Summer.

For many school kids, it’s a time of carefree days and nights without homework. Lazy afternoons and sleeping in late.

Around here, it is also a busy season of activities aimed specifically at those youth who have new idle time on their hands. Day camps, 4-H activities, arts workshops, sporting camps — the list could go.

Another summer activity North Carolina Schools Superintendent June Atkinson recently launched is READ NC, an effort aimed at keeping kids noses’ in books during these vacation months.

Locally Surry County and Mount Airy public school workers have gotten in the act, sending home reading and other materials meant to foster interest in books.

Years of research back up the assertion that kids who don’t read during the summer regress in some of the skills they have mastered during the previous school year, while those who remain active readers do not, or at least not to the same degree.

We suspect for the more voracious readers, continuing to advance in some academic skill sets over the summer months is not out of the question.

Acquiring and maintaining various reading-related skills are essential for success, even enjoyment, in the modern world.

That is why we hope parents will take seriously area educators’ request they keep their kids reading during the summer. For little ones, we hope parents will at least read to them. For older kids and teens, get them involved in local reading programs at libraries or community centers. Read with them. Talk about the books you and they read.

There are few truly life-long gifts a parent can give to a child than a love of reading.