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Nostalgic summer program returns, giving free pizza to kids who read
CHALLENGING ROUTE AND LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE. ALSO TONIGHT, SLOWING THE SUMMER BRAIN DRAIN FOR KIDS BECAUSE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THEY CAN LOSE UP TO TWO MONTHS OF THEIR MATH AND READING SKILLS BEFORE THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL. HERE, WITH ADVICE, IS DOCTOR ERICA LEE, A PSYCHOLOGIST AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. GREAT TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS, DOCTOR LEE. SO THE IF I, IF I SAY TWO MONTHS, THAT SOUNDS RATHER SIGNIFICANT. DO YOU DO YOU THINK THE PARENTS SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THAT? YEAH, IT’S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I DON’T THINK PARENTS NEED TO PANIC JUST YET BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT AND CONSISTENT RESEARCH FINDING. AND IT’S ALSO AVOIDABLE. SO REALLY THE IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY FOR PARENTS HERE IS THAT WHEN YOUR KIDS AREN’T IN SCHOOL, THERE ARE SOME SKILLS THEY MAY BE USING LESS OFTEN, LIKE MATH AND READING, LIKE YOU SAID, BUT ALSO SOME OF THEIR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS. RIGHT? HOW TO START AND COMPLETE AN IMPORTANT TASK. HOW TO PLAN, HOW TO MANAGE THEIR TIME. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE’S LOTS OF WAYS FOR KIDS TO PRACTICE THOSE SKILLS OVER THE SUMMER WITHOUT BEING SCHOOL, WITHOUT TRYING TO RECREATE SCHOOL AT YOUR OWN HOME. YEAH, A LOT OF BOOKSTORES SELL SUMMER WORKBOOKS FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. DO YOU HAVE ANY THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND, DOCTOR? YEAH. SO I THINK WORKBOOKS CAN BE HELPFUL FOR SOME FAMILIES, BUT I ALSO LIKE TO REMIND PARENTS YOU DON’T NEED ONE IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE LEARNING INTO YOUR CHILD’S EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE OVER THE SUMMER. SO IT MIGHT NOT BE OBVIOUS AT FIRST, BUT DOING THINGS LIKE FOLLOWING A GENERAL, EVEN IF LOOSER, SCHEDULE READING SAY FOR EVEN TEN MINUTES A DAY, TRYING NEW HOBBIES OR ACTIVITIES, GOING TO CAMP, HOLDING A JOB FOR SOME OF OUR TEENAGERS. THESE ARE ALL WAYS TO STIMULATE YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN AND THEIR LEARNING WHEN THEY’RE COOKING, PLAYING BOARD GAMES, VISITING FRIENDS, GOING TO NEW PLACES, OR EVEN SHOPPING. THEY’RE USING SKILLS LIKE PROBLEM SOLVING, CREATIVITY, AND EVEN MATH AND READING. RIGHT. AND THAT’S THAT’S A GREAT REMINDER. DON’T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY’RE LEARNING, BUT THEY’RE LEARNING. SO LET’S EXPAND ON THAT A BIT. THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES, RIGHT, THAT YOUNGER CHILDREN CAN DO TO HELP ADVANCE THAT. RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PARENTS ARE ALREADY DOING FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN ALREADY ENCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF LEARNING AND THINGS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO NEED WHEN THEY GET TO SCHOOL, IF THEY’RE NOT ALREADY IN SCHOOL. LIKE AGAIN, FOLLOWING A ROUTINE, FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, THINKING BEFORE THEY ACT, LEARNING THE STEPS TO DO NEW THINGS, ALL THE NEW THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO. AND OF COURSE, WHEN YOU’RE SITTING DOWN AND READING WITH YOUR CHILD, THEY’RE ENGAGING IN IMAGINATIVE PLAY. THEY’RE BUILDING WITH THEIR BLOCKS. THEY’RE COUNTING. THESE ARE ALL FUN WAYS TO DEVELOP THOSE SKILLS, TOO. AND YOU CAN DO THOSE OVER THE SUMMER. SO USE THE KEYWORD THERE, SHE SAID. FUN. MAKE IT FUN. YES. AND I’M WITH YOU. I MEAN, IT IS STILL SUMMER AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUMMER AS WELL.
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Nostalgic summer program returns, giving free pizza to kids who read
Summer reading is getting a nostalgic boost.Voracious readers can again get free pizza this summer as a long-running summer reading program makes its return.Above video: Slowing the summer brain drain for kids: How parents can maintain kids’ education during summer breakLaunched in 1984, the Book It program is the nation’s longest-running corporate-sponsored reading initiative. Designed for children in Pre-K through 6th grade, the program aims to motivate young readers to achieve literacy goals by rewarding their accomplishments with a free personal pan pizza.That free personal pizza is redeemable at participating Pizza Hut locations.It’s a program that Gen X and millennials remember fondly, many of whom participated throughout the 90s and early 2000s.But in order to participate, you have to enroll your child. You can enroll your child by clicking here.Once a child is enrolled, parents can help set reading goals for the summer. Children who meet their monthly reading goals can redeem a free, one-topping personal pan pizza each month in June, July and August by presenting their digital Reading Award Certificate.Pizza Hut says it created the program to help combat a very real problem — the “Summer Slide,” a well-documented dip in reading skills that many children experience during school breaks.Research shows children can lose a notable amount of progress in reading and math over summer break. A recent study of students in grades 3 through 5 found that, on average, they lost about 20% of their reading gains and 27% of their math gains from the previous school year during the summer months.
Summer reading is getting a nostalgic boost.
Voracious readers can again get free pizza this summer as a long-running summer reading program makes its return.
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Above video: Slowing the summer brain drain for kids: How parents can maintain kids’ education during summer break
Launched in 1984, the Book It program is the nation’s longest-running corporate-sponsored reading initiative.
Designed for children in Pre-K through 6th grade, the program aims to motivate young readers to achieve literacy goals by rewarding their accomplishments with a free personal pan pizza.
That free personal pizza is redeemable at participating Pizza Hut locations.
It’s a program that Gen X and millennials remember fondly, many of whom participated throughout the 90s and early 2000s.
But in order to participate, you have to enroll your child. You can enroll your child by clicking here.
Once a child is enrolled, parents can help set reading goals for the summer. Children who meet their monthly reading goals can redeem a free, one-topping personal pan pizza each month in June, July and August by presenting their digital Reading Award Certificate.
Pizza Hut says it created the program to help combat a very real problem — the “Summer Slide,” a well-documented dip in reading skills that many children experience during school breaks.
Research shows children can lose a notable amount of progress in reading and math over summer break. A recent study of students in grades 3 through 5 found that, on average, they lost about 20% of their reading gains and 27% of their math gains from the previous school year during the summer months.
