Summertime is here! Many schools are already out for summer break and others are finishing up the last few days of the school year.
Although school is out, learning should never stop. Children must spend time reading and practicing other academic skills to avoid the “summer slide.”
With my children, I’ve learned that the trick to summer learning is making learning fun and not so school-like. Asking my children to sit down with a worksheet during the summer usually leads to whining and tears. Thankfully, there are many creative ways to keep the kids’ academic skills sharp, no worksheets involved.
Summer Reading BINGO is a fun and creative way to keep kids reading all summer long. There are many examples online, but the best BINGO card will be tailored to your child. Grab a blank piece of paper and create a BINGO card with reading goals that fit your child’s age and reading ability.
Some ideas for younger children:
- Read in a blanket fort
- Read for 20 minutes
- Read to a sibling
- Read with a flashlight in the dark
- Tell your mom or dad about a book you read
- Draw a picture from a book you read
- Read a book about animals
- Read out-loud
- Listen to an audio story
- Swap a book with a friend and read
Some ideas for older children/teens:
- Read a biography
- Read a magazine
- Read a book that has a movie
- Read a graphic novel
- Read the first book in a series
- Read a classic
- Read poetry
- Read a book recommended by a friend
- Write an alternate ending to a book you read
- Read for an hour
Come up with some small prizes that your child can receive when he or she completes a BINGO row or column. Perhaps a bigger prize could be earned once the whole card is complete. Once your child completes a BINGO card, create a new one. Challenge your child to complete as many BINGO cards as possible before school starts again.
