What are you doing for Summer Reading?

[sweetpea3829]

Title says it all.

 

Last summer, the kids and I completed two literature novels (Trumpet of the Swan and Cricket in Times Square).  I'd like a little more laid back, lo-key this year.  Actually, I'm looking for nothing formal, but I do want them reading, lol.

 

So what do YOU do for summer reading for your elementary kids?

[mom2bee]

Browse books that I liked on Amazon and then check out the Suggested for Me options from the library. Yes, sadly I'm serious. I wish I had good literary taste.

[pitterpatter]

AAR 4...to get it out of the way.

[Alice]

Usually I just let them read whatever they want. We do read-alouds all year long so nothing and continue that in the summer Our library has a summer reading program that they participate in. They can earn a coupon book that gets them things like a free ice cream cone at McDonald's. 

 

Last year I wanted to encourage my oldest to read outside of his favorite genre which is fantasy with a bit of adventure or sci fi thrown in. And I wanted to encourage my middle son to read more. He had a habit of dipping into a lot of books but not finishing anything. So I made a list of 12 books and made a poster for each of them. The poster had photos of the bookjackets of the books I'd chosen. They each had to read one book a month from my list and then could read whatever else they wanted. I'll probably do something similar this year. 

[Momto4inSoCal]

I also just let them pick their reading books. We do the library reading program, the read to ride program for the fair and the barnes and noble reading program. My only rule is it has to be a book at their reading level and they have to finish the book. Last year my daughter tried to grab her old step into reading books so I had to help her choose an age appropriate book. 

[Sukale]

My youngest just turned 7 last week.  These are the next read a louds I am wanting to get to.

 

Matilda
The One and Only Ivan
The Mouse and the Motorcycle

The Secret Garden
Pippi Longstocking

Flora and Ulysses

Mandy

 

Then we will just hit the library for some good picture books and easy chapter books for her to read a loud to me.

 

[mmasc]

For my 4th grader, I'll be using some of Memoria Press suggestions for summer reading. I'm hoping to do at least 2-3 read alouds, and maybe have DS read one of the 4th grade book selections once he finishes The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I'll also encourage fun reading as much as possible, which for him is Big Nate and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Like other posters, we also participate in the library reading program.

For my first grader, we will just continue on with readers, plus read alouds of various types.

[Coco_Clark]

I read aloud from a literary but light book every morning (think Roald Dahl) and the boys are expected to spend 20 minutes reading to themselves from whatever they like.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

They choose their own books, reading nightly before bedtime as usual.

 

I may do a read-aloud or two.

 

We'll do a few audiobooks, too.

[displace]

I'm going to incorporate a lot more read alouds during car rides. Literature as well as fun stuff. The more literature we get through the less I have to read later. I'll continue going through the Mensa reading list for K-2 grade, plus some free summer program incentives if there are requirements.

[JaniceO]

My kids are going to start reading through the Mensa for Kids reading lists. My oldest needs to branch outside of his box book wise and the other three just need to read more and hopefully develop a love for reading.

[alisoncooks]

DD will continue to read whatever appeals to her.

I'll probably do a read aloud or two.

 

Oldest will continue REWARDS Intermediate and hopefully finish over the summer.  Youngest will work through Dancing Bears A and some I See Sam books.

[ScoutTN]

My kids always do the (ridiculously easy) summer reading program at the library because the prize is a free ticket to the children's science center. :)

 

Other than that, I don't really keep track of what or how much they read. I am thankful that they both really enjoy reading and consider a weekly trip library trip absolutely essential. That said, Ds is still a fairly new reader, enjoying things like The Boxcar Children, Half Magic and lots of comic books, so I do steer him some in his choices. Dd is finishing the first Percy Jackson set and wants to jump back into Redwall soon. (Read 5, 17 to go?!)

 

LOTR will be our summer read aloud, beginning next week! I reread it recently and I think my kids are ready for it. Loooking forward to lazy late afternoons enjoying the a/c and good books after a fun morning at the pool.

 

My summer reading will be most of Dd's assigned, independent reading list for next year. Some related to our Narnia lit study and some to Ancients for history. Plus pulling together science for next year and maybe a once through TtC.

[AppleGreen]

Mine will continue to have their nightly story, although I will try, try to pick one to read aloud to all because late night playing disrupts our evening story time. I say that every summer, but it never works...maybe this is our year!

 

Last summer I assigned the two older kids a book a week. These were works I wanted them to read, but they probably wouldn't have picked up themselves. They read an insane amount, so this didn't curb anyone's enthusiasm. It also helped keep them reading some higher quality material amidst all the summer brain candy. I did not require any output other than a little weekly informal chat about the week's reading. 

 

We go to the library several times each week, and that continues through the summer. 

[fourisenough]

At our house we have a summer rule: No feet on the floor between 2 & 4. You either nap or read. Period. Teens mostly nap (they're competitive swimmers who usually train 5-8a, so they NEED a nap) and youngers & I mainly read. We plow through a lot of books in the summer. Seems like summer is the season for series books in our house. DD3 is a knitter, so she often listens to audio books while her hands are busy.

[ALB]

We don't do anything different, except that we don't do our formal literature program and lit guides.  I continue reading aloud to them daily, my dh reads aloud every night, and they read on their own off and on all day long.  

 

I have considered adding some history to our read aloud times, maybe SOTW.  But we read so many picture books that are history related that I'm not sure we need that on top of it.  

 

For read aloud selections I especially like Ambleside online's recommendations.

[SkateLeft]

My city library system doesn't have a reading program, so I'm thinking about creating my own for my youngest, though I suspect my teen son would want to participate too!

 

I'm not really sure how I want to go about doing it though. Hmm....

[sweetpea3829]

Our library had some wonderful programs last summer and we were so looking forward to them.  Unfortunately, we had vehicle issues and hubby had to take the one good vehicle remaining to work everyday.  At the time, he was working over an hour away.  

 

This year, he has a new job 5 minutes from home so I'll have the family car more often.  

 

I'm leaning towards keeping our audiobook breakfast and lunch read-alouds.  I really like the "feet off the floor from 2-4", except mine would revolt if I asked them to stay reading or napping for that long.  I'll probably continue our after lunch 30 minute quiet reading time.

 

I'm still trying to decide if I want to add in a novel study or not.  I think probably not.  

[Brit29]

My kid reads constantly, so I don't worry about her getting enough reading in. However, this summer, I'm going to encourage her to work through the Mensa kids list. She can do it while working on the library summer program. It'll be a nice goal for her. 

 

I don't read aloud as much as I should, hoping to pick that back up this summer. 

 

[JoyfullyNoisy]

We'll be traveling this summer, so we're downloading a lot on the kindle app.

 

This made this list today for all to enjoy - and to keep practicing our favorite mnemonic technique in a low pressure, fun way.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sticks-Stones-Hammers-Bows-Antiquity-ebook/dp/B00W42OLBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429099681&sr=8-1&keywords=desiree+scarambone

 

As read alouds I'm thinking Anne of Green Gables for my rising 5th grader (DD), and maybe Tom Sawyer for my rising 3rd (DS) and collecting for more good ideas for their independent reading.  Possibly Tom's Midnight Garden for DS.

[ryyans]

We will be working off the Mensa for Kids reading list this summer.