Some Dad hacks to make books part of the holidays
Summer holidays are great—until week two hits, and the kids are glued to screens, the novelty of water fights has worn off, and you start to wonder if their brains are melting in the heat.
Enter the humble book.
But how do you get your kids reading when school’s out and Minecraft is calling? Without bribery. Without battles. And without you sounding like a nag?
Here are 6 dad-friendly hacks to keep reading part of summer—without turning your house into a classroom.
1. Let Them Choose (Even If It’s Silly)
Graphic novels. Joke books. Football annuals. If it has pages, it counts. Give them the freedom to pick what they want—not what you think they should be reading. The quickest way to kill the vibe? Making it feel like homework.
📚 Dad tip: Take them to a bookshop or library and give them a budget or challenge: “Pick one book you can’t wait to read.”
2. Make Reading the Wind-Down, Not the Chore
Replace post-screen meltdowns with a reading ritual. Whether it’s after dinner, before bed, or 20 minutes the garden, find a calm moment in the day and make reading part of it. No pressure. Just consistency.
😴 Bonus: It’s a sneaky way to ease them back into a school-night routine.
3. Be the Example
You don’t need to be deep into War and Peace—just show them you read. A paper, a novel, a magazine. When they see you pick up a book instead of your phone, it normalises it.
💬 Try this: “I’m gonna read my book for 15 mins—wanna read yours too and we’ll tell each other what it’s about after?”
4. Use Tech to Your Advantage
Audiobooks are reading. Kindle apps are reading. Comics on a tablet? Still reading. If your kid loves a screen, meet them there. Let them plug in their headphones and get hooked on a story while building LEGO.
🎧 Top picks: David Walliams, Tom Fletcher, and Roald Dahl all have cracking audiobook versions.
5. Create a Summer Reading Adventure
Make it a challenge. Can they read 5 books by the end of summer? One book per week? Reward effort—not speed or page count. Stick a chart on the fridge, throw in badges or mini treats. Boom. You’ve gamified reading.
🏆 Dad-level upgrade: Have a “reading camp-out” night where they can stay up late with torches and books.
6. Link Books to Real Life Fun
Reading about dinosaurs? Visit a museum. They’re into animals? Plan a zoo trip. Love a football story? Read a book, then go kick a ball around. Connecting books to the real world makes them memorable—and gives them something to talk about.
Final Word
You don’t need to be a teacher to raise a reader. You just need a few tricks, a bit of patience—and the right books. This summer, let reading be part of the fun, not the fight.
No nagging required.
