Challenge Your Mind, Change The World

(Part 1) Tips to Make Reading a Joyous Family Affair This Summer

• The Classic High School Teacher • Season 1 • Episode 9

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Discover how to transform summer reading from a chore into an adventure for your teenagers! Imagine combining the thrill of a treasure hunt with the joy of discovering new books—our episode on Challenge Your Mind, Change the World offers a roadmap to do just that. We start with creative strategies to design personalized summer reading challenges and reveal clever ways to track progress and celebrate your child's achievements. From mixing genres to organizing book swaps, both real and virtual, we share everything you need to keep the reading spark alive.

Next, we unlock the hidden gems of your local library's summer programs, turning it into a magical realm of possibilities. Libraries are no longer just quiet places with rows of books; they are bustling hubs of activity with workshops, author events, and creative classes that can ignite new passions in your teenager. Learn how to leverage these resources to make reading a delightful habit, whether it's through coding classes, volunteer opportunities, or simply meeting new friends who share similar interests.

We round out the episode with tips for making reading a joyous family affair. Consistency and fun are key, and our exclusive Boredom Busters podcast series is packed with imaginative ideas, games, and strategies to keep everyone entertained. Plus, we tackle common objections teenagers might have towards reading and offer practical solutions to make books more appealing. Prepare to immerse your family in the wonderful world of reading this summer and turn every page into a captivating adventure!

Tune in for a treasure trove of insights and start your family’s reading journey today!

For all free resources mentioned in this podcast, download them here (By registering for Boredom Busters, you will gain access to a whole library of ideas to bust the boredom over the summer).

If you enjoyed today's episode, please take the time to rate our podcast. Your rating means the world to us and it allows us to continue to share and grow our message of support to other fabulous humans out there!

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Speaker 1:

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Challenge your Mind, change the World. Francesca Hudson, here, your host, and today we are diving into some super cool ways to make reading a blast this summer. Whether you've got a child that's a bookworm, or you've got a child that's looking to try something new and they might not necessarily gravitate towards reading, or you've got a child that's constantly on devices and you want them to be able to switch off and enjoy reading, we have got something for you. We've got something for everybody on this episode. It is a bumper episode, perfect for summer, and I think everybody is going to get something out of this. So stay tuned, because we're going to look at a whole lot of different ways that you can get your teenagers or your children into reading.

Speaker 1:

I've got a ton of different strategies. We're going to look at creating summer reading challenges. We're going to look at how to organise a book swap, both in person or virtual. I'm going to run through the exact way that you can utilise your local library, and no, it's not just simply browsing the shelves. There's a whole lot of different ways that you can use your library and it's a free resource. I've also got some strategies to be able to implement reading into your daily routines. We're going to explore some different genres and formats, we're going to look at movie adaptations, we're going to look at book series that are really popular with teenagers, and we're going to look at some online reading communities as well as combining reading with fun activities. So there is something for everybody. And if you are looking for something to do this summer, then check out my free resource, which is the Boredom Busters secret podcast series. When you sign up to Boredom Busters, you get access to a super exclusive, super private hub, completely free, with resources and activities and fun games that the whole family can use during the summer. That accompanies the podcast series, and I'm also going to put on that secret hub a whole lot of resources that we talk about today on today's show. So if you are interested in using any of the resources that we talk about for getting your teenagers into reading, then sign up to Boredom Busters. I'll put the link below and then you can tap into a whole range of boredom busting strategies to keep your children entertained this summer.

