Summer Reading for Children with Dyslexia: Keep It Light, Fun, and Stress-Free

As summer approaches, many parents start to worry about the so-called "summer slide"—the learning loss that can happen when children take a long break from school. For parents of children with dyslexia, this concern can feel even more pressing. You want to help your child keep their skills sharp, but you also want summer to feel like a break—not another source of stress.

The good news? Summer reading doesn’t have to look like school. In fact, it shouldn’t. Here’s how to make reading over the holidays a more enjoyable, positive experience—for both of you.

1. Focus on Enjoyment, Not Achievement- Summer is the perfect time to shift the focus away from levels, testing, or reading targets. Instead, the goal is simple: help your child enjoy stories, words, and books in whatever form works for them. Let them choose books based on their interests, not their reading ability. If they’re into dinosaurs, football, baking, or Minecraft—run with it! Graphic novels, joke books, comics, or magazines all count as reading.

2. Use Audiobooks, Guilt-Free- Audiobooks are reading. Full stop. Listening to stories helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of narrative—all essential skills for children with dyslexia. Try listening to a chapter together each evening or play an audiobook in the car on family trips. Some favourites include:- “The Worst Witch” by Jill Murphy- “How to Train Your Dragon” by Cressida Cowell- “Tom Gates” by Liz Pichon- “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl

3. Keep It Short and Manageable -Instead of aiming for a full book, aim for ten minutes a day of reading—together or solo. That might mean taking turns reading a paragraph each, or you reading aloud while your child follows the words. Small chunks help build confidence and reduce overwhelm. It’s about consistency, not quantity.

4. Make It Multi-Sensory- Reading doesn’t always mean sitting with a book. You can build literacy skills through games, play, and movement. Here are a few easy ideas:- Write a summer scavenger hunt with clues to read.- Label things around the house and have your child match them.- Make a simple comic strip together using speech bubbles.

5. Give Plenty of Praise- Confidence is everything. Children with dyslexia often work twice as hard to achieve the same result—so every bit of effort deserves recognition. Celebrate even the smallest victories: “You didn’t give up on that tricky word,” or “I love how you figured that out on your own.”

6. And Remember: Breaks Are Okay- If your child is burnt out, struggling, or simply not interested right now, take the pressure off. A few weeks of rest can do more good than pushing through.Let them hear stories, talk about books, notice signs or menus—all of it counts. Literacy is everywhere.

Final ThoughtSummer reading with dyslexia doesn’t need to be about catching up. It’s about keeping the door open—so that books and stories stay a part of your child’s world. Keep it light, keep it fun, and focus on connection, not correction.

You’ve got this. 🌟