Are you a parent wondering about preventing the summer slide for your child but also wanting them to have a fun summer?
If you are like us, somewhere midsummer you start asking yourself where the time is going. Whoever said “The days are long but the years are short” was on to something, right?!
So we love to take advantage of every opportunity we get to soak up summer, because where we are here in Michigan, we always know winter is coming for us! However, as educators, we ALSO know that summer learning loss is a real thing, and we want to prioritize the FUN and the LEARNING.
Tips for Preventing the Summer Slide
Quick story for you today…
My (Katie) dad loves to golf. But my mom historically hasn’t been a golfer. YEARS ago, she decided to give it a go. She put the ball on the tee, hit a great shot, and walked away smiling like she really knew how to crush it!
Then…when they walked up to where her ball was, she put down her tee again and put the ball up onto it, ready to crush it once more!
Yup, my Dad had to explain that you don’t get to use the tee every time. She now had to hit it off the grass. This learning experience really gets us laughing when he tells this story!
How many times do we accidentally expect our kids to just know things when they haven’t yet had an adequate amount of teaching or practice? We’re all guilty of this.
Did you know that according to a recent study, less than a third of U.S. children are proficient writers?
Less than a third! Yikes.
So as teachers and mamas, we’re thinking, let’s just simply provide our kiddos with more opportunities to practice! We’d like to share with you some of our BEST tips for preventing the summer slide in WRITING.
We’ve got ideas for you that provide additional practice opportunities, FUN learning for the kids, and EASY prep for the busy parents!
How to Prevent Summer Slide Learning Loss
So, here’s a few tips to get those kids learning and WRITING this summer!
Grab this FREE writing paper you can print today for your child to practice on! It includes 12 different paper options – to meet the needs of students at any age level. TOTALLY FREE! Print that off today & encourage your kids to write. Just for FUN. Anything they want. But let’s get them writing.
Grab these FREE writing prompts to try out together or have them try on their own! We’ve got to make writing FUN in order to entice them to participate, practice more often, & build writing stamina!
Grab your Free Parent Guide with Our 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning! These are PERFECT for preventing the summer slide & giving you ideas for summer learning activity fun! Additionally, this guide will even set you up for a successful school year with tips like how to set up an at-home learning space for doing homework & which learning shows to let them watch while you cook dinner! Did we mention it’s FREE?!
Try out a FUN writing instruction video from The Literacy Camp! Just sit those elementary kiddos in front of this SUPER FUN & ENGAGING WRITING LESSON VIDEO! Seriously, next time you need to keep the kiddos busy for about 22 minutes – just throw some paper & writing utensils in front of them & let the video work it’s magic! (And YES – we DID just give you one of the Virtual Literacy Camp videos COMPLETELY FREE!)
That video will get them writing and having FUN writing in NO TIME! Then, when they LOVE it – which obvi – they will LOVE it …
Don’t worry, friends, that Literacy Camp at Home Experience is also FULL of reading instruction videos and reading activities for your kiddos to do at home this summer too! Preventing the summer slide in reading has never been easier!
Before we wrap it up here, I’m sure my mom (who reads all of these blog posts because our moms are The Literacy Ladies #1 fans) would like for me to tell you she is now a SWEET golfer.
But it took some practice and some coaching. Let’s provide that to our little writers so they can crush it in school AND life (and maybe even golf someday)!
Happy Writing,
Katie (who also doesn’t know how to golf) & Krista (who rocks a golf swing like it’s her job because would you expect anything less of competitive & athletic Krista?!)
Are you worried about summer learning loss? Wanting the kids to do some “homework” during the summer but also thinking our kids deserve a break in the summertime?! Some legit FUN?! Us too!
So we’re ALL about the crazy fun we can create with FREE activities like epic fort building. You guys…my (Katie here) brother built my kids a fort with an actual SLIDE the other day! And the Coolest Uncle Award goes to…
We’re also here for the kind of exciting and relatively cheap fun that can come from things like these sweet water balloons!
Okay, fine, these teachers had our kids smashing sight words on the sidewalk with water balloons to create learning. Talk about FUN summer vacation homework!
Don’t worry, we also let them throw them at each other, us, and the house just for no reason too!
Anyway, if you’re trying to balance ALL the fun and ALL the learning…making sure your kids get the break they deserve while also providing them with learning like FUN summer vacation homework so that you and your kids feel confident about their skills…we’re here for ya!