Speaker 1:

So before I dive into all these juicy strategies, let's look at some of the reasons why teenagers might object to reading in this day and age. Things have changed a lot since you and I were younger. I used to read obsessively when I was at school. It was my way of tuning out and relaxing, but unfortunately well, I say unfortunately. It's not unfortunate, it's part of evolution and technology. But children and our teenagers' reliance on iPads and gaming stations and all those sorts of things has really dominated the space that reading used to have in our children's upbringing to a certain extent, and with some kids more than others. But I'm going to run through with you some of the objections that your children might have. These are some of the objections that my children have had and the students that I teach in the classroom that come through and how you can tackle the objections as they arise. See if any of these relate to your child. I've got 10 of them, so I'll run through them really quickly and I'll give you some strategies about how to counteract them if they come up, if they crop up in your conversations with your children. Counteract them if they come up, if they crop up in your conversations with your children.

Speaker 1:

So the first reason is teenagers and children might perceive it as being boring reading. Many teens associate reading with school assignments and may perceive it as being a boring or tedious activity, and they might believe that books are less exciting compared to other forms of entertainment like video games or social media or movies. For example, a teen might think why read a book when I can watch a movie version or play a video game instead? So the way that we can counteract that is introduce them to engaging genres like mystery, fantasy or graphic novels. We can suggest books related to their interests or hobbies. This is where librarians, if you do visit the library, can be a great asset, a great free resource to offer interests or hobbies. This is where librarians, if you do visit the library, can be a great asset, a great free resource to offer up suggestions to, because they see what's coming through, what's new, what's the latest out and what all the other teenagers are putting in. Requests for Incorporate interactive reading activities like reading games or discussing books in an exciting way. So, for example, a teenager interested in sports might enjoy reading sports biographies or novels centered around athletes.

Speaker 1:

The second objection that might come up for you is your child might say they've got a lack of time. Teenagers often have very busy schedules, which we know, filled with schoolwork and then extracurricular activities, their part-time jobs and then, on top of all of that, their social commitments. Finding time to sit down and read can be challenging if they don't see it as a priority. For example, a teen might say I have so much homework and soccer practice, I just don't have time to read. My solution to that would be encourage short reading sessions, such as, say, 10 to 15 minutes before bed. Help them incorporate reading into their daily routine, like reading during commutes or after meals, so your teenager could read a chapter of a book during breakfast or while waiting for a bus. It's those short, incremental, one percent shifts that can really make the biggest difference.

Speaker 1:

The third objection that you might get from your teenager is distractions from technology, so the prevalence of smartphones, tablets and computers. They provide constant entertainment and communication options for our children, making it easy to get distracted for them, and they tend to choose that instant gratification over reading. For example. Does this sound like your teenager? They could spend hours scrolling through social media or watching videos instead of picking up a book. So how do we counteract that? Well, my solution would be encourage designated tech free times or zones dedicated just to reading, remote e-books or audio books as alternatives that can be accessed through their devices if it's going to be a real struggle to get them off their device. So, for example, setting aside an hour for bed as reading time with no screens allowed obviously because you want to have that full hour before bed where there's none of the blu-rays that come through from iPads or computer screens it gives your brain a chance to sort of decompress and get ready for bed.

Speaker 1:

The fourth objection that you might come across is difficulty in finding engaging books. If your teenager struggles to find books that interest them, they may lose motivation to read and everyone's taste is different and it can take time to discover genres or authors that they do enjoy. This could be a very common scenario where your teen might not be interested in classic literature assigned at school, but they could be excited about contemporary young adult fiction or graphic novels. If you start to explore outside of school reading, outside of school prescribed book lists, as I say, go to the library, talk to your librarian and see what are some of the common books that everybody is reading at the moment. The fifth objection that you could come across that might be happening for you is reading challenges. Some teenagers and some children have reading difficulties, such as dyslexia, or there could be a neurodiverse situation in your household which can make reading frustrating and less enjoyable. You could provide access to resources like audiobooks or graphic novels try that out or offer support tools such as reading apps designed for dyslexic readers, and I think that the key in this scenario, in this situation, is to encourage patience and practice. Using an audiobook or text-to-speech features can help a teenager with dyslexia, for example, enjoy reading without the struggle.

