a Journal
If your summer is full of family time, trips and vacations, then a great way to maintain your kid’s reading skills and even enhance them is to inspire them to write. Ask them to write about your adventures as a family. Encourage them to share their thoughts, memories and experiences. Even though writing is not the same as reading, it uses the same parts of the brain and even helps to improve reading and comprehension skills. If you want, you can ask your kids to read you their entries once they’ve finished or at the end of the summer to look back on everything, while also bolstering their reading skills.

Read Before Bed

One of the best ways to help kids build a strong relationship with reading is to make it a habit. Having books around makes them a part of their life, especially their life at home, but actively reading books as a part of their day can help instill reading as a daily activity that will continue for years and years to come. Share a story before bed, or pick a chapter book to read a section from each night throughout the summer. Take turns reading, act out scenes, and do the voices to make it more exciting and interesting.

Read Everything, Read Everywhere

Reading does not have to occur with books alone. Encourage your kids to read road signs that you pass on the highway, teach them how to read a map, ask them what’s written on the cereal box they eat from every morning, or even ask them to read off the ingredients for the recipes you whip up for your next summer barbecue. Reading is an invaluable skill and it is used to help people understand letters, pay bills, and make a plethora of other daily decisions. Reading other things can help kids understand a broader range of concepts and ideas and can help encourage them to read everything everywhere they go. It can help prevent them from getting lost, accidentally eating something that they may be allergic too, or it could help them read the signs and labels they see every day.

Summer Reading
Many schools and classrooms now incorporate summer reading as a means to help make sure that kids read during the long break. Some schools may provide specific lists for certain teachers or grades whereas other schools may simply provide a list of recommendations with incentives to read as many books on the list as possible. The last thing that most kids want to think about over the summer vacation is homework, but there are ways in which you can make reading fun and interesting. First off, you can incorporate any of the ideas above: ask your kids to start a journal about the things they read, encourage them to read with you every day, act out scenes and storylines, draw and color pictures of characters and places from the books they have to read, or even offer incentives of your own for every book that they complete on their own. Choose a personalized book where they will star as the main character, this will sure get them excited about reading too!

Reading is vital and it is a skill-set that helps people learn about so many other things. A love of books is often synonymous with a love of learning; so make sure that you keep your children up to speed with their reading over the summer and to help them enjoy the process, too.

8 Tips to Keep Kids Engaged This Summer

Posted on | by KD Novelties
8 Tips to Keep Kids Engaged During the Summer

School’s out! For some anyway, and for others your kids are probably counting down the days!  Kids are sure to be happy to have the next few months to themselves. As relaxing as the summer holidays are meant to be, it is still important that kids stay sharp so that they can continue their education without a hitch once the new school year starts in August or September. There are plenty of ways in which parents can do this without giving their kids homework or making them feel like they have a lot of work to do. In fact, there are some fun ways to keep kids engaged while also making sure that they’re having a good time.


1. Encourage kids to keep a journal. Keeping a journal can be fun, and it can make a great keepsake for you and your kids for years to come. While kids are writing about their summers or even writing stories of made up adventures, they are also exercising their writing and reading comprehension skills. Writing in a journal has benefits when it comes to memory as well, and can help kids remember more things with accuracy.

2. Plan fun (and educational) trips. Summertime is the most popular time for families to go on vacation, but integrating something educational and interesting into your summer plans can be both fun and informative. Even if you can’t fit a big trip into your budget, make weekly trips to the library, to local landmarks and other places that can offer a lot for kids and adults alike.

Lemonade Stand for Kids
3. Start a lemonade stand! Encourage your kids to get active and get motivated to make money. Whether they sell lemonade on the sidewalk, help with a garage sale or simply pick up some chores around the house, doing so will help give kids an incentive to take on responsibility. Encourage them to manage their money, too, so they can practice some math while they’re at it.

4. Go outside and explore. Getting outdoors is great. Fresh air and activity are integral for staying healthy and childhood obesity is quickly becoming a major problem, so making sure that kids stay plenty active and spend some time away from screens and computers can be beneficial. Going outside, going to parks, going on hikes or simply exploring your own backyard can also help spark a child’s imagination and help them develop a relationship with nature.

5. Make time to read every day. Some kids are happy reading as a pastime, but other kids may need some coaxing. Make it a routine or a tradition to share a book or two every night. Read aloud, play book-inspired games, or even act out your favorite scenes! Reading will help keep kids’ reading skills sharp, and playing games can help foster their creativity and confidence, as well.

6. Take advantage of free, online learning. Whether your kids are playing an educational flash game or partaking in an online course, kids may be more inclined to want to learn when it involves the family computer or tablet. There are plenty of educational apps and free online schools that can teach kids valuable skills without feeling like its work at all.

Kids Crafts During the Summer

7. Make some arts and crafts. Inspiring kids to create and use their imaginations can help their critical thinking skills more than you might realize. Creativity can help kids learn how to solve problems, weigh their options and make difficult choices, whether it involves figuring out how to solve a math problem or how to accomplish riding a bike. Being creative can inspire some great art, but it can also encourage out-of-the-box thinking that can help boost general problem-solving skills, too.


8. Don’t be afraid to relax! Rest and relaxation are actually important for mental and emotional development, so don’t forget to get plenty of it. As important as it is to keep kids active, don’t forget about valuable down-time either. Finding a balance between activity and reflection is important, so make sure to let your kids relax and do a bit of what they want this summer, too.

KD Novelties is publisher of personalized children’s books making children the stars of their very own stories.  Personalized Reading promotes literacy while building self-esteem.  Subscribe to our blog for more reading and family friendly tips.