Catherine Behrendt

According to the National Summer Learning Association, “when the school year ends, children in high-poverty environments struggle not only with basic needs like healthy food and safe places to spend their days, but with losing precious time during the summer months to continue their learning.” It results in what’s called the “Achievement Gap,” when factors like race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status have an impact on a child’s ability to succeed, in school and in life.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Screen time, video games and social media distract kids from reading, but technology is not solely to blame when children struggle to read. After all, research shows that audiobooks and electronic reading devices can actually help boost literacy skills. Grand Rapids Public Library Teen Librarian, Erin Hart, said fifth grade is a crucial time because reading for fun starts to decline as kids hit middle school. “They get busy with other things,” said Hart.

We’re about six weeks into summer vacation. Have your children complained about boredom yet? Why not take them to the library, or better yet, stop by one of this summer’s literacy events at two Grand Rapids area parks, Garfield and Lincoln. There are free books for the kids, ice cream, story times, and other activities. The idea is to cure the boredom with a book and stave off summer learning loss that happens when kids are out of school for the summer.