Speaker 1:

The next objection that could be prevalent in your household is negative past experiences with reading. If your teenager has had negative experiences with reading in the past, such as being forced to read books they didn't like at school or struggling with understanding books, then they might develop a reluctance to read. For example, a teenager might remember being scolded for not finishing a book report and now associates reading with negative feelings, which is a real shame. But a way that we can counteract that is create positive and pressure-free reading experiences at home for them. Allow our children to choose their own books and read at their own pace. As parents, we can celebrate their reading achievements, no matter how small, and we can acknowledge and praise our children for finishing a book, for example, regardless of its length or complexity, reading achievements, no matter how small, and we can acknowledge and praise our children for finishing a book, for example, regardless of its length or complexity. The fact that they've even picked it up and started reading it from cover to cover is amazing and we want to let them know that. We want to let them know what a sense of achievement that is.

Speaker 1:

Another obstacle you could have is that your child is heavily influenced by their peers, by their friends. If their friends don't value reading or if they consider it uncool, then our children might shy away from it to fit in with their social group, which is a real. How do we counteract that? Well, we can encourage our teenagers to form or join reading groups with friends. Obviously, that's the first step, and we can highlight the social aspect of book discussions and sharing stories with each other. You know that's age old, it's gone back as far as time has sitting around the campfire sharing stories. We can promote popular books that have a strong following, that are really popular with teenagers. What are the books that are selling out at the bookstore? What are the books that everybody's got their name down on the wait list for? And you could even go as far as starting a book club, encouraging your teenager to start a book club where friends can meet, they can read and they can discuss books together. So you're bringing that social aspect into it to try and make it feel less stuffy for a teenager who's not used to reading or their friends are not used to reading or not used to the idea of reading for pleasure rather than just purely academic study.

Speaker 1:

The eighth objection that you might have at home is the reference for visual media, and I know that in my own household this is what I really struggle with with my two boys. Visual media like movies, tv shows and YouTube videos especially can be more appealing because they require less effort and they provide that instant visual and auditory stimulation. You might have a teenager at home that might prefer watching a movie adaptation rather than reading the book because it seems quicker and more engaging. And as an English teacher at school I always used to have students that would try and take shortcuts when we were doing a novel study in class by watching the movie version of it if it was a book that had a movie and there's just so much subtle detail that they miss out on when they cut corners like that and watch the movie instead. So how do I give you a solution to that? Well, you could introduce books with strong visual elements, such as graphic novels or illustrated editions of books. Start off with pictures as well as the words, and then you can pair books with their movie adaptations to create a multimedia experience.

Speaker 1:

So if you can encourage them to read the book first and then watch the movie second and then discuss what was different, because quite often directors of movies or producers will cut out key scenes from books if they're not deemed relevant. Remember, a movie has only got an hour, an hour and a half, two hours to tell the story. They don't have the length of time that a book does with 10 or 15 or 20 chapters, so a lot of scenes from the book will be cut. That's a great starting point to have a discussion with your child about the differences between the book version and the movie version. But taking it a step back before that, look at graphic novels to start with, because that is the place that I start with with my two boys and my oldest now, George. He absolutely loves reading, that's his favourite thing. And my youngest, charlie one of his favourite parts of the week is library. But he will never admit that to his friends, so he's probably not going to be very happy that I'm admitting it to you over a podcast. But it's true, they all secretly love books. If we can find angles to approach books with, then our children will embrace books.

Speaker 1:

So the ninth obstacle with encouraging teenagers to read is the limited access to books. Not all teens have easy access to books, whether due to financial constraints, lack of a nearby library or limited book selections that reflects their own interests and backgrounds. If you're living in a rural area, for example, you might have trouble accessing a variety of books compared to somebody who's living in a city with multiple libraries and bookstores. I get that that can be a real struggle. So what you can do is utilise digital libraries and free online resources, if that's you Arrange book donation drives and swaps to increase availability and encourage visits to local libraries and bookstores. Using apps that offer free e-books or partnering with community programmes to distribute books can be a great way too, and your school might have more details about how that can happen.

