Summer should be a time for play, discovery, and rest, but without continued learning, many students experience what educators call the “summer slide.” That’s the loss of academic skills, especially reading, over the break. By the time a child reaches middle school, summer learning loss can leave them years behind in reading and comprehension.

According to the Nation’s Report Card, only 36% of Utah students scored at or above the proficient level in reading in 2024. That means two out of three kids in our state are behind. Even more concerning, one in three students in Utah falls below even the basic reading level for their grade.

That’s where we come in.

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, we believe every child deserves a great summer that includes opportunities to grow. We’ve built reading and enrichment into our Summer Brain Gain program, a nationally recognized learning loss prevention model from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Every week, kids at our Clubs take part in hands-on, themed activities aligned with grade-level standards. Our Summer Brain Gain: Read! program, supported by Staples, brings a new book to life each week for every age group with interactive activities designed to build literacy skills and spark a love of reading.

But you don’t have to stop there. Families and caregivers can make reading part of summer fun, too. Here's how:

• Gamify Reading: Create a reading log, draw the covers, write reviews, give each book a star rating, or all of the above. Look at Teachers pay Teachers for low-cost to free options. Need help printing a poster or log? Ask at your Club’s front desk!

• Join a Summer Reading Program: Scholastic Summer Reading, Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program, and Free Reading Program are all free, tried and tested options to incentivize reading.

• Build a Book Club: Swap books with friends, take turns choosing, or grab a few books and pass them around as a group. Read the same book together as friends or a family and share your opinions. There’s no wrong answer!

• Encourage Reading at Club: All of our Clubs have books and libraries. Kids can get a snack, find a cozy beanbag, and read between activities. Your youth might even start an impromptu book club with a new friend.

• Make It Mentorship: Invite older youth to read to younger ones, a little sibling, a cousin, or a friend; it builds mentorship skills and confidence.

• Make something together: a comic retelling or a favorite scene, a collage of the setting, a dramatic reading, or even a “book trailer” video. The book can be a jumping-off point for a whole other activity your youth loves doing.

Even with fun activities and new book ideas, some kids still struggle to connect with reading. Every child is different, and understanding why they’re having a hard time can help you find the right support. Before giving up on a book or assuming your child just doesn’t like to read, try asking a few simple questions to figure out what’s really going on.

• Is it boring, or is it difficult to understand? Kids need to build their confidence with reading! Try going down a grade level or two in book recommendations, or picking up a graphic novel where the visuals can support storytelling.

• Is it boring, or is it too easy? If your reader is already confident, they may need a challenge! It can also build confidence to take on something hard and get through it with some new vocabulary and an accomplishment that will fuel them into their next book.

• Not the right genre? Classic fantasy isn’t for everyone. Try mysteries, graphic novels, romance, or books that have protagonists who share your reader’s real-life experiences.

• Need more movement? Audiobooks are a great way to read! Use LibbyApp to access free audiobooks from your library and pair with a hands-on activity like coloring, doing a puzzle, video games, running, etc.

• Is screen time the competition? Lean in! Find a book connected to a favorite movie, show, or game. Graphic novels, game guides, or behind-the-scenes movie books can get reluctant readers hooked. LibbyApp also allows you to read on a tablet, so your reader is still technically on a screen.

• Does it feel like homework? Shift the tone. Read at the park with a picnic, build a cozy fort to be used just for reading, or turn it into a game: whoever guesses the plot twist gets to pick what’s for dinner!

• What if it’s expensive? Reading can be a completely free activity this summer. Explore what your local library system has to offer. Many have reading programs, prizes, and online tools for all ages.

• Utah State Library Summer Reading

• Salt Lake City Public Library

• Tooele City Library

• Price City Library

• Ruth Vine Tyler Library – Midvale

• Murray Public Library

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, we’re committed to ensuring that summer isn’t a setback—it’s a springboard. Together with families and caregivers, we can build strong readers, confident learners, and bright futures.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake

Established in 1967 in Murray and Sugar House, the Boys Clubs in Utah were among the first in the country to include female Club members. In 2015, the merger of the two Boys & Girls Club organizations became one of Utah’s largest youth development agencies. Now with seven locations in Salt Lake, Tooele, and Carbon counties, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake maintains an enrollment of nearly 5,000 youth and teens, and serves 1,200 each day in afterschool and summer programs, fulfilling our mission to inspire and empower youth to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring adults.

To learn more about Greater Salt Lake Boys & Girls Club programs, please call (801) 322-4411.