Okay, okay, you knew we were going to say that one – but TRULY. It will make the BIGGEST impact!
Read to them!
Let them read to you!
Tell them to read to the dog or neighbor or pile of stuffed animals!
Let them Facetime Grandma to read ALL. THE. BOOKS.
Build them a sweet fort so they can read independently inside.
Watch reading videos together.
You get the idea. Make sure reading is a part of the daily summer routine in whatever way is easiest for you.
WE’RE ALL ABOUT EASY, FRIENDS! THIS WAY, IT ACTUALLY GETS DONE. IF WE OVERCOMPLICATE, WE TEND TO NOT FOLLOW THROUGH. LET’S FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS.
#2 Write DAILY in fun, authentic ways!
We know daily sounds like a lot! But again, think easy here. Throw a scrap paper on the table every morning and have your kid write ANYTHING while they wait for you to pour the cereal. A joke of the day. A wish for the day. Their name. ANYTHING. But pencil in hand – every day.
For TONS of great ideas for authentic writing opportunities for your kiddos – be sure to check this post out HERE.
#3 Make Time Each Week to Encourage Them to be Creative!
Because summer vacation homework doesn’t have to feel like homework. In fact, wouldn’t it just be great if most homework didn’t feel like homework? Let’s get the kids CREATING in the summertime – and trust us, this is learning too!
Summer Vacation Homework Activities That Encourage Creativity!
Sidewalk chalk – plan something out like a letter matchup, or don’t! Just let them be creative!
#4 Follow Your Child’s Learning Interests
If you’re able to – plan out some family field trips to your local zoo, farm, butterfly house, garden, aquarium, etc. Pick things and places of high interest to your child AND try to expose them to things that are new!
OR…keep it FREE and flexible and try out a VIRTUAL Field Trip! You would not believe the endless number of options for this. We’re amazed every time we look! NASA interest? There’s a virtual field trip for that! Kid loves pickles? Yup – there’s a virtual field trip for that! Yes, seriously!
Anyway, the idea here is to get them learning more about topics they are actually interested in. THIS is when learning becomes really impactful. THIS is when summer vacation homework doesn’t feel like homework and keeps them learning without even realizing they are learning!
Summer Vacation Homework for Grade 1 and Beyond!
Guess what, friend? All of those things that create FUN summer learning (reading, writing, creativity, and CHOICE) follow the exact model of what we do at The Literacy Camp!
We don’t want parents to have to choose between fun summer camps or summer school learning for their kids anymore. Because it is possible to do both at once!
We also don’t want parents to have to choose between sending kids to AMAZING SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES like The Literacy Camp OR saving the learning for home. With The Literacy Camp at Home Experience, we also believe BOTH are possible!
Spots are still available for The Literacy Camp at Home Experience…too many fun learning videos and activities to count! And we’ll help you check off ALL 4 of those Summer Vacation Homework Ideas by doing the work for you! And your kids WILL NOT think it feels like homework! Available HERE.
Okay, now run to your Amazon app to check out those water balloons if you haven’t already.
And be the cool mom who lets them throw one at you too!
And before you go…
Here’s our Quick Summer Vacation Homework Guide for Parents:
Grab Your Free Parent Guide with Our 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning! These are PERFECT for preparing them for going back to school & giving them summer learning activity fun! Additionally, this guide will even set you up for a successful school year with tips like how to set up an at-home learning space for doing homework & which learning shows to let them watch while you cook dinner! Did we mention it’s FREE?!
Start putting the kids to bed early & pour yourself a lemonade & catch the recap of these 4 Ways to Help Your Child Keep Learning This Summer HERE! Or send that to your friend who you know would love the tips but won’t read to the bottom of a blog post! 🙂
*As Amazon Associates, The Literacy Ladies LLC. can earn a commission on qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your support for our small business!*
We’ve got IDEAS FOR SUMMER LEARNING to help YOU help your kids!! SIMPLE TRICKS that we can’t wait to share!!
But, first of all, since you are likely reading this in the summer…we just want to say that we hope summer is going great for your family, and we’re so honored to have you hanging with us here for a few minutes of your precious time! We’re praying your summer has been filled with learning, fun, and family!
Both of our families started swim lessons recently, and we both happen to have 5-year-olds who didn’t want to get their faces wet. Yup. It was kind of a thing.
