Summer Reading Challenges You Can Start at Home
Inside: Simple summer reading challenge ideas for kids, including printable activities, book lists, and reading log templates. Keep reading for fun this summer.
Summer break is a time for kids to relax, recharge, and have fun — but it’s also the perfect opportunity to help them fall in love with reading. Without the structure of school days, it can be tricky to keep kids reading consistently. That’s where a summer reading challenge can make all the difference!
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Summer Reading Challenges You Can Start at Home
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or librarian, setting up a simple and fun summer reading challenge at home can keep literacy skills sharp and help prevent the “summer slide.” Plus, with a little creativity, reading over the summer doesn’t have to feel like homework.
In this post, we’ll share easy ideas to make summer reading fun, creative ways to encourage reading outside of the classroom, and tips on choosing books your kids will actually want to read.
What is a Summer Reading Challenge?
A summer reading challenge is a fun, goal-based activity where children track the number of books they read or the minutes they spend reading over the summer. Many reading challenges offer small incentives or awards for reaching milestones.
Public libraries, bookstores, and online programs like the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, Beanstack Summer Reading Challenge, and Barnes & Noble Reading Challenge offer free programs for kids to join. You can also easily create a personalized challenge at home using printable resources or a reading log.
Why Do a Summer Reading Challenge?
Reading challenges give kids a sense of accomplishment while turning reading into an adventure rather than a chore. They help children:
- Maintain and improve literacy skills over the break.
- Develop stronger vocabulary and comprehension.
- Discover new topics, authors, and book series.
- Build positive, lasting reading habits.
Summer reading challenges can also strengthen family connections when parents and kids read together or track their goals side by side.
Simple Summer Reading Challenge Ideas for Kids
Looking for ways to make reading fun and exciting this summer? Here are several simple ideas you can start today.
Summer Reading Bingo
Create or download a summer reading bingo card filled with creative prompts such as:
- Read under a tree
- Read a book with a blue cover
- Read to a pet or stuffed animal
- Read by flashlight
- Read a nonfiction book
Kids can aim to complete a full row, an X, or the entire card by the end of summer.
Summer Reading Log
These summer reading activities are perfect to send home with students over the summer! This summer reading log is no prep to send home with your students for the summer break!
Join a Library Summer Reading Challenge
Most local libraries host their own summer reading challenges. These programs often include reading logs, activity trackers, and prize drawings. Check your local branch’s website or stop by to learn about this year’s library summer reading challenge. My kids and I join every year!
If your library doesn’t have one, you can set a personal challenge for your child by tracking the number of books borrowed and read from the library this summer.
Create a Themed Reading List Challenge
Help kids build a summer reading list around topics they love. This could include themes like:
- Space and astronauts
- Dinosaurs
- Mysteries
- Animal adventures
- Famous inventors and historical figures
Letting kids have a say in their reading list increases excitement and ownership.
Fun Places for Kids to Read This Summer
Who says reading has to happen at a desk or kitchen table? Change up your child’s reading routine with these fun and unexpected spots:
- In a backyard tent or blanket fort
- Under a shady tree at the park
- During a road trip or while waiting at appointments
- On a picnic blanket
- By flashlight during a backyard campout
- At the beach or by the pool (with a waterproof bag)
Switching up the reading location makes it feel like an adventure and can help reluctant readers stay engaged.
How to Pick Books Kids Will Want to Read
The secret to a successful summer reading challenge is offering books your child genuinely wants to read. Here are a few tips:
- Visit the library or bookstore and let them choose their own books.
- Include graphic novels, joke books, or magazines for variety.
- Ask teachers, friends, or librarians for recommendations.
- Look up suggested reading lists from the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge or your local library.
- Introduce a book series so they can follow their favorite characters through multiple adventures.
The more freedom kids have to select what interests them, the more likely they are to stick with their reading challenge.
Prizes and Rewards for Summer Reading Challenges
Small incentives can add extra excitement to any reading challenge. Here are a few easy prize ideas:
- Printable certificates
- A trip to the local ice cream shop
- Stickers, bookmarks, or small toys
- A new book of their choice
- A family movie night or pizza party
Some national programs also offer reading rewards, such as the Pizza Hut Reading Challenge. Be sure to check local libraries and bookstore programs for additional prize opportunities.
Printable Resources to Start a Reading Challenge at Home
To help make your summer reading challenge easy and fun, I’ve created a Summer Reading Activities Pack you can print and send home with students or use with your own children.
This printable pack includes:
- Summer Reading Bingo
- Multiple reading log styles
- Reading time tracker
- Summary pages to encourage comprehension
- Bookmarks
- Summer reading awards
Each page is available in both color and black and white versions for easy, flexible printing.
You can view the full printable set here: Summer Reading Activities Pack
Summer Reading Log
These summer reading activities are perfect to send home with students over the summer! This summer reading log is no prep to send home with your students for the summer break!
Bonus: Adult Reading Challenges
Reading challenges aren’t just for kids. Many libraries and book clubs offer adult reading challenges during the summer months. You might also set a personal goal, such as a reading list challenge or tracking books using an app like Beanstack.
Participating in a reading challenge yourself is a great way to model positive reading habits and share book discussions with your children..
A summer reading challenge is one of the simplest, most enjoyable ways to keep children engaged, learning, and entertained during summer break. By offering a mix of fun reading activities, fresh book ideas, and small rewards, you’ll help nurture a love for reading that lasts beyond the summer months.
Whether you join a Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, visit your local library summer reading challenge, or create your own with a summer reading challenge printable, you’re supporting literacy skills while creating meaningful summer memories.
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