How to Help Your Child Embrace Reading This Summer

How to Help Your Child Embrace Reading This Summer The school year is packed for most children, so summer is a welcome break from the routine of homework and studying. One of the best summer pastimes and easiest ways to mitigate summertime regression, says Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center, is a daily reading habit. As school gets increasingly more time-consuming and rigorous, children who once enjoyed reading start to see it as just another have to instead of something they like doing for fun, she says. But with its slower pace, summer is the perfect time for parents to help their children reignite their love of reading. How can you help your child embrace reading this summer? Huntington offers these tips: Check out summer reading programs. Summer reading programs through your local library are book store make reading fun, offering children rewards for reaching certain goals and building a sense of community among readers. Check out Huntington Learning Centers Reading Adventure Program, which is going on all summer long. Children choose books from a pre-selected book list and earn prizes for meeting reading goals. Online, look at programs like the Scholastic Challenge, Read-a-Palooza, which invites readers to enter their reading online and complete weekly reading challenges. Stock the home library. Help your child start his or her very own book collection and designate a space in the home as the cozy reading corner, complete with a bean bag and bookcase. Make trips to the bookstore a special treat (keep an eye out for sales or memberships) and start becoming regulars at your local used book stores. Springboard from another passion. If it feels easier said than done to hand your child a stack of books to start reading over summer and expect success, try a different approach. Begin with your childs other passions. If your child is a basketball player, for example, perhaps autobiographies on favorite players might appeal. Your local librarian is a wealth of information, so be sure to ask for ideas. Get recommendations. On that note, choosing books haphazardly isnt the best way to find books your child will love. Seek recommendations for the best summer books and good vacation books to readfrom the librarian or bookstore employee and on websites like Goodreads.com and the Young Adult Library Services Association book finder. Bring books and reading into your life. During school, homework, activities and other things might take center stage. But now, its summeran ideal time to relax a little. So, make reading a nightly family tradition. Gather on the porch or patio after dinner with drinks and books for 30 minutes of reading time. Read the same book as a family. Choose a book-turned-movie and make plans for movie night when you all finish. And of course, make frequent trips to the library and bookstore. Its simple: the more your child reads, the better he or she will become at reading. And Huntington reminds parents that the best way to encourage reading is to get children to consider it an activity of choice. Reading for pleasure often takes a backseat as children grow older and other activities dominate their attention, she says. However, summer presents a great opportunity to remind children what a wonderful activity reading really is. Find ways this summer to incorporate reading for fun into your lives, and youll notice your child choosing to do it more. To learn about Huntingtons summer reading program or how Huntington helps students become stronger readers, call 1-800 CAN LEARN.

Creating Successful Free Play Time for Kids with ADHD

Creating Successful Free Play Time for Kids with ADHD All kids need time each week to engage in creative play outside of their structured extracurricular activities. Its during this time that kids develop important social skills, problem solving strategies, and independence while fueling their imagination and creativity. Even just 20 minutes a day during the week coupled with a few longer stretches of time on weekends can make a big difference. For many parents of kids with ADHD, who often rely on highly structured activities to help manage ADHD symptoms, however, the idea of allowing time for play without rules, structure, or adult supervision can seem intimidating. Ideas of free play quickly spiral into visions of a free for all filled with impulsive behavior and complaints about boredom! Fortunately, with a little planning and a modest amount of structure and support it is possible to create successful free play opportunities for even the most active kids with ADHD. Choose a strategic location. Have your child play where you can see them. Simply having an adult present in your childs line of sight helps kids with ADHD stay safe and engaged. So, avoid sending your child off to his or her bedroom or playroom alone. Instead, have your child bring a few toys and activities to a common room in the house. Just make sure you leave time for clean-up when free play is over! Have creative play toys and activities available that your child finds interesting. Kids with ADHD often need a high level of stimulation in order to stay engaged. Every kid is different when it comes to the toys and activities that they find interesting, so work with your child to find creative options that will hold his or her attention for at least 10 minutes, if not longer. Make sure these activities are largely mess free (steer clear of paint and glue!), and can be done independently without close adult supervision. Limit the options. This may seem counterintuitive, but giving kids with ADHD fewer options during free play will actually help them be more engaged. Many kids with ADHD will become overwhelmed if they are presented with too many choices, and some will even meltdown. So, present a few free play options, about 3 at a time, and change them out regularly to keep things interesting. Use a Timer. Some of the biggest free play conflicts happen when its time to transition to the next activity. Its natural for kids to want to continue to play when theyre having a good time, so use a timer to make the transition easier on everyone. Have the child set the timer at the start of free play. Give a warning when there are 5 minutes left, and let your child know that free play ends when the time goes off. By having your child set the timer, youre helping him or her take ownership of the process, so that the narrative can change from My parents are making me stop playing! to My timer went off so free play time is over. Post a list of Free Play Rules. Having basic ground rules for free play provides necessary structure for your child without interfering with his or her creativity and imaginative play. Create a list of just 3 or 4 basic rules and post them someplace where they are visible to your child. At the start of free play, read through this list with your child and let him or her know that free play will need to end early if he or she needs to be reminded to follow the rules more than three times (the number of reminders can be tailored to your childs level). The best rules are those that cover a wide variety of behaviors and tell kids what to do rather than what not to do. For example, rules like, start cleaning up when the free play timer rings, stay in your play area, show good sportsmanship when playing with others, and use your inside voice, encourage a wide range of positive behaviors. Catch Your Child Being Good! When your child shows positive behaviors during free play, make sure to let him or her know that you have noticed! Praise the good behaviors as they happen, or at the end of free play if you want to avoid interrupting his or her play. Your child will feel proud of the fact that he or she was able to play well independently, and will be more likely to demonstrate these positive behaviors again. Free play is important for all kids, so help your child carve out time each day to play creatively outside the structure of typical extracurricular activities. Shorter free play times may work better for many kids with ADHD, so start small. With a little structure and planning your child can be engaged, content, and creative during free play time. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.