15 Easy Ways to Support Reading at Home this Summer

Getting your children reading during the summer holidays can sometimes seem like an extra job - an additional cost on top of days out and endless snacks, or like school is creeping into their leisure time. But summer reading doesn't have to feel like homework! From audiobooks and family reading time to library visits and reading on days out, here are 15 easy and fun ways to encourage children to keep reading at home and throughout the summer holidays.

Get "new" books

1. Visit your local library

As well as free access to books, many libraries hold events for children during the summer holidays.

2. Do a free community library hunt

Look out for free community libraries in your area - they're a great way to swap books your children have read for fresh ones. Why not spend a day walking to visit a few different ones?

3. Swap books with a friend

Encourage your child to swap a favourite book with a friend for the summer. They can recommend a book to each other and then catch up on how much they enjoyed it later.

4. Read comics, magazines or newspapers

Reading doesn't always have to mean picking up a chapter book! Comics, magazines and newspapers are a great way for children to read while exploring other genres, and the world around them.

5. Read from the Purple Mash Library

With over 250 eBooks in the Purple Mash Library, there are plenty of stories and fact books to keep readers busy over the summer. You can get an annual home user subscription for just £50, which gives you access to the whole of Purple Mash.

Read at home

6. Have a family reading time

Set aside some time for everyone to read together. Put together some yummy snacks, play some calming music and make it a relaxing activity for the whole family.

7. Keep the bedtime routine

Even if bedtime is a littler later during the holidays, try to keep a bedtime story as part of the routine. It's a lovely way to wind down after a busy summer day.

8. Follow a recipe together

Get your child involved in cooking by asking them to read a recipe. They can find the ingredients, follow the instructions and tick off each step as you go.

9. Turn on subtitles while watching TV

Switch on the subtitles when watching a favourite film or TV programme, and your child can follow along with the words on screen while enjoying something they love!

10. Read instructions for a board game

Before starting a game, ask your child to help read the instructions. It's a real motivator for reading!

Read on the go

11. Listen to an audiobook on a car journey

Long car journeys are the perfect time to get stuck into a story. Purple Mash Library books have audio narration, libraries often have audiobooks available through the Libby app, and other big websites like Spotify and Amazon include free audiobooks with premium subscriptions.

12. Read maps, signs, directions and menus on days out

Encourage your child to read signs, maps, directions, menus and information boards when you're visiting somewhere new. It will increase their interest in the place as well as their reading skills.

13. Read the shopping list

Give your shopping list to your child and let them help you find the items - as an added bonus, it keeps them busy in the supermarket!

14. Take a book on holiday

Whether you're jetting off to a sunshine holiday, or packing up the camping gear for a staycation, leave some space for a book or two in the suitcase! A few quiet moments with a story can be a great way to relax after an exciting day in a new place.

15. Have a reading picnic

Pack some picky bits, a blanket and a few books, and head into the garden or local park for a reading picnic. It's a simple way to combine reading with a classic summer activity.