Summer Screen Time = Literacy Time? (Yes, If You Do This)
Summer often brings more screen time—and more guilt . . . but screens don’t have to work against literacy goals. With a little intention, they can work for them.
Here’s How to Make It Count:
• Turn on subtitles
◦ Reading while watching helps reinforce word recognition and fluency, especially for visual learners.
• Choose shows based on books
◦ Watch a movie adaptation, then read the book (or vice versa), and compare.
• Pause and predict
◦ Ask your child what might happen next or why a character did something. This builds inference and prediction skills.
• Create after-viewing activities
◦ Draw a new ending, write a character letter, or act out a scene. All of these are literacy-rich.
Screens are a big part of life—and literacy development in the 21st century includes digital literacy. The goal isn’t to eliminate screens, but to use them in a way that supports thinking, language, and connection.
Teaching Tip: Children learn best when they’re engaged. Turning screen time into a shared, reflective activity strengthens comprehension, creativity, and connection between parent and child.
Our Summer Reading Program is filled with tips like these—plus offline activities that balance screen time with hands-on fun, reading, and real-life literacy moments.
