Summer Reading For Kids

Here's a summer reading idea that I hope will keep our kiddos motivated and not quite so bored this summer. It seems pretty effective in keeping them reading and they are less likely to get off task when there is a big motivator as a reward... like... a movie with mom!

Once we get out of school and are off of our schedule it is sometimes hard to get motivated to read. OR days just go by and we swim, go to the park, sleep late, etc. and we don't keep up on our reading. In our situation (where school is already a challenge) that is REALLY not a good thing! SO... I need a plan.

SO we are going to come up with a plan before school is even out and this is how it will go...

One thing we will  do is start with what my sweet and precious cherub already has horded up her room. OR we will start in our  DVD stash and work it the other way.

We will go through our books and movies and come up with the ones that have a match... either a coordinating book or movie. That does not make sense... let me show you.

Forgive the fuzzy picture, but it will help me explain my point!

For example, this year for Christmas my mom gave Caroline this in DVD:

I plan to schedule a weekly trip to the library where I will find the book (FREE!) and read it with Caroline. Then we will head back home and watch the movie together (while munching on popcorn!) and then we will probably write a short paragraph about the book and the movie.

Another idea (that will take a little longer) is to find a book that is a little more challenging (last summer we read Charlotte's Web in chapter book form) and then use the movie as a reward. We talked about the details in the movie that we remembered in the book and we wrote about our favorite part of the story.

You can also go online where they sometimes have activity pages that go along with the books that you read. HOW cool is that?

Sometimes you may have the opportunity to go see it in the theater. Anytime a kids movie comes out check to see if there is a coordinating book. Challenge your kid to read the book before you go and look for similarities or differences. It will help with critical thinking, checking for details, and problem solving!! (and it will give them a goal of finishing a book before the reward of a movie day!)

Checking the library for movies to rent is another great way to find topics that might interest kids. Then look for the book while you are there and PRESTO! You have a reading project right before your eyes... and it is free!!

Disney movies will probably be the best source for us to find both the book and the movie! We have yet to see Lady and the Tramp and other classic stories on the big screen!! We've read them, but not seen them.

Kids learn in so many ways. Movie time does not need to be every day, but you can definitely incorporate it into your educational journey and it keeps kids reading along the way! Keep a list of all of the books you read and set a goal! Reward your kid for working on their skills during the summer months and keep them reading!!!