Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

Have you ever heard of the “summer slide?” It is very common for kids to lose some of their learning over the summer break from school. While it is common, that doesn’t mean it can’t be helped! One way to keep kids’ reading abilities steady (and growing!) over the summer is to read, read, and read some more. This fun summer reading challenge for kids is a great way to promote reading and keep things fun this summer!

Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

Some kids naturally have a love of reading, and some kids maybe haven’t found the right books yet. If your kid isn’t running to pick up a book while they are home over summer, you can encourage them by making it a fun challenge. (Teachers, these are great to send home with your students when they leave on the last day!)

Depending on the age or ability of your child, you can decide together how many books they will challenge themselves to read this summer. The printable pages have options for 10, 20, 50, and 100 books. This allows options for kids who are reading picture books or being read to, all the way to kids who are independently reading chapter books.

After selecting their challenge (remember, it should be a little hard, it’s a challenge after all) have your child color in one “book” for each book they complete over the summer.

Keep the recording sheet on the fridge or near a nightstand where it won’t get lost!

You may choose to have a prize for completing the challenge, such as ice cream, a new book, a play date, toy, etc. – whether or not you choose to reward the challenge is up to you, but it can definitely make it more exciting!

Looking for quick book recommendations? You can always find a ton (usually sorted by best seller) on Amazon.

• Preschool Books
• Kindergarten Books
• 1st Grade Books
• 2nd Grade Books
• 3rd Grade Books 

Of course, your local library will be the best place to have tons of books at your fingertips. If you set up a day each week to visit, it can be a fun way to stock up on books and spend time together, and libraries often have free summer reading programs and events as well!

Grab Your Set

Ready to challenge your kiddos with a summer reading challenge? Grab your free set of printables and choose your challenge by clicking the blue button below! Then, keep up on sight words this summer with our fun and editable sunshine sight word puzzles! 

More Summer Fun

For even more summer fun, try some of our favorite activities!

Sunshine Sight Word Puzzles

Summer Word Searches (The Kindergarten Connection)