Download this free at home summer reading challenge for kids to keep students of all backgrounds engaged in reading, even when school isn’t in session.
It is officially summer and the school year has come to a close. While summer is definitely the time to relax and have some fun, both for teachers and kids, that doesn’t mean we can’t keep the love of reading alive!
The question is, how do we keep kids engaged with reading at home?
Here’s the secret, we have to make sure the kids are having fun reading!
I wanted to do my part to help keep your little readers engaged this summer. Insert this free at home summer reading challenge! Your kids will love this challenge, even in the summer! š š
Who Is The Free Summer Reading Challenge For?
This free summer reading challenge for kids is suitable for all elementary school students, regardless of their age or reading level.
Depending on the age and reading level, you can offer up some great book recommendations for your students.
For the mid to upper-elementary students, you can even recommend different series of chapter books. I love when kids get hooked on a series and want to just keep reading. This truly helps them develop a love of reading and makes it fun for them.
Summer is the perfect time to dive into a new chapter book series too.
The reading challenge doesn’t tell students what to read, which is great! Since the school year is over, your kids may not have access to all the books they do at school. Instead, this reading challenge tells them how and where to read. Mixing it up will encourage a love of reading for your kids. Here are some examples:
- Read outside.
- Build a fort – then read in it!
- Read during a picnic.
- Read a book in bed.
- Read a book two times in a row.
What do students need in order to do the summer reading challenge activities?
These activities were specifically designed with all students in mind. Some may have access to a variety of books while others do not have that kind of book selection.
The reading activities don’t require specific texts or materials.
(I know that unfortunately not all students have access to multiple books at home. They can still do this!)
Any student can complete the activities with whatever they have on hand at home.
If your town or city has a local library, you can even encourage your students to visit there to check out books. The librarian would be a great person for them to go to for book recommendations.
Completing the Summer Reading Challenge
In the rare case that students can’t complete an activity, not to worry!
The goal of the summer reading challenge is to complete as many reading activities as possible. Think of it like a game of BINGO! They can do as many as they can and mark them off as they go.
Bonus: Integrate Writing with the Free Reading Challenge
Since reading and writing go hand-in-hand, there’s writing extension activities at the bottom of the page!
It challenges kids to keep a journal about each reading activity that they do. This not only helps keep those reading skills fresh, but also the writing and reflection skills. They will go into the new school year with refreshed skills, avoiding that dreaded summer slide!
Once again, this is completely flexible. Students can do the writing activities in a journal or online in a Google Doc!
How do I share the free summer reading challenge for kids with my students?
Typically, as a teacher author, I would ask that you do not share resources online. However, during the summer, I am happy for you to share this online! š
Here are some ways that you can share this summer reading challenge with your students.
- Print it out and include it in a hard copy packet that you give to your students at the end of the school year.
- Share the PDF via email, Google Classroom, or a secured classroom website.
- Take a screenshot of the file. Send it to your students via Remind, Seesaw, Class Dojo, Google Classroom, or any other secure learning platform.
I know this all depends on what you and your students have access to. Find what works for you and each of your students.
Just know that I support you sharing this reading challenge for kids in any way that you can. I want all of your students to have fun reading this summer!
Download the Free Reading Challenge Instantly by Clicking the Button Below
Download the At Home Reading Challenge Now!Download the Free Reading Challenge from TpT by Clicking the Button Below
I prefer to download the At Home Reading Challenge from TPTMore Free Ways to Keep Kids Reading at Home
Speaking of reading at home, did you know there are websites and apps offering books for kids to read online, for free?
I’ve vetted them all and made a list of the top 7 FREE ways for kids to read books online for free!
These are amazing websites that include a variety of books from picture books to chapter books. With some of these, your students can even select their interests, age, and reading level to get customized book recommendations just for them. How cool is that?!
Let Your Students Read Phonics Reading Comprehension Passages at Home!
Did you know that I updated my best-selling All-in-One Reading Passages to include digital versions so that your students can keep reading them at home?
All you need to do to access this free update is log in, access your purchases, and download the file again! [This works for both TpT and my website shop!]
Then you can use Google Classroom to share them with your students. šš¼
