Much ado has been made lately about summer learning loss—and many assume that the antidote is more school. Whether that takes the form of summer school, year-round school, or computer camp, we have come to believe that more indoor desk time is what our kids need to avoid the “summer slide.”

But the beauty of summer for children is freedom—freedom to move, freedom to explore, and freedom to choose how to spend a lazy afternoon. Summer is a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, and devour novels on a front-porch hammock.

Sadly, too many children these days spend their summers sitting indoors in front of screens, or getting rushed from math camp to soccer practice. They are missing out.

That's why Let's Read. Let's Move, an Administration-wide effort to combat summer reading loss and childhood obesity through volunteering and service is so important. We are thrilled to work with the Corporation for National and Community Service on this effort.

A summer filled with unstructured outdoor play, complemented by a healthy dose of reading, can not only prevent summer learning loss but can challenge, exercise, and open children's minds in new ways.

Outdoor play promotes creativity, hones life skills, and enhances physical health; meanwhile, as noted by Let's Read. Let's Move., reading just five books over the summer can go a long way toward preventing learning loss.

These days, providing the right environment for kids to play and read may take a bit of legwork on the parents' part. Most kids won't pick up a jump rope or book if they're not conditioned to do so. It's up to the parents to limit screen time and make books and unplugged play equipment—think sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, and even cardboard boxes—readily available. Parents can find book access resources to build their children's library and find service opportunities to address reading and childhood obesity at Serve.gov

These efforts will bear fruit. Kids who view reading as a chore will find it easier and more enjoyable the more they do it. (In fact, once they find a story that hooks them, it might be hard to get them to stop!) Likewise, in the right environment, kids who are afraid of “being bored” without electronic distractions will eventually find creative ways to spend their time.

Kids also learn by example, so if you want them to read and play, set aside some time to do it yourself. Go to the park, set up lawn chairs in front of your house, or take an urban hike. Bring books on family outings so that everyone can enjoy some downtime resting and reading together.

Let's give our children the freedom to explore the worlds that exist beyond classroom walls. There is so much out there to learn! Join with KaBoom! as we answer the President's call to service through United We Serve: Let's Read. Let's Move.

Kerala Taylor is a Senior Manager of Online Content and Outreach at KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play for America's children.

Do you remember when you fell in love with reading? Many of us can recall that defining moment when we realized that reading is fun. For veteran NFL player Chris Draft, it was the day his mother took him and his brother to get their library cards. He recalled how special he felt at that moment, later emphatically proclaiming to his friends saying, “Man, look I got my library card!”
 

As part of its summer enrichment series for Let's Read! Let's Move!, the Department of Education is inviting Cabinet members, administration officials, and other public figures to join in reading children's books, promoting healthy lifestyles, and participating in games and fitness activities with children in pre-kindergarten through third grade, from various local schools and summer programs.
 

One million is a pretty powerful number. The idea that we can help one million people in need may seem like an overwhelming and unattainable goal. But this summer, Reach Out and Read demonstrated that when thousands of committed volunteers join together, they can do exactly that.
 

One Hen, Inc. is an innovative organization that helps children to become global citizens by equipping teachers with interactive resources that teach elementary school children about world issues and how they can make a difference. This summer, One Hen is teaming up with United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move to encourage summer reading and take on the problem of access to healthy and affordable food!
 

The key to stopping summer learning loss is reading. If a child reads a minimum of five books between June and August, [he] will be on track for success next school year. We need every child to read at least five books this summer and every adult to help,” Secretary Arne Duncan noted earlier this summer at the launch of the U.S. Department of Education’s “Lets Read. Let’s Move.” enrichment series. Today, five special guests demonstrated the importance of literacy and how simple it can be to meet Secretary Duncan’s challenge by reading five books to local children on the Department’s outdoor plaza
 

When a youth sports coach says ‘run’, kids run. That’s because kids respect and listen to their coaches. That led us to a simple idea: when a coach says read, youth will do just that this summer.
 

This summer, the President and First Lady launched United We Serve: Let’s Read, Let’s Move – a national call to use service as a tool to promote physical activity, healthy eating and to prevent the loss of academic learning during the summer months. This call to service encourages Americans to help fight something called the “summer reading gap” - where kids who don’t read during the summer can lose months of educational progress. And in her remarks, the First Lady emphasized the need for collaboration to make this summer a success:
 

Mrs. Marian Robinson, mother of First Lady Michelle Obama, and over 100 local students from Columbia Heights Youth Club’s Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program, the Alexandria Happy Home Child Learning Center and the D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School joined Secretary Arne Duncan at the Department of Education for the fourth installment of the Department’s “Let’s Read. Let’s Move.” summer enrichment series.
 

On Friday, U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney (2nd District – Connecticut) stopped by to visit a program that is carrying out the mission and goals of United We Serve Let’s Read. Let’s Move. Camp Rotary is a five-week summer program for middle school students in New London, Connecticut. The camp is made possible by a unique partnership between the Connecticut College Office of Volunteers for Community Service, New London Public Schools, the Rotary Club of New London, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
 

For parents looking to ensure that their children don’t start the school year behind the rest of the class, heading to the pediatrician may not be the obvious solution that comes to mind. But Reach Out and Read hopes to change that.
 

Washington Redskin and education activist Chris Draft and 100 local students from Wheaton Woods Elementary School and Columbia Heights Youth Club joined Secretary Arne Duncan at the Department of Education (ED) for the third installment of ED’s “Let’s Read. Let’s Move.” summer enrichment series.
 

United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move is working with Reach Out and Read to alleviate this problem. Reach Out and Read, the nationwide school readiness program, today launched a bold new campaign to give brand-new, age-appropriate books to one million children in need before Labor Day.
 

United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move. is collaborating with the National Summer Learning Association to encourage communities and their children to get involved in summer reading programs.
 

The U. S. Department of Education - Reading five books over the summer prevents learning loss. Working with DOE, Let's Read. Let's Move. will increase awareness about the critical importance of summer learning and encourage Americans to read to children. Additionally, DOE’s 2010 Summer Enrichment Series will invite Cabinet members, Administration officials, and other public figures to read children’s books, promote healthy lifestyles, and participate in games and fitness activities with children in pre-kindergarten through third grade.
 

For most teenagers, the stresses of school, homework, friends, and extra-curricular activities are enough to fill the daily schedule. But not for Zoe Gates. As a third grader in Andover, Massachusetts, Zoe Gates realized that she wanted to contribute to her community in a bigger way and work on a unique project that would benefit others. Zoe and one of her friends, both avid readers, decided to launch a book drive so that other children could experience the same joy and excitement they felt whenever they read a book.