Ten Reason Your Kids Should Participate in a Summer Reading Program

by Rebecca J. Gomez When my kids were young, summer reading programs were a sure thing. For the most part, my children were avid readers, especially my girls. A summer reading program wasn't necessary to encourage them to read, but we participated because it was a fun addition to summer. And the free pizza, books, and water park tickets definitely didn't hurt! There are lots of reasons to participate in a summer reading program or challenge, and here are ten of them: 1. Many summer reading programs offer prizes. And while we all know that reading is its own reward, some kids haven't figured that out yet. For those kids, a prize is just the incentive they need to stick their noses in a book now and then over the summer. 2. It's a fun way to reward those kids who will be reading no matter what! 3. For some families, trips to the library may help break up summer monotony.  4. Summer reading programs promote reading together as a family, especially for those with very young

Ten Most Popular Read, Discuss, Do Posts of 2022

Everyone at Read, Discuss, Do! hopes that you have a very happy New Year full of lots of moments in which children's books create connections between you and the young readers in your life. That's why we love to share simple (and sometimes less simple) story time ideas! Here's a look back at some of the most popular posts of 2022. Did you miss any of these?

10. Snack and Story Time: Scarecrow Haystacks - This story