Speaker 1:

And the tenth obstacle that you might come across in your household with your children or your teenagers wanting to read is stress and mental health, high levels of stress or mental health issues can reduce the energy and the motivation teens have for reading. When dealing with anxiety or depression, it can be hard to focus on and enjoy a book and I know firsthand what that is like. I have people in my family that have been through that, and we must be very gentle and kind with our teenagers if they are experiencing stress or mental health. If you have a teenager that is experiencing anxiety, then they might find it hard to concentrate on a book when their mind is preoccupied with worries. I would ask the librarian, or I would ask somebody or I would ask the bookstore owner to offer to recommend calming and uplifting books that provide an escape, encourage reading as a stress relief activity, create a comfortable and quiet reading environment for them. So it's a refuge, it's a place of calm that they can come to and shut the world away. It's almost like a spa for their mind. For an example, you could suggest light-hearted fiction or mindfulness books to help your teenage relax and find comfort in reading. But, as I say, I really do approach this stress and mental health with kid gloves and you must must seek help and advice from a mental health expert, because I am not one, I am just a humble English teacher. But that would be my solution if they were experiencing anxiety is make reading a pleasurable and relaxing thing for them to do, to be able to take their mind off the worries of the world for a brief moment in time. Okay, so well, let's move on. Let's move on to something a little bit more uplifting now and lighthearted.

Speaker 1:

Let's look at some of the ways that we can really start to encourage reading in our households, especially over the summer months, when your children are out of school, they are roaming around looking for things to do. Let's try and nip that mom, I'm bored statement in the bud, and the first way we can do that is a summer reading challenge. This is a fantastic way to make reading both fun and rewarding, and here's how you can set it up and get started. So what we've got to do the first thing we have to do with creating a summer reading challenge is setting some goals. We need to define the goals. Start by setting specific, achievable goals. This could be reading a certain number of books or pages by the end of the summer. We really need to tailor the goals to our children's reading pace and their interests. So, for example, we could say read five books, or finish a thousand pages, or read for 30 minutes each day.

Speaker 1:

It really has to be dependent on our children's reading ability, and my tip for this would be mix up the genres to keep it interesting, or include a couple of challenging books alongside easier reads. So you could even have, at the start of the summer, a reading kit where you have got a series of books that you have collated together at the very start of your holiday or at the very start of your vacation. And that is the challenge. So you've mixed up the genres to keep it interesting, or you've included a couple of challenging books alongside some easier reads. And then you can introduce some rewards and incentives. So decide on rewards for reaching the goals that you set for your children. These can be anything from a favourite treat that they like, or a small gift or a fun outing. It's really up to you and your family and the type of goals that you've set for them. So, for example, you might buy them a new book, or the reward could be a movie night or a day out with friends or even a special meal. So make the reward something that they will really look forward to to keep them motivated, and then you can track their reading progress.

Speaker 1:

So you can use some apps. There are plenty of apps designed to help track reading progress. Some popular options are Google Reads, bookly and Libby. These apps allow you to log your books, track your reading time and even set reminders. The way that you can use Goodreads is create a summer reading list, track what you've read and then see what your friends are reading. The way that you can use Bookly is log reading sessions, track your time and get stats on your reading habits. That's really cool. And then the way that you can use Libby is borrow e-books and audio books from your local library and then keep track of your reading progress.

Speaker 1:

You can create a fun chart. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, make a physical chart or poster, use stickers, drawings or a simple tally system to mark off your progress, and you can get creative with the chart that you make for your children. You can get them involved. Get them using some colourful markers, print out some pictures of the book covers or create a theme to match your reading goals for your kids, and it's all about celebrating achievements, as I mentioned before. So daily and weekly check-ins take a few minutes each day or week to help your children update their progress, reflect on what they've enjoyed about their reading and what they're looking forward to next.

