{Sponsored}
It is the last week of school, and admittedly, I already feel the “Summer Slide” encroaching. Research shows that children who do not read during the Summer can lose those vital skills in just 2-3 months and very often teachers spend 4-6 weeks of the school year re-teaching students concepts and skills they have previously learned due to the “Summer Slide.” Our particular school ceases the weekly homework push 2 weeks before the end of the year, and with sports on hiatus, I’m striving to keep my kids busy so they don’t gravitate towards the television or their iPads. Balancing the need for my son, in particular, to have a break while ensuring he doesn’t lose the educational skills he has worked so hard to achieve over the past year is tricky. It’s why we’ll spend every week at the library picking out books to fill the small windows of time when we aren’t out exploring our city, traveling, or cooling off at the pool.
In addition to visiting our local library, our family has decided to participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge. While I know that my son will read as long as I encourage it, I prefer to have a more formal way to ensure he is actually maintaining and even improving his reading skills. I don’t want to assume he is reading more than he is, and a program that is engaging and rewarding will help our entire family continue to place a high value on reading.
When you visit Scholastic.com/Summer, you’ll be prompted to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge which will then provide you and your child access to a wealth of free resources. In addition to offering daily tips for parents, free booklists, parent videos on summer reading activities, and free printables, families can enter the weekly sweepstakes for a chance to win a Power Up & Read Prize Pack (one Scholastic tote bag, one copy of Reading Unbound, 1 $10 certificate to the Scholastic Store Online, 1 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge Water Bottle, 1 Energizer Max AA 2-pack batteries and 3 assorted books).
Reading Printables
Kids have their very own designated site where they can log reading minutes and unlock original short stories from featured children’s authors. The site also features never-before-seen videos from featured authors, a creative writing “Innovation Machine” Game & Contest, and a Monthly Klutz Books sweepstakes.
In addition to the wealth of resources available on Scholastic.com, you can also download free reading printables including a Summer Reading Pledge, a Summer Reading Log, and a Certificate of Achievement.
To help my son read all summer long, I’ve compiled the ultimate reading list for kids ages 6-8 with some help from Scholastic and parenting expert Maggie McGuire. Most of the books listed here are purely entertainment, however, I know that my son is more likely to read a book that he has selected and research shows that 91% of kids stated that their favorite books were the ones they selected themselves.
If you have a favorite we’ve left off the list, I encourage you to leave a comment with your favorite books for this age group and I’ll continue to update the list.
The Adventures of Ook and Gluk Series
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves!
Remember, you have all Summer to enter the “Power the Possibilities” Sweepstakes, where you could win one of thousands of prizes that will power discovery and learning including a family trip to New York City, a Scholastic Study Corner Makeover, a tablet loaded with Scholastic apps, a library of Scholastic books and more. When you play, you’ll also be able to download free digital stories. You must enter before October 31, 2015 by purchasing any specially marked pack of Energizer brand batteries. For more information or to enter, visit Energizer.com/win.
Don’t forget to sign up for Scholastic’s FREE Summer Reading Challenge before September 4th, 2015. Visit Scholastic for resources to keep your kids reading all summer long and follow Scholastic on Twitter and Energizer on Facebook with the hashtag #SummerReading for additional tips! And for inspiration on ways to keep your child reading through the summer check out my previous post!
- Discover Luxury at Sonesta Irvine: Your Ideal Staycation - August 8, 2024
- CHOC Walk Returns to the Disneyland Resort – Special Events and Ways to Support - June 28, 2023
- Beastly Ball Returns to the Los Angeles Zoo - May 8, 2023
This is a great article in keeping children involved and strengthening their reading skills during the summer months.