So can I (Katie) admit something I did to solve that issue? I told my 5-year-old I’d give him a quarter after swim lessons if he dunked his face all the way under.
Don’t judge my parenting, okay? It was the best idea I had at the moment … AND … it totally worked, so I’m calling it a win.
It was the best idea I had at the moment … AND … it totally worked, so I’m calling it a win.
Anyway, that’s actually not the trick we’re going to share in our quick list of ideas for summer learning! BUT…we are not above bribing those kids to learn with quarters if it works. You do you, Mama.
Summer Learning Ideas for Parents
All right, parents, maybe you are here because the kids are getting bored and need something to do. And YOU need some new ideas to keep them entertained and learning at the same time.
Or maybe you’re here because you care so much about your child’s education and that care keeps you worried about if they have had enough summer learning to be ready for success at school in the fall!
Either way – we’ve got some quick and easy tips and tricks – IDEAS FOR SUMMER LEARNING COMING RIGHT UP!
Idea #1 Teach Them to “Read Like Writers” – Easy, We Promise!
Here’s a new way to help your child learn great new writing strategies DAILY without YOU having to really do any work! Works for any age level and EASY for everyone!
We know what you’re thinking …Get my kids writing this summer without actually having to teach them writing? Yes, please! We’re ALWAYS here for EASY.
So here it is…
Each night when you do bedtime stories, simply ask them to listen or read “like a writer” and to learn from what the writer is doing!
That’s it!
They’ll start to notice how writers use rhyming words, draw pictures to match their words, describe things, and more! Then simply encourage them to try those strategies out in their own writing sometime!
Idea #2 WANT TO MAKE IT EVEN EASIER?
Have your kiddos watch this video where we teach them how to do this FOR YOU. We’ll explain what it means to “read like a writer,” and we’ll get them doing a FUN hands-on art project too! Yup – we’ll entertain them for free in this video – GREAT SUMMER LEARNING designed by master reading and writing teachers.
THEN…
When they love that FREE video we just shared with you…here’s Tip #2 …
WithThe Literacy Camp at Home Experience, your household will get access to engaging reading videos, writing videos, hands-on project videos, movement activities, and outdoor learning activities all planned FOR YOU. AND SO MUCH MORE!
Seriously, next time you need to keep the kiddos busy – just throw some paper and writing utensils in front of them and let The Literacy Camp videos work their magic! (And YES – we DID just give you one of the Virtual Literacy CampvideosCOMPLETELY FREE!)
That video will get them having FUN with learning in NO TIME! And that new “read like a writer” trick can live on in your house forever.
Just imagine yourself doing that bedtime story routine and now asking, “What did you notice that author did when they wrote that story? Yes! That was so cool! You could try that in your writing sometime!” Boom. You just helped your kid with reading AND writing at the same time. And it was EASY, right? But the impact will be big – we promise!
Idea # 3 Grab These Resources and Ideas for Summer Learning to Help!
Grab Your Free Parent Guide with Our 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning! These are PERFECT for preparing them for going back to school and giving them SO MUCH summer learning activity fun that you don’t have to come up with, parents! Additionally, this guide will even set you up for a successful school year with tips like how to set up an at-home learning space for doing homework and which learning shows to let them watch while you cook dinner! Did we mention it’s FREE?!
Start putting the kids to bed early & pour yourself a lemonade for reading on the back deck! No, seriously…make some time for you the rest of this summer too, parents! You deserve it. AND…if your kids know you are reading, that counts as a bonus summer learning activity because modeling real reading is one of the BEST things we can do for our kids!
*As Amazon Associates, The Literacy Ladies LLC. can earn a commission on qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your support for our small business!*
Can you believe it is almost time for us to ask the question: How to get ready for going back to school?! Summer always flies by and leaves us over here like…
We don’t know about you. But the summer sunshine and all of the opportunities to be outdoors make our hearts happy in the summer! AND our kiddos too!!
However, as teachers and mamas, we’re balancing ALL the fun this summer. We’re also being intentional about making sure our kiddos are ready for school in the fall.
Thinking about how to get ready for going back to school may be looming over your head. Yet, simply the fact that you are having that thought makes you a great parent or guardian. You care about your kids’ education, and you want them to do well. Because you love them. We get you, Mama.
