I can hardly believe that June is almost over. I already feel like summer is flying by and we have hardly done anything it seems! I have to admit that I haven’t sat down and done too much with Hayden for school but we have been making sure we are keeping up with reading thanks to the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge! In fact, all three kids are participating {and I’m even reading more too!}.
The reading challenge has really been encouraging him to pick up a book this summer. He keeps a stack of books by his bed and there’s been many times where I haven’t even had to tell him it’s reading time – he’ll be looking at books all on his own!
Hayden actually has been doing some writing work on the Scholastic website. They have this great new game called The Innovation Machine, which is a story starter game. Hayden has such a BIG imagination so I knew he would get a kick out of it and the silly prompts.
I know your kids will love trying the Innovation Machine as part of the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge! Once they submit their original story, they have the chance to win signed books from some of their favorite authors.
I also love the feature where kids can unlock 12 original short stories (exclusively for this year’s challenge) from favorite children’s authors and access never-before-seen videos from the authors! Each of the authors has written a unique short story using the same opening sentence, which is, “I glanced over my shoulder to make sure that no one had followed me into the shadowy library, then took a deep breath and opened the glowing book…”
The authors include Blue Balliett, Patrik Henry Bass, Varian Johnson, Gordon Korman, Michael Northtrop, Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pierce, Roland Smith, R.L. Stine, Tui T. Sutherland, Lauren Tarshis, Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Jude Watson.
{I think I may love this just as much if not more than Hayden!}
New 2015 Features for Kids:
- Unlock the original 12 short stories from featured children’s authors
- Never-before-seen videos from the featured authors
- New creative writing “Innovation Machine” Game & Contest
- Monthly Klutz Books sweepstakes
- Kids can help set a new Reading World Record by beating last year’s record of 304,749,681 reading minutes. As of right now, it’s at 123,631,441!
New 2015 Features for Parents :
- Daily tips for Scholastic Parents site
- Enter Weekly Sweepstakes!
- Free Booklists and other printables for all ages (baby – young adult)
- Parent videos on summer reading activities
I’m on the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge site just as much as Hayden. I love the new features for us adults and I’ve been entering the weekly sweepstakes too!
I’m especially loving the printable book lists as it’s giving me some ideas for Olivia and Evie who are two plus Hayden who is 7. If anyone ever asks good books for a certain age group, I’m always directing them to the Scholastic Book Lists!
This year’s Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge theme is “Power Up & Read,” Powered by Energizer®. It’s so important to get the kids reading this summer as they can fall prey to the “summer slide,” the common loss of skills due to being out of school, when they do not read over the summer.
Research shows Teachers spend four to six weeks re-teaching materials to students because of the “summer slide”—the learning losses which can occur when school is not in session!
Energize your kids by letting them pick out their own books! According to the Kids & Family Reading Report, 5th edition, 91% of kids (ages 6-17) say that their favorite books are the ones they pick out themselves.
Learn More about the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge
– Sign up for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge
– Find more Scholastic Resources to keep your kids reading all summer long!
– Learn more about the Energizer® Instant Win Game
– Follow @Scholastic on Twitter
– Like the Energizer® Bunny on Facebook
#SummerReading
Will are some of your child’s favorite books they are reading this summer?
Disclosure: I was compensated for this post as part of a partnership with Scholastic but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a fun way to keep kids reading over the summer. Looks like you have some great books!
I’ve always loved to read. I can get list in a book for hours. I love to see programs that encourage reading.
These challenges are so fun, and always motivate my kids. Reading is one of the best things kids can do for their future.
My kids always loved these reading programs when they were younger! I loved that it encouraged them to read to and help build a good habit.
I didn’t know they had a summer reading challenge. that is awesome. I need to check it out and see if it will get my kids to be more excited about summer reading.
It is so good to keep up with reading in the Summer and the Scholastic summer reading challenge is a good way to do it. My niece and nephew are in a Summer reading program and they love it!