Reading during the summer can be challenging for kids, especially homeschooled ones. After all, when you don’t have to worry about summer reading lists and exams, motivating yourself or your kids to pick up a book can be difficult. But there are plenty of ways to make reading fun or incentivize it! Try one or more of these ideas to help keep everyone on track with their summer learning goals:
Make a Reward for Reading
The reward for summer reading can be anything. It doesn’t have to be something big, like a trip to the library or an expensive new book; even small rewards can effectively make summer learning fun. Rewards could include:
- A family movie night with popcorn and a new DVD (or your child’s choice of film)
- A special lunch out together
- A field trip to the local park to play games and relax in nature
You can grab a free printable reading chart to keep track of your reading in our printable library!
Plan a family book club or reading challenge
Plan a family book club or reading challenge if you feel too regimented. Choose a time and place to meet (this can be as simple as gathering at the dining room table). Choose a book to read together, select a reward for completing the challenge (maybe an afternoon at the park or ice cream if everyone reads all their books), and then plan another meeting time. It’s fun to do something special with your kids after they finish their books!
Have fun with it! This isn’t just about getting them off their screens or practicing their reading—it’s also about having fun together. If you’re doing this alone, consider using some immersive technology such as virtual reality headsets or augmented reality apps to make reading more exciting for children who usually don’t enjoy it.
Create an interactive display or project to track progress
If you want to help your kids keep track of their reading, consider creating a display or project that can be used as a visual aid. You could use stickers to represent each of the books they have read, or paper ice cream scoops on an ice cream cone.
You can also use charts and graphs to track progress during the summer months. A simple chart will suffice for most children; however, older students could benefit from using more complex systems such as spreadsheets or even computer programs (such as Excel) for tracking their reading. Kids 13 and older may find it fun to have a GoodReads account to track the books they have read and even leave reviews on them.
If you or your child has a Kindle or the Kindle app, both of these will track the books you have read. Amazon has set up fun new “reward” systems for avid readers to give you stickers/trophies/and other fun encouragements in the app to egg on your reading progress. Kindle Unlimited is great for avid readers because you get access to over 2 million books and counting! If you are new to kindle unlimited, then check out these sign up deals:
Reading can be fun, even outside of class time!
Reading is a great way to keep your kids engaged and learning during the summer. In addition, reading can be a reward for good behavior or meeting goals. You can do it together if your child isn’t ready to read independently. Reading can also be used as an opportunity to connect with your child, whether by discussing what they’ve read or sharing books as entertainment. You can even create a family tradition around reading!
If you want to encourage your kids’ love of reading but aren’t sure how exactly, here are three ways:
- Make reading rewarding
- Make an interactive display to track progress
- Set a reading timer
We hope you enjoy these tips on how to make summer reading fun. If your student gets stuck, remember that many online resources are available to help them research specific topics or books they want to read more about!
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