How to Get Ready for Going Back to School
Maybe you are feeling worried about the school year approaching and wondering about whether your child is on track for their upcoming grade level.
Are you concerned about the summer slide and the summer learning loss that sometimes occur for kiddos when they take a long break from “doing school”?
Do you wish you could entice your kiddos to keep learning in the summer in a fun way that would prepare them for going back to school, enhance their skills, and get them ready for a great year?
Have you found yourself wondering if you are doing enough as a parent to help your kids learn and prepare them for the next school year in a way that will set them up for success?
Relate? Us too! Yes, even teacher moms and reading specialists have ALL these same thoughts!
So we’ve put resources together to end the summer slide and get kids learning in the summer and having FUN in ways that relieve stress for parents and give them peace of mind!
And today we’re going to share about writing specifically as it pertains to getting kids ready to go back to school!
Many mamas have shared with us that their kids love to read but that they have a harder time getting them to practice writing. Can you relate, name?
We get it. And we’re here for ya.
How to Prepare for Going Back to School – Ready for Writing!
WE’VE GOT 3 TIPS TO GET YOUR KIDS WRITING THIS SUMMER!
1. Give Them Authentic Opportunities to Write!
So what does this mean, and how does it relate to that whole “how to get ready for going back to school question”? Well, you may or may not know this, but in the U.S. research shows that only about ⅓ of students are proficient writers. That means that if you are asking yourself if your child is ready for school next year, the chances are that as writers they may not be.
And one of the best ways to give our kids writing practice (without it feeling like we’re pulling teeth) is to have them write with an authentic purpose! So get ready to get those kids writing this summer! In FUN, EASY, APPROACHABLE ways, Mama!
We planned it out for you, so you don’t have to! 🙂
Here are our ideas for you to get them writing in FUN ways!
Write letters to grandparents or other relatives!
Write wish lists for birthdays, things they’d like to do this summer, goals for the school year…LISTS are loved by kids, and the possibilities here are endless!
Have them write a thank you note to a neighbor, coach, pastor, or friend! Great opportunity for a life lesson here AND writing practice!
Make it a family service activity and have your kiddos write and decorate cards for the local nursing home, fire station, or hospital nurses!
Challenge them to write a how-to book for a sport they are learning to play. They can give it to a younger sibling or friend to learn!
Real opportunities and reasons to write are always more fun, and the more writing our kids do – the better prepared for school they will be!
2. Provide Them Something Special to Write on and Write With!
This one doesn’t have to be expensive either! You CAN grab a fun, new notebook or pencil from the dollar store OR find one around the house and make it exciting and “new.”
Here are some ideas for HOW:
Collage the front of a spiral notebook together (or have them do it independently depending on age here!). Cut out magazines or newspapers for fun pictures to glue on the front of this notebook to make it feel personalized!
Staple random scrap pieces of paper together! Bam! Now they have a new “notebook.” We promise that it’s all about the way you present something. If you say it’s amazing and fun, they’ll usually buy into it.
Print our free writing paper, and let them make their own booklets or journals by stapling them together, hole punching for a notebook, etc. That FREE paper pack has 12 different versions of lined paper for all different levels of writers!
Have fun writing utensils nearby that they can grab independently! Seriously – think old pens you’ve gotten at random places for free that are scattered in junk drawers! Put them all in that pretty coffee mug you never use, and voila! Your kids have a fun “new” cup of writing utensils!!
Put up a Facebook post to see if any of your friends and family are looking to get rid of old empty notebooks or notepads & extra pens. People LOVE a good reason to clean out their “junk.” And paper pads and mismatched markers will become your kids’ new treasures!
Seriously, next time you need to keep the kiddos busy for about 22 minutes – just throw some paper and writing utensils in front of them, and let the video work its magic! (And YES – we DID just give you one of the Virtual Literacy Camp videos COMPLETELY FREE!)
That video will get them writing and having FUN writing in NO TIME! Then, when they LOVE it – which obvi – they will LOVE it…
How to Get Ready for Back to School – For the Parents!
Okay, parents, the question of how to get ready for going back to school is not just for the kiddos! It’s for us too, right?!
Here’s our quick guide:
Sign up for The Literacy Camp at Home Experience to give those kids FUN learning videos to keep them busy and learning while you start Amazon Priming school supplies!
