Summer is often seen as a time for relaxation and fun, but it can also be a fantastic opportunity for your child to improve their reading skills. According to Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD, a behavioral optometrist and Vision Therapy specialist in Versailles, summer break provides a less-pressured environment to nurture your child’s love for reading. He offers a variety of strategies to help parents make the most of this time.
Encouraging Reading for Fun
One of Dr. Graebe’s top suggestions is to let children read for fun. While this may sound simple, the choice of material is crucial. Whether your child enjoys comic books, fantasy novels, or even car magazines, the key is to encourage them to read what they love. Fun topics, like animals, sports, vampires, or wizards, can capture your child’s attention and transform reading into an enjoyable activity.
It’s important not to judge the subject matter of the books your child chooses. The ultimate goal is to get them reading, which can greatly improve their skills over time. By showing enthusiasm for their choices, you reinforce reading as a positive and rewarding activity.
Read Along with Your Child
Reading together can be an excellent way to bond and improve your child’s reading skills. Dr. Graebe suggests taking turns reading—one page for you, one for your child. This not only makes reading a social and interactive experience but also gives you a chance to discuss the book’s content, helping your child engage more deeply with the material.
Making reading a shared experience can change how your child perceives it. When they see that reading is not just a solitary activity but one that they can share with you, they are more likely to look forward to it.
Holding the Book: Enhancing Proprioception
Dr. Graebe highlights the importance of your child physically holding the book while reading. This helps develop proprioception, which is the body’s sense of its position in space. Holding the book gives your child a tactile sense of where it is, helping them focus their eyes better on the text. This seemingly small action can play a significant role in how your child processes visual information, which is crucial for effective reading.
Games That Develop Visual Skills
In addition to reading, playing games that develop visual spatial skills can be incredibly beneficial for children. Dr. Graebe suggests games like “I Spy,” “Simon Says,” mazes, word searches, and “Where’s Waldo?” These activities help children improve their visual reasoning and spatial awareness, both of which are essential for reading success.
These games are not only fun but also subtly promote the development of crucial skills needed for reading and learning. The more your child engages in these activities, the more prepared they will be to tackle academic challenges when the school year resumes.
The Importance of Outdoor Play
Outdoor play is another valuable tool in developing reading-related skills. Running, jumping, and playing outside help children improve their balance and coordination. As Dr. Graebe explains, “Imagine trying to read a book while bouncing on a trampoline. You have to be stabilized to read.” Outdoor activities help children develop the physical stability needed for reading.
Beyond the physical benefits, outdoor play stimulates creativity and imagination. When children engage in make-believe games, they enhance their problem-solving and reasoning abilities—skills that are integral to reading comprehension.
When to Consider Vision Therapy
If your child struggles with reading despite your best efforts, Vision Therapy may be an option to explore. Vision Therapy is like physical therapy for the eyes, brain, and body, designed to improve visual efficiency, processing, and sensory integration. Dr. Graebe explains that while Vision Therapy is not for everyone, it can make a significant difference for children whose visual systems are underperforming.
A series of tests can determine whether your child would benefit from Vision Therapy, potentially offering a life-changing improvement in both reading and overall academic performance.
Help Your Child Thrive This Summer
Summer offers a wonderful opportunity to help your child improve their reading skills in a fun and engaging way. Whether it’s reading for pleasure, playing vision-enhancing games, or exploring the benefits of outdoor play, these strategies can make a noticeable difference in your child’s academic success.
If your child needs additional support, consider scheduling an evaluation with Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD at the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute. With locations in Versailles, serving the greater Lexington area, and Somerset, we are proud to be one of the few pediatric specialty practices in Central and Southern Kentucky.
To schedule an appointment, call us at 859-879-0089.
Credit:
This blog is based on information from Dr. Rick Graebe as compiled and written by John Lynch.