How To Set Up A Summer Reading Program

Summer Reading Programs Tips and Themes

summer reading, school, books, library, programs, children A summertime reading programme is a corking way to promote growth and literary skills through the vacation months. Whether school, the library or some other group sets it upwards, here are some tips for making the most of your program.

Determine Plan Approach

Keep in mind this is summer vacation, and a complex, restrictive or demanding programme may discourage participation. With your team, consider the following three approaches:

Fix a competitive plan to run across which student reads the nearly books in each form level.
Plan a noncompetitive plan where children strive to meet their own goals. You can personalize this for the children past giving them a say in it. For instance, permit them decide how many books read in total or the number of minutes spent reading per twenty-four hours.
Organize a team-focused programme that offers children the motivation of competition with less individual pressure, while fostering teamwork. Yous could organize past class, class or another factor.

Decide on a Theme

An excellent way to get kids excited near learning is to frame the programme around a theme. Call back about if there are parts of the library's drove you want to promote or a current movie or positive social tendency to play off. You lot might consider a dissimilar theme for preschoolers, uncomplicated, middle and high school students. Here are a few to try:

Preschoolers

Animate being Parade
Dino-Soaring Into Books
Dr. Seuss
Enchanted Castle
Super Heroes
Through the Jungle
Under the Big Summit

Elementary School

Effectually the World
Brand a Splash
Monsters
Soar Into The Heaven
Summer Safari
Ticket to Take chances
Travel Through Space

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Middle School

Be Creative (fine art/music/theater)
Building a Better World (architecture/building/construction)
Historical Fiction
Mega Man Robotics
Sports & Games
Science Fiction
The Science of Super Heroes (flight/lightning/magnetization)

High School

Biographies
Cultural Heritage
Fantasy
Laugh It Up
Memoir
Reading Route Trip
Wellness/Fitness/Sports

Construction the Reading Club

When information technology comes to the program's guidelines, too many or complicated rules will discourage participation. Piece of work with your squad to put together a simple, yet clear program. Consider the post-obit for your program:

Have participants sign an individual contract with their instructor or librarian. This will encourage individual responsibility and accountability.
Include the selection to register online or in person. Genius Tip: An online sign upwards makes registration easy.
Think near prizes. There is some contend about the value of handing out stickers or small toys when a student reaches a milestone. The argument against it is that the focus should be on the joy of reading for its ain sake. The counter is that if small prizes along the way keep students interested in reading, that's a victory. If yous decide to requite out prizes, coupons from local restaurants for a free child's meal or sweet treat are very popular among families.
Get for a big prize instead. Your program could put together a big raffle, with prizes such as tickets to an entertainment park, local play centers, h2o parks or sports gyms. For each book read, students tin can receive one ticket to put in the raffle or yous can give out one ticket when a child reaches their reading goals. If you go this route, plan for one big-ticket winner for each grade level. Genius Tip: Collect prize donations from local businesses in commutation for marketing.
Plan an awards party at the cease of the summer where students are given a certificate and recognized for reaching their goals. Make certain there'southward a articulate deadline and venue for turning in the reading log.

Create Reading Logs

Reading logs are a must for children to continue rails of their books during the summer, and at that place are a number of apps and printable downloads that can help yours stand out.

Decide whether you want to create a paper vs. digital log and if you want to distribute it to participants as a handout, via e-mail or a download from a group website.
Make sure all participants take access to log in information if you're using an app or website to keep track of reading participation.
Consider different reading logs for different historic period groups, designed effectually the chosen themes.
Make up one's mind whether y'all'll take a "bank check in" at some point in the summertime to judge progress or if yous'll give any rewards halfway through.

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Promote Event Incentives

Hosting events throughout the summer is an important way to promote your reading plan, encourage student participation and advertise your library or group. Here are some ideas for all ages.

Host a summertime reading offset party with food, face painting and a literary scavenger hunt (all students).
Run into the author readings (all students)
Hide and seek in the library stacks (preschoolers)
Arts and crafts activities such as bookmark making or volume covers (elementary school).
Movie marathons (middle and high schoolhouse students).
Genius Tip: Know how many people to expect at your event past assuasive people to RSVP online.

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Program for Publicity

Publicity and advice is of import to let students and parents know what you have planned — and to increase participation rates.

Pattern posters and fliers with your theme in mind. Ask for a parent volunteer if you don't have anyone with graphic design experience in your group.
Write a press release and media declaration to distribute to school newspapers and customs news outlets.
Hang summer reading banners in front of the library and distribute fliers to parents in your community at to the lowest degree several weeks earlier the end of the school year.
Continue communicating with students and parents through email and updates on your group's website as the summer progresses.

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Throw an End-of-Summer Reading Party

A fabulous way to reward both students and parents is with an event that celebrates their hard work. Annunciate this political party from the beginning, so participants take something to await forward to at the end of summer.

Use a theme for your party that relates to your summertime reading theme for decorations and games. For instance, if you chose superheroes, yous could enquire children to come dressed as their favorite persona.
Gather volunteers to help brand your issue a success. Genius Tip: Use an online sign up and so people can sign upward to bring nutrient or schedule volunteer shifts.
Assemble gift bags for attendees that include goodies such as pencils, bookmarks and cheap dollar store coloring books.
Draw the winning names if you lot chose to accept a raffle every bit part of your plan. This besides presents an opportunity to recognize participants with a document for achieving their goals.
Consider waiting to name the big winners unless you lot've already had time to tabulate the results or desire to recruit volunteers to do this job during the political party.

With a niggling planning, you'll be able to replicate efforts in years to come by making a few tweaks hither and in that location. Happy reading!

Sara Kendall is a freelance writer and mom of two daughters.