Grab Your Free Parent Guide with Our 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning! These are PERFECT for preparing them for going back to school and giving them some summer learning activity fun! Additionally, this guide will even set you up for a successful school year with tips like how to set up an at-home learning space for doing homework and which learning shows to let them watch while you cook dinner! Did we mention it’s FREE?!
Now, start putting the kids to bed early & pour yourself a lemonade for reading on the back deck! No seriously…make some time for you the rest of this summer too, parents! You deserve it.
*As Amazon Associates, The Literacy Ladies LLC. can earn a commission on qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your support for our small business!*
Book Lists by Genre Families Will Want to Check Out!
Whether you are looking for a summer reading list for your K-5 kiddos or just something to have on hand all year round, we’re sharing some of our favorite book ideas for families – organized by genre!!
Do you know what different kinds of genres of books you have in your home?
Do you explore different kinds of books when you check out from the library?
Does your child gravitate to the same type of book over & over?
Looking for new books to read to your child? Mama & teacher approved?
We’ve got you covered, Parents! And we’ve got them grouped into categories for you to easily see what meets your family’s needs!
Why book lists by genre? Maybe you’d like to grab more of the kinds of books you already know your kid loves! Funny kid? Funny books! Or maybe you’re looking to expand their horizons and grab some books different from what you usually read for those nightly bedtime stories! Either way – here are some of our ALL-TIME FAVORITE PICTURE BOOKS you will NOT want to miss!
Best Book Lists by Genre for the Kiddos in Your House!
Fiction Stories That Encourage a Love of Learning
If you know anything about the work that we do with The Literacy Camp, you know that helping kids learn to LOVE LEARNING is our jam.
Here’s why:
When kids LOVE to read, they spend more time reading.
When kids spend more time reading, they become better readers.
Helping children to become better readers means providing them with a better future!
Now read all those same sentences & replace the word “reading” with “writing,” “learning,” etc. You get the idea! 🙂
If you can spark a LOVE OF LEARNING, Mamas, you have done the good and hard work! The learning comes next!
But sometimes getting reluctant readers to love learning can be really hard work. And we like to let great books help us!
These books will all inspire a love for books and learning for your kiddos, and you’ll want to grab a copy from Amazon or your local library right away!
Have a child who maybe loves reading but doesn’t like to write? This one may just help the most reluctant writer decide to pick up a pencil! It’s adorable and inspires little writers everywhere!
Maybe you’ve heard us talk about this adorable story before. A lion enters the library and learns that he has to follow the rules. And when he doesn’t follow all the rules exactly as he should, the grown-ups in the story also learn that sometimes there are a few rules worth breaking. 🙂
This adorable story set in a library will have your kids begging to take a trip to your local library’s storytime this summer.
A GREAT Children’s Book List by Genre Has to Include HUMOR, Right?!
If your kids book lists don’t include funny books, are they even for the kids? Let’s be real – most kids want to smile and laugh when you sit them down for storytime. And we don’t like to disappoint. So here are a few of our funny fiction favorites!
Funny Fiction Kids Books for the Children in Your Home
You likely already know this story! But did you know there is also a sequel and a few board book versions too?!
This book will have your kids rolling with laughter, while at the same time teaching them all kinds of wonderful things about point of view, personification, and more!
It’s a longer picture book – great for older kiddos and those who can sit a little longer. Also perfect for breaking into chunks – easy to read a page or 2 a day!
If you haven’t read these “Diary of a…” books, you will definitely want to check them out. Each page is set up in the format of a diary entry – and this book with the diary entries are written by a spider.
Our kids crack up every time they read the page about “Safety Day” at school for the spiders to learn all about the very serious danger of vacuum cleaners.
Book Lists by Genre Also Have to Include Poetry…Just Because
Here Are a Few of Our Children’s Book Poetry Favorites
In case you think you or your kids wouldn’t like a poetry book, check this one out. It’s laid out like a picture book, and you almost don’t realize you’re reading poetry.
However, the language and pictures are simply beautiful, and your kids will be learning all about metaphor without even realizing it! It’s a must read.
Book Lists by Genre: Our Favorites to INSPIRE Young Readers
Yes, there is good in the world. Such sweet goodness. We didn’t forget.
You and your kids won’t either when you read these stories that inspire goodness in all of us.
We could say SO MUCH about each of them! Instead, we’ll just say this: If you only pick a few books from this list to check out – let it be these! You will be SO GLAD you did!
