Okay, so maybe reading isn’t at the top of the my kids’ to-do lists this summer, but it is always at the top of mine. I’m hopeful that if we make it a little more fun and collaborative, they’ll think it is as fun as I do. I found this list at Christianbook.com to help narrow down our choices and we’ve reserved several of them from the library. I brought home the first stack last week and asked them to pick one and read for at least 30 minutes each day. I’m reading the books too so that we can discuss them. After we finish a book, we’ll do something fun relating to the story. For example, following the book Miracles on Maple Hill, we’ll learn how maple syrup is made and have pancakes and real maple syrup for dinner. Most of the books on the list have been made into movies, so of course we’ll have movie night at the end of each book as well.
Kendra is a stay-at-home homeschooling mother of four rowdy boys. Okay, three rowdy boys and one who is still sweet and cuddly. She’s been married to her high-school sweetheart for twelve years. When she’s not playing teacher, nurse, cook or housekeeper, she loves to read and write.
Tricia says
What a wonderful idea! This meets a need for us. Thank you Kendra!
Kerri says
We are also focusing on reading this summer, with our lightened school load. We signed up for the library summer reading program and we’ve stocked up on books. Love the idea for the tie-ins – sounds like something we’ll have to try!
Kim A. says
Thanks, Kendra, for the link to the list! I have all girls, and am one of those moms who has to tell her kids to put the book down and go play outside… still, it is nice to have a fresh list to refer to when they have read every book in the house 10 times!
=)
Angie says
Awesome idea!!! Thank You for sharing this!! How long do you take off for summer?
Kendra says
Well… we planned to do a little school throughout the summer, but here we are more than halfway through June and we haven’t cracked a book (other than the summer reading books) since the first week of May! But that is usually how my plans go 🙂 We’ll start back “for real” the first week of August.