Children’s screen time soars over summer as reading habits fall, research finds

New research suggests 74% of children spend more time on screens over summer, while just 14% read for pleasure daily.

Girl sitting on couch with blanket reading book

Getty/OR Images

Published: September 8, 2026 at 11:36 AM

Save

Millions of children are heading back to school after the six-week summer break, but new research suggests the holidays may have had an impact on their reading and vocabulary skills.

Ad

A survey commissioned by Soreen found that 74% of children saw their screen time increase during the summer, with one in three parents saying it rose significantly. Meanwhile, just 14% read for pleasure every day, while one in 10 children did not read at all.

Around 39% of parents said they were worried the summer break had affected their child’s skills.

What to see more MadeForMums in your search results? Tell Google!

From parenting news to expert advice and trusted product recommendations, make sure you don't miss the MadeForMums content that matters to your family. Add MadeForMums as a Preferred Source on Google.

What is the ‘summer slide’?

The ‘summer slide’ refers to the loss of some academic skills during the long school holidays, particularly when children have fewer opportunities to read, write and practise what they have learned in class.

Research from Northumbria University found that a seven-week summer break can lead to a measurable decline in spelling scores among primary-aged children. Performance was found to drop significantly between the end of the summer term and the beginning of the new academic year.

Separate research has suggested children lose, on average, around 20% of their reading gains over the summer, with the effects potentially building up year after year.

Why reading and conversation matter

Broadcaster, author and lexicographer Susie Dent has partnered with Soreen to help children rediscover their love of words as they return to school.

Susie said the latest research shows that the summer slide is real, and that vocabulary development relies on everyday opportunities to talk, read and encounter unfamiliar words.

Vocabulary development relies on conversation, reading, and the exposure to unfamiliar words, and each one of these tends to dwindle during the summer months.

Susie Dent, broadcaster, author and lexicographer

However, she stressed that children can catch up and that learning does not have to happen solely in the classroom.

Simple ways to get children talking about words

Soreen has distributed Spelling Bee kits to schools nationwide, designed to give teachers a fun way to help primary school children rebuild their confidence with spelling after the summer holidays.

The brand has also launched limited-edition Lunchbox Loaves packs featuring a Wordplay insert, with new words, definitions and short stories explaining their origins.

Susie said the idea is to encourage families to make language part of everyday moments, including snack time.

Boosting our children’s wordpower can happen in the smallest moments of the day, including snack time.

Susie Dent, broadcaster, author and lexicographer

The Wordplay selection includes words such as ‘rambunctious’ and ‘gumption’, with the aim of encouraging children and parents to explore their meanings and origins together.

Making vocabulary part of family life

Liz Jacobs, marketing director at Soreen, said the initiative was intended to support teachers and families as children settle back into school.

She added that the Spelling Bee kits were designed to support teachers from the start of the new term, while the Wordplay inserts give families an opportunity to continue conversations about language at home.

Ad

For parents looking to ease children back into school routines, the research suggests that reading together, chatting about unfamiliar words and finding playful ways to explore language could all help make vocabulary practice feel less like homework and more like part of everyday family life.

Authors

MadeForMums

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...