Summer Reading Fun Outside!
By: Lisa Glesil, Fishers Youth Services Librarian
Reading books and summertime go together, but reading doesn’t have to be inside! Here are some ideas for enjoying books outside in the great summer weather. Plan a picnic with the kids using a favorite children’s book such as Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Pack a lunch with some of the foods mentioned in this book. For older kids, enjoy reading The Wind in the Willows, the tale of Mole and Rat spending their days boating on the river.
Another idea: combine an art activity with a book. Take colored pencils and sketchbooks outside so the kids can draw pictures from a book that you are reading. Use a nature guidebook (or any nonfiction book) to explore the outdoors by taking a hike and identifying plants and animals as you go. Lie under the stars at night with a flashlight and read favorite books. Go to the playground and take a few minutes rest by sharing a book with the kids. Most likely, as you are reading to your own children, others will come by and want to listen, too.
Scavenger hunts are fun for kids of all ages. Place pictures from books, or cards with words or phrases from books around the yard and give them a prize! Summer is the perfect time to show kids that reading is not just for school assignments. Taking books outside is enjoyable for the whole family, so get outside and read!