Many parents, myself included, worry about their child’s academic regression during the summer break. This is what teachers call the dreaded “Summer slide”. One way to prevent this slide in habits and skills is to encourage children to read every day during the summer.
Many schools provide summer reading assignments. I remember as a pre-teen forcing myself to read the entire assigned book two days before school, and because of the pressure, struggling to enjoy it and sometimes struggling to remember anything about the book. When students spread their reading assignments out throughout the summer, it allows for a much smoother transition back to school.
This summer reading chart is a great way to get kids excited about reading, build the habit, and keep track of their progress.
Many experts say that children should read or be read to for at least 20 minutes each day in order to reach grade-level reading abilities. This may seem like a long time for some kids, especially little ones who need to be read to. These charts offer variety so you can pick what is best suited to your child.
What is included:
When you download this printable, you will receive 4 colorful summer-themed reading incentive charts. Choose the option that is best for your child based on age, attention span, and family lifestyle. It is recommended that you print one chart for each reader.
- One chart has a space for a reward every 7 days (for a total of 5 weeks) and notes a reading goal of 10 minutes
- One chart has a space for a reward every 7 days (for a total of 5 weeks) and notes a reading goal of 20 minutes
- One chart rewards the reader every 10 days (for a total of 50 days) and notes a reading goal of 10 minutes.
- One chart rewards the reader every 10 days (for a total of 50 days) and notes a reading goal of 20 minutes.
How To Use This Chart:
- Place the chart in a central location, where your child will see it often, such as the refrigerator, a reading corner, or their usual workspace. Be sure to have one chart for each child.
- Read in a quiet place for the designated amount of time (10 minutes or 20 minutes)
- Use a Visual Timer while reading. Set a timer for the amount of time that you want your kid to read to reach their goal. Visual timers are great because kids can look at them and have a representation of how much time is left, even if they can’t yet tell time. This also helps to build overall time management skills.
- Agree on an incentive with your child. They must be motivated to read every day for the incentive chart to work. Choose weekly incentives and a grand prize to collect when they have completed each benchmark.
- Let your child color in each popsicle or place a sticker on the popsicle to show they have completed their reading for the day. This allows them to feel a sense of ownership and pride.
- Celebrate each milestone with your child!
Incentive ideas:
We try to keep all of our incentives screen-free as a way to show our kids that using devices is not the only enjoyable thing that they can do with their summer. Here are some low-tech incentives that you can offer your child when they meet their reading goals.
- Weekly incentives:
- New sticker book
- New coloring book
- A cute bookmark
- A trip to the library or bookstore to pick a new book
- A new toy
- A new Play-Doh pack
- A popsicle or ice cream cone
- Grand Prize incentives (when they’ve completed the entire chart):
- A day/ date alone with a Parent. This is great for kids with siblings who may not get to spend much alone time with their parents, or if they usually spend more time with one parent than the other.
- A “Yes” Day
- A Pizza Party with some friends
- An ice cream party with friends
- A day at the beach
- A day at a play space or trampoline park
How to Download your Summer Reading Charts:
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the form to access the printable PDF.
- Print your pages on 8.5″ x 11″ letter-sized paper for best results. Print in color for even more encouragement!
- Grab your crayons, markers, or colored pencils, and start reading!