Learn all about elephants with this one obviously. But also enjoy the AMAZING photographs and take the opportunity with this one to teach your kids about captions, vocabulary, indexes, and MORE!
This one could fill lots of reading time for young and older kiddos alike! Filled with facts and information about trees that the grown-ups probably don’t even know! Definitely a FUN way to learn about photosynthesis, chlorophyll, and so many trees you likely never even knew existed!
Did you know that Common Core actually suggests a MUCH LARGER emphasis on reading nonfiction books with kids than fiction? It’s true. We’re planning to keep adding to our nonfiction collections and having more titles ready to suggest for your next library orders soon!
Looking for More Actionable Tips as You Pile Up Books to Read to Your Kids This Summer?
We hope you add those books to your Amazon carts, throw them in your next library pickup order, and read your hearts out this summer and beyond! We also hope you send us all kinds of new book ideas that we should check out too – that your family LOVES (DM us on Insta here)…
In the meantime, we’d love to continue to serve you and your families, encourage you as your children learn and play at home, and give you resources to help keep your kids busy and learning in a meaningful way – so you can have a few things off your plate, Mama!
If you haven’t grabbed this yet – this Free Guide, 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning – for busy mamas balancing it all, will help you find not only books for your kids to read but also learning apps, shows, movies, EASY AT HOME LEARNING ACTIVITIES, and more!
It’s filled with practical and tangible steps, EASY TO IMPLEMENT FOR ANY BUSY MOM.
Grab these FREE tips and get your kids learning in FUN, EASY ways! This guide will make you and your kids smile about learning, and it even includes a BONUS – all about how to make the MOST out of bedtime stories each day as you help your child read!
Looking for Additional Summer Learning Activities for Your K-5 Kids? Sign Your Child Up for Virtual Literacy Camp!
Have you heard of The Literacy Camp? We founded it many years ago, and it’s our baby (well, you know – besides all the other babies we’ve got running around our kitchens right now)…
Virtual Literacy Camp is a summer reading camp designed for parents like you who want an EASY to implement program for your child this summer!
encourages & inspires a LOVE for learning (even if they haven’t had that before).
will keep your kiddos busy & learning – bringing some peace & calm to your home so you can get some work done. Or rock babies. Or wash dishes. You know…all. the. things.
will help you feel confident your child is ready for school in the fall!
If you’re thinking your kiddos might not like a virtual camp, check out this writing lesson video. It’s one of our writing lesson videos provided with Virtual Literacy Camp – along with SO MUCH MORE AND A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE TO USE WHENEVER YOU’D LIKE (it’s prerecorded so once you purchase you have access all summer)!
This video gives you a sneak peek into how FUN and ENGAGING camp is for young readers and writers!
Virtual Literacy Camp Is EASY to Implement
Additionally, Virtual Literacy Camp has children’s engagement and ease of implementation front of mind.
The program largely requires only items you already have in your home & a Wi-Fi connection.
There isn’t an overabundance of links to go to or places to login.
You’ll get an easy to follow, optional daily schedule to keep your kids busy & learning during their summer break.
We’ll do all the planning & bring all the fun – so you don’t have to!
Check out more information about Virtual Literacy Camp HERE, read what other parents are saying about it, and grab a spot for your family to participate today.
Now go enjoy those book lists by genre with your kiddos and squeeze in some read aloud time under a tree in the breeze!
And don’t forget to sign your child up for Virtual Literacy Camp, Mama! We’ll plan out all the fun for you (with amazing books we’ve hand picked like the ones above) and get those kids excited about learning in a whole new way!
We’re praying for you and cheering you on!
Happy Reading.
*As Amazon Associates, The Literacy Ladies LLC. can earn a commission on qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your support for our small business!*
Looking for a Summer Reading List for Elementary Students in Your House?!
Summer is quickly approaching, and we know some mamas will have houses filled with kiddos who are looking for a summer reading list for elementary students that will keep them reading! Well, Mamas? We’ve got you covered!
Whether those kiddos will be filling your homes all day long this summer (we see you, Teacher Moms!) or plopping down at your tables after a day at summer camp, Grandma’s house, or maybe Vacation Bible School…we’ve got a list of books to help you out!
