Summer Reading Challenge for a 6 &8 year old?

[aristocatz]

Wanting to do a summer reading challenge with my 6 year old and 8 year old. They are both average to above readers for their age groups, but the pandemic has led to too much tablet time and not enough book time. My 8 year old is able to read chapter books and 6 year old is just starting to challenge herself with Dr Seuss books.

How many books would you recommend to use as a goal by end of summer?

 

[disneychrista]

My local library has a summer reading challenge. For children the goal is to read for 7 hours between June 11th - July 23rd. For adults it is 15 hours.

I think the hours goals is better than the book goal. I know I am a slower reader. It takes me longer to read 100 pages then it might take someone else.

 

[Random Ninja]

I inhaled books as a kid and would read 4-5 a week over the summer. My parents would sign me up for every reading program they could find. I remember earning a lot of free hamburgers and books over the summers.

You might want to check around for free book reading programs. Most libraries have one. Scholastic has an online summer program and, if you have a Barnes & Noble or BAM nearby, theirs are usually pretty good.

 

[Adventureland]

It depends on how quick your kids plow through books and what other obligations they have. I went through them very quickly as a youngin'.
Perhaps hours might be a better goal, like DC said? It can be cumulative, maybe like two hours per week but if they finish a book during that time period, they can pick up the rest of the hour later.

I can't remember what the goal was for my local library, but they usually provide incentives that can make it more appealing.

 

[Katiebird]

I’ve always hated tracking time or pages for reading, makes it feel like such a chore. I would think about how long it takes them each to read a typical book they're interested in, and then set a book goal based on how many hours a day/week/whatever you actually want them to read. Round it down some, so they have a chance to go way over their goal and feel successful - if they get close quickly, you can set bonus goals that are higher.

 

[Ellie008]

Our elementary school does a summer reading program every year. The kids are supposed to keep track of reading in 15 minute increments. The goal is 15 minutes per day 5 days per week all summer. If they have that many squares marked off when school starts again they get to join the reading party.

I agree that keeping track of minutes makes it a chore. I have generally just tried to make sure they read 4-5 days/week, for however long they end up reading, whether it is 5 minutes or an hour.

Now that my older one is in middle school they have to do two book reports over the summer. Any two novels, and there is a generic two page form to fill out about the book once you finish reading it.

If you are going for number of books you just encourage them to read short books. I wouldn't do that.

I would also recommend you find a series they both like and read aloud to them both. My kids are much older and still love having me read to them before bed. Modeling reading yourself IMO is the best way to have them end up loving to read and finding it normal to read to yourself a lot.