Speaker 1:

For example, they could keep a reading journal where they jot down a few thoughts or favorite quotes from what they're reading. And this is wonderful when you're going away on vacation, somewhere to take with you to use the times like sitting in the airport or on the plane or in the car to jot down and make some notes in your journal as you travel. And then they can share their progress with their friends or on social media, which can add an extra layer of motivation and social proof. They can encourage each other and they can even set up mini challenges or buddy reading sessions. You can even go as far as creating a hashtag for them to use for their reading challenge and then post updates, reviews or photos of their reading setup amongst friends. That's if they're older, that's if they are using social media. Obviously, younger teens I would not encourage, but if they are at a point where they are using social media or you're happy for them to use social media, then that could be quite a cool way, and then they can think about engaging with the material by joining online discussions.

Speaker 1:

So look for some online book clubs or discussion groups related to the books that they're reading. Platforms like Goodreads, as I mentioned before, or Reddit or book-focused forums can provide a space to share thoughts and insights, and then our teenagers can reflect and review the books that they've just finished reading. We can encourage them to write a brief review or discuss it with a friend. This can help deepen their understanding and their enjoyment of the book. They can think about things they didn't like or they liked about reading the book, the themes of the book and how it made them feel. So imagine the satisfaction of seeing our children's progress grow each day, knowing that we're helping them work towards a goal and rewarding them along the way.

Speaker 1:

A summer reading challenge is a great way to stay motivated, have some fun and dive into some amazing books this summer. So the next way is to organize a book swap. Have you ever heard of a book swap? It's like trading cards, but with books. Organizing a book swap can be a fantastic way to discover new reads and to share your favourite books with friends. A book swap allows us to get our hands on books that we might not have picked up otherwise, and it's a great way to explore different genres and authors without spending any money. It fosters a sense of community and a shared interest in reading amongst our teenagers and their friends, and they also can get recommendations. They can get personal recommendations from their friends, that peer group, that all-important peer group, making the reading experience more engaging and personalized for them and more relevant too. I think if their friends are reading it, then it's perceived cool and then they will want to read.

Speaker 1:

How do we set one up for our teenagers? How do we plan one? Well, we need to look at the format first of all. Will it be in person or virtual? If your teenager is deciding to do an in-person book swap with their friends, then obviously you pick a date and time and then set some guidelines, because otherwise it just becomes another social meetup. So decide on the number of books each person should bring and any specific genres or themes that you have decided or they have decided. So, for example, they could organise a mystery theme swap where everyone brings their favourite mystery novels to share.

Speaker 1:

And if you were looking at doing a virtual book swap, then obviously you would use something, you would use an app like Zoom and you could set up a virtual meeting, send out invitations to your friendship group. They could set up informations to send out to their friends and ask each participant to prepare a list of books that they're willing to swap, along with brief descriptions or reviews. So then, during the virtual meeting, have everybody present their books and why they recommend them, and then use a shared document or a chat feature to keep track of who wants which book, and then from there, they can organise to either drop books off to each other or mail the books out to each other based on where you are, and a really good tip for this is to use a Google sheet where everyone lists their books and then participants can claim which ones they're interested in. That's a really great way to keep track of things. You can have themes and challenges, so a theme could be classics or fantasy or non-fiction. You can also set reading challenges or create bingo cards with different book categories. You can have discussion and interaction. So after the swap, you can schedule follow-up meetings to discuss the books that you've read, and it's a great way to keep the conversation going and share your thoughts.