This summer reading list for elementary students will make life easy as you already have a list to throw in that Amazon cart or head off to the library with! We like to make life reeeeeally easy, Mamas. So we put in an online library order each week (or whenever we remember!) so all we have to do is drive up and pick those books up – fast and free!
And we want to take one step out of the equation for you. No need to research which books to be sure to read to your kids – we’ve done it for you. Here you go!
Summer Reading List Elementary School Kids AND Parents LOVE
When we put this summer reading list together, we focused on books we know KIDS love. Because if the kids aren’t smiling when reading independently or with you…what’s the point?
We want kids LOVING the books in their hands this summer and continually learning that reading is FUN! We also picked books that will entertain across many age ranges. So whatever age elementary age kiddos you’ve got in your house…we’ve got your back.
Additionally, as mamas, we want to grab books that we know WE will love too! Books filled with beautiful language that will expand our children’s vocabulary. And books that will make us smile too while teaching our kids a lesson or inspiring us all to get outside.
So here is a summer reading list elementary school kids AND parents will LOVE. We’re sure of it. Just click the titles to add them to your Amazon cart or throw them on your library list. This is going to be fun!
Our Elementary Summer Reading List FAVORITES
Summer Reading List Favs to Inspire You to Get OUTSIDE!
Who isn’t swooning over this Joanna Gaines speciality?! And what a great way to get the kids excited about helping start a garden outside! Or if you’re like us, maybe a planter with a few herbs because a whole garden sounds like waaaaay too much work!
This book is an adorable fable about a bear who learns all about honesty and hard work. A great book to get your kids smiling but also inspire GREAT conversations around these life lessons as well! And if you’re one of those super mamas with a garden outside – this one is super great for that too!!
We’ve loved reading this book to our kiddos in our classrooms and homes for years. The language is really special, and it would be the perfect summer book for a beach trip or even a rainy day where you pretend to visit the ocean in your living room.
Do you remember collecting jars of fireflies in the summer when you were a child? We sure do. What a magical memory we can now make with our own kids. And this book is the perfect companion to inspire that summer activity.
Summer Reading List for Elementary Students to Make Kids SMILE!
These books will get the kiddos (and YOU!) smiling and laughing!
This one became a little series it is so well loved by kiddos everywhere! You’ll be planning a taco party in no time after this REALLY FUN picture book! Taco Tuesday, anyone? Dragons invited?
This little Mother Goose twist introduces a bear who has unwillingly become the “mama” to several little chicks who have chosen to follow him around everywhere. It is simply hilarious, and you and your child will be rolling with laughter. And this loveable character has made his way into a few more books by this author too!
Or at least we think he did? Maybe it was the wind? No, certainly it was a bear! It definitely wasn’t me!! … That’s the perspective of the storyteller of this adorable book (an unsuspecting doggie!).
This one is filled with great detail, vocabulary, pictures, and moments that are perfect for retelling and making predictions! It will likely become a fast favorite in your home!
Elementary Summer Reading List Books to Inspire Fun Summer Activities
This classic has been a favorite of Krista’s for YEARS. And if you’re thinking about a blueberry picking adventure this summer – read this book first! And hopefully there won’t be any silly mama bears on your blueberry picking adventure.
If you don’t already have this book on hand for a hot, rainy summer day, you’re going to want to grab it FAST. It is simply one of the most beautiful books we’ve read. The poetry is delightful, and you won’t be able to stop yourself from having a fun, rainy dance party the next time the rain clouds roll in!
Getting ready for a pool day this summer? This adorable story helps give us some courage as we are inspired by Jabari’s ability to conquer his fear and jump off the diving board! This one is a fun summer read that will have kids smiling and learning from a wonderful role model in Jabari.
We’ve been using this favorite to teach writing for YEARS. It’s the perfect model for a personal narrative told in sequential order. The boy in the story is lovable. The story is great for retelling. It’s one you’ll want to read again and again.
Whether you’re planning to have an actual night in the country this summer or just want to take a trip there through the pages of a book – this beautifully written story is great for kids of all ages!
We LOVE the pages of this book. They make us long for childhood summer days with large family gatherings with those from near and far.
The language of the book will make you feel like you are right inside the pages alongside this family, and you’ll be wanting to plan a family reunion as soon as you reach the end. This book makes kids and parents alike smile big!
Grab Your Summer Reading List for Elementary Students in Your House and Get Reading!
