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School is nearly out, and summer is fast approaching. My children and I are busy planning all sorts of fun outings, hikes, and adventures. We plan to get a lot of quality playtime in, but I also want them to spend some time reading this summer.
My mother taught me to love books at a very young age. Listening to her read was a significant soundtrack to my childhood. She also taught me to read at a very young age, and then nothing could stop me from plowing through the endless shelves and boxes of books she collected.
Reading opens the doors of imagination. It teaches us about the world we live in, and it allows us to dream of what might be. It is critical to improving our minds, and doing well in school. I don’t want my children to loose traction with their studies this summer. I don’t want them to spend the months watching television or playing the WII not matter how much movement it requires. I want them to READ!
Thankfully, they love to read, but just to make it a little more fun, I created 5 Fun Summer Reading Charts for them to keep track of, and be rewarded for, their summer reading. Each interactive chart offers something a bit different, but they are all fun and centered around helping the children feel motivated to read and accomplished as they complete books. Check them out:
This is my kids favorite. At the beginning of the summer I have them take on the project of cutting ice cream scoops out of bits of colored paper. I give them each a cone, and as they complete books over the summer, they write the title on a scoop and place it atop their cone. Once they’ve reached an agreed upon number of scoops, I take them out for a special date to get a real ice cream cone. It’s a great motivator to read, and a fun excuse to take them out for some individual time with mom.
This adorable chart, inspired by Disney’s UP, just makes me smile because it involves balloons. What child, or adult for that matter, doesn’t love balloons. The idea of being able to float away with a bouquet of colorful bubbles is as fun as it is fantastic. For this chart, have your child help you color or draw a house. The can also cut out balloon shapes from bits of colored paper. When they complete books this summer, have them write the title on a balloon and attach it to their house.
As a reward for completing a specified number of books, you might take them to get a balloon bouquet and let them experiment with floating objects in the safety of your living room.
This simple, fun summer reading chart requires a paper kite and a collection of paper bows for the tail. Each time your child completes a book, have them write the title on a bow and fasten it to their kite tail. Challenge your children to see how long their tail can grow. Reward them for reaching a certain number of books by taking them to a local windy spot and giving them a kite of their own.
This chart is a simple, but fun visual for children who enjoy tracking their accomplishments. Each time your child finishes a book, have them place the book against the chart. Then trace a line across marking the thickness of the completed book. The write the title of the book in the space. As they read more books, the line height will continue to grow, and they will be able to see how tall the stack of books would be that they read through over the summer.
Challenge them to reach a certain height. Allow them to compete against each other if that works for your family. Offer a reward for reaching a certain measurement. This chart works well for older children as well as the littles.
For this fun summer reading chart, have your kids cut out paper stars or use purchased star stickers. For every book they complete, they can add a star to their chart. If they are using paper stars, have them write the title of the book on each star. It’s bright. It’s fun. It’s effective. Make sure you express your excitement as the chart fills, and maybe treat your child to a special date or a treat for reading a specified number of books.
I hope you are inspired by these Fun Summer Reading Charts. Choose whichever chart works best for the readers at your house or let them pick themselves. Have fun with it. Make it an adventure, and have a wonderful, book filled summer.
24 Responses
My three oldest just love reading and it was more of a battle to get them to put books down and go to bed in the summer. I never did anything to get them to read. Now my 4th child is a whole different story! Maybe I can get him excited about something like this.
My oldest is a super reader too, but I’ve struggled with my second. She doesn’t want to read anything but picture books. I like the Measure Up chart for that. Sometimes I also only give Reading Chart credit for books that are preapproved and at grade level. I also love giving extra credit for non-fiction 🙂
GREAT ideas! I have a young, budding reader. I think the ice cream will be a great incentive!
Ice cream will get my kids to do just about anything 🙂 That is by far their favorite of the charts.
What a great idea for the summer! My son is actually more open to reading for fun this year, I think one of these reading charts would help boost his motivation a bit!
I felt like it really helped my more hesitant readers. It gave them a way to track their progress, it was fun, and they got something at the end. They’re excited to do it again this year.
I love all of your charts. What a cute idea. I love the kite chart especially.I am lucky that all three of my children have a love for books. My daughter was reading on college level in elementary school. I hope my little boy continues to love books like his older siblings.
That’s amazing Kim! I have one who I have to tear the books away from, and another who needs a bit of encouragement. It’s funny how they are all so different.
I love that you said your Mom’s reading was a significant part of your childhood’s soundtrack (or something like that!) What a compliment 🙂
I don’t know HOW to choose from these reading charts because they are all so adorable and I know my kids would love all of them. Maybe that’s the answer…I’ll have them choose. Thanks for the creative, adorable charts to choose from–I hadn’t thought of doing one this summer until I read your post!
Thanks Brooke! My mom rocks! Letting them choose is awesome. I hope they love them.
This is a great idea, Amy! My 10 year old may benefit from these charts this summer. I am trying to get him to read out loud more.
Thank you JcCee. I had a teacher tell my one of my daughters needs to do that too. I’m trying to have her read to the younger ones 🙂 Two birds with one stone, right?
I´m always trying to get my older kid to read on his own. Maybe these charts will get him inspired!
Good luck! I hope this helps 🙂
I absolutely love the kite idea, what a fantastic way to motivate kids to read their books this summer!
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Thank you Hannah! My kids sure enjoy it.
My kid’s are big time readers, as am I. My oldest is in first grade and we have to tell her to put the book down and go play. I love these fun ideas and themes for a reading chart.
I had one of those too. My second daughter is a bit harder to sell. She loves picture books, but doesn’t want to put the time into big chapter books. We just got her into Harry Potter, so I’m hoping she’ll get hooked 🙂
Great idea, and love the UP inspired chart. I remember having a space ship chart that got closer to the moon each time I read a book!
What a fun idea!! I need to do that for my son. He’s not reading yet, but he could use a reading chart for books I read him this summer.
great ideas to promote reading … loved the measure up chart…
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it. I think that one would work great for older readers as well as the littles.
Love these! We get one from school but these are so much more fun to motivate summer reading!
Thank you. If they are all reading this summer, maybe we can too. I need time for a good novel right now 🙂