Speaker 1:

Now, another resource moving away from the book swap idea is visit your local library, and we talked a little bit about the library earlier on in this episode, but don't forget about your local library. Libraries are an incredible resource that can enhance your summer reading experience, for yourself as well as your children. Many libraries offer summer reading programs filled with events, activities and reading lists specifically for teenagers and, best of all, these resources are often free, so make sure to take advantage of them, and there is so much that is available in libraries that aren't necessarily advertised online either. It's not until you actually go down there and have a look and see what their plans are, their programs are and their resources, and they might include little things that crop up from day to day that that you don't know about until you go down there. I took my two boys down to our library last holidays last term holidays and there's a whole recording studio, a whole recording suite, upstairs at our local library, and it's free, but it's still a free resource for children. So they were writing music. They were recording music. They were learning how to use the sound engineer desk. They were recording music. They were learning how to use the sound engineer desk. It was incredible. It is such a cool resource and we had never really tapped into that until that particular holidays, and when we went down there I kept thinking to myself why haven't I done this sooner? So go visit the library. I cannot recommend it enough. If you are thinking about books for your kids, rather than go heading straight to the bookstore, try the library.

Speaker 1:

Many libraries have summer reading programs designed to encourage reading during the break. These programs often include reading challenges, incentives and fun activities. So sign up for the program at your local library. You'll get a reading log or access to an app where you can track your reading progress. They might even offer rewards for reaching reading milestones, such as small prizes or certificates or entries into prize drawers. You never know until you go down and have a look. They could also offer workshops and classes.

Speaker 1:

Libraries often host workshops and classes on various topics like creative writing, arts and crafts, coding and more. These events provide opportunities to learn new skills, to meet like-minded people and to have fun. I mean, isn't that the whole point of it is to have some fun, to remove the boredom for our teenagers? So, for example, a creative writing workshop could really help a teenager develop their storytelling skills and they could meet other aspiring writers there. It can be a source of socialisation for them. Sometimes libraries even host visits from authors who give talks. They can read excerpts from their books and they can sign copies. Meeting an author can inspire teenagers to read their books and gain insights into the writing process, which would be such a privilege to be able to meet somebody of the book that you've just read.

Speaker 1:

There's just so many ways a library can offer inspiration to our young teenagers, and remember that many libraries have sections dedicated just to teenage readers, so they'll be featuring popular young adult fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, magazines. There'll be something for everybody there. They have comfortable spaces. These areas are often designed to be welcoming and comfortable, providing a great environment for reading and studying. You know lovely, comfy, cosy beanbags and armchairs to snuggle into. Librarians will often curate these sections with the latest and most popular titles that appeal to teen readers, so you know that when you go you are going to be getting the books that are most popular and that will be most enjoyable to read. Remember that libraries provide curated reading lists for teenagers, covering various genres and interests, and these lists can help teenagers discover new books and authors that they might enjoy. But even if those lists don't appeal to your teenager, then librarians can offer personalised book recommendations based on your teenager's interests.

Speaker 1:

Most libraries offer access to a vast collection of e-books and audio books as well through their digital borrowing platforms like Libby or Overdrive, which is very convenient and allows our kids to be able to borrow books and read or listen on their devices, making it easier to access books anytime, anywhere, no excuses. So, for example, your teenager could borrow an e-book to read on their tablet while on a summer road trip. How easy is that? Another way that libraries can be really entertaining during the summer that not a lot of people think about straight away is their volunteer opportunities. Libraries often have volunteer programs where teenagers can help with events. They can assist younger children's programs or help organise books, and by volunteering at a library, it can provide community service hours, valuable work experience and a chance to give back to the community, and it could be a very, very simple, low effort way. For example, a teenager might volunteer to help run a children's story time session or assist with a library event. What a self-esteem boost that would be with a library event. What a self-esteem boost that would be In a great way to form social connections.

Speaker 1:

Libraries are a great place to meet other teenagers who share similar interests in reading and learning, and by participating in library activities and programs, it can help our teenagers make new friends and strengthen existing relationships. If they've got friends that come along too. For example, joining a teen book club at the library can lead to some very long-lasting friendships with fellow book lovers. You never know you just don't know until you go down who could be waiting there. So make sure to visit your local library this summer. With all the programs and activities and resources available, it's a treasure trove of opportunities waiting to be explored. Plus, it's free. So get your library card if you haven't already got one. Sign up for the summer reading program and dive into the incredible world of books and learning.

Speaker 1:

But sometimes all you need is a routine to make reading a consistent and enjoyable part of your daily life. Setting aside a specific time each day for reading can transform it from a chore into a cherished habit, and here's how we can encourage our children to incorporate reading into their daily routines. There are so many benefits to having a routine, but when having a reading routine we get consistency because by making reading a regular part of our days, it ensures that we always have time for it. It encourages relaxation, because reading can be a great way to relax and unwind, especially if done at the same time each day, and it also helps to improve focus. Regular reading can improve our concentration and our focus, making it easier to dive into books. It's like a muscle that we're flexing every time we read, and that's what we want for our children.

Speaker 1:

So the best way to start with encouraging our children to set up a regular routine is we need to choose the best time of day for them. It could be morning, afternoon or evening. If you think it's best for your child to have a morning reading routine, they could have a wake-up routine. They could start their day with a few pages or a chapter of a book. It can be a calming way to wake up and get their mind ready for the day. Morning reading can set a positive tone for the day and it can stimulate their mind. So, for example, they could read for 15 minutes while having breakfast.

Speaker 1:

Or you might have a child at home that you think would benefit better in the afternoon, so we could use reading as a way to break up their day. It can be a nice break between schoolwork and other activities and it can provide a mental break and can refresh their mind for the rest of the day. A good time to slot this in, if you do want to look at afternoon reading, is spend some time reading after lunch or during a study break. Or you might have a child that reading in the evening is the best is a wind down. For example, reading before bedtime could help them unwind and relax, making it easier for them to fall asleep. The benefit of that is it reduces screen time before bed, which can improve sleep quality and create a calming bedtime routine.

Speaker 1:

Obviously, that's what we want for our children, so they could read a few chapters before turning off the lights and use a soft reading light to create a cozy atmosphere. Turn off the overhead lights in the ceiling and just have a lamp by their bed. Obviously, the aim of the game is to encourage reading to be a relaxing and enjoyable pastime at home. So we want to create a reading space that moats that kind of luxurious, comfortable environment. So find a quiet corner or a spot, a comfortable spot in your home where your children would enjoy reading without interruptions. Make the space inviting with comfortable seating and good lighting, perhaps a blanket or some pillows.

Speaker 1:

I have a basket at home with about four or five blankets rolled up in the basket and my children love coming in and grabbing a blanket from the basket and throwing it over themselves on the couch. I've got some really lovely soft cushions and sometimes they even put their head under the blanket and they read underneath there. So, having that kind of lovely reading nook and have a small table for your book and a reading lamp or a drink or a snack if they've got it, minimize distractions, turn the TV off if the TV's on or any loud noises or frequent interruptions, and I like to have some soft background music playing if we're all relaxing at home and the TV's off and people are reading, because for me and for my children it helps concentration levels. And then think about setting some realistic daily reading goals. A manageable amount set, a realistic goal for how much you want to read each day, whether it's a certain number of pages, think about even 10 to 15 minutes a day can add up over time. Making reading a regular part of our children's day can truly transform their relationship with books. By setting aside a specific time each day, creating a comfortable reading space and choosing books that interest them, they can begin to see reading as a delightful and integral part of their routine.

Speaker 1:

That's it for part one of reading during the summer. Stay tuned to part two for more tips on how to make reading an enjoyable part of your summer. And remember the key to becoming an avid reader for our children is consistency and enjoyment. Don't forget my free secret podcast series Boredom Busters, designed for the whole family to listen to, is jam-packed with ideas, strategies and games for the whole family over on my secret hub. If you're interested in signing up to the podcast series Boredom Busters to gain access to all the free resources, as well as the resources we talk about here on this podcast, then click the link in the show notes below. Happy reading everybody.

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