Ready to get reading? Here are our favorite tips for using this elementary summer reading list in your house!
Order them from Amazon, or keep the list handy for a weekly library order (or you know…whenever you remember!).
Keep a basket in your house labeled “library” or “summer reading”! We love using chalk labels like these because when you want to change that label to something else – go right ahead!
Throw a book in your beach bag or park backpack whenever you head out. Reading outside in the summer is THE BEST!
Make it a routine to read before bed EVERY NIGHT. We usually have a 2 book rule (one kid pick and one parent pick). It keeps us in a routine, allows for us to sneak new books in, lets the kids get excited about choosing, AND gets us to bed on time (ish).
Make it FUN and throw together an easy reading incentive if you need help getting your child motivated. Every 5 books you read together means an extra cookie for dessert. Every 20 books read means a trip to the bookstore to pick out a new one! Whatever works for your child. We are not above bribing as long as the end result is kids reading and LOVING BOOKS!
Looking for More Actionable Tips to Keep Those Kiddos Busy Along with This Summer Reading List for Elementary Students?
We hope you add those books to your Amazon carts, throw them in your next library pickup order, and read your hearts out this summer. We also hope you send us all kinds of new book ideas that we should check out too – that your family LOVES (DM us on Insta here)…
In the meantime, we’d love to continue to serve you and your families, encourage you as your children learn and play this summer, and give you resources to help keep your kids busy and learning in a meaningful way – so you can have a few things off your plate, Mama!
We want to help make teaching your child EASIER so you can take a sigh of relief and work a little less hard in this category. We’re here to support you.
It’s filled with practical and tangible steps, EASY TO IMPLEMENT FOR ANY BUSY MOM.
Grab these FREE tips and get your kids learning this summer in FUN, EASY ways.
This guide will make you and your kids smile about learning this summer and even includes a BONUS all about how to make the MOST out of bedtime stories each day as you help your child read!
Looking for Additional Summer Learning Activities for Your Kiddos This Summer to Keep Them Busy and Learning? Sign Your Child Up for Virtual Literacy Camp!
Have you heard of The Literacy Camp? We founded it many years ago, and it’s our baby (well, you know – besides all the other babies we’ve got running around our kitchens right now)…
Virtual Literacy Campis a summer reading camp designed for parents like you who want an EASY to implement program for your child during the summer – something to keep the learning going. But in a VERY FUN WAY that is EASY FOR YOU!
encourages & inspires a LOVE for learning (even if your kids haven’t had that before).
will keep your kiddos busy & learning – bringing some peace & calm to your home so you can get some work done. Or rock babies. Or wash dishes. You know…all. the. things.
will help you feel confident your child is ready to head back into next school year! They’ll actually make gains this summer instead of falling behind!
If you’re thinking your kiddos might not like a virtual camp, check out this video. It’s one of our introduction videos and gives you a sneak peek into how FUN and ENGAGING camp is for young readers and writers!
Summer Learning That is EASY to Implement
Additionally, Virtual Literacy Camp has children’s engagement and ease of implementation front of mind.
The program largely requires only items you already have in your home & a Wi-Fi connection.
There isn’t an overabundance of links to go to or places to login.
You’ll get an easy to follow, optional daily schedule to keep your kids busy & learning during their summer break.
We’ll do all the planning & bring all the fun – so you don’t have to!
Check out more information about Virtual Literacy Camp HERE, read what other parents are saying about it, and grab a spot for your family to participate today.
Job Well Done, Mama. Job Well Done.
We hope you LOVE that summer reading list for elementary students and can’t wait to hear which ones are your favorite!
We know the summers with kids are filled with fun but also exhausting. It’s a LOT to entertain all the tiny people all day long!
But when we slip learning fun (and BOOKS) into summer days without too much stress, we can give ourselves a high-five! Or the mama next door who is also chasing kids with bubble wands, carrot sticks, and sidewalk chalk all day.
You did it. Maybe you didn’t do it perfectly. None of us do.
But this summer, let’s simply read to them and love them well. That we can do. And let’s do it together.
Now go enjoy those summer reading lists and the read aloud time you squeeze in under a tree in the breeze!
And don’t forget to sign your child up for Virtual Literacy Camp, Mama! We’ll plan out all the fun for you and get those kids excited about learning in a whole new way!
We’re praying for you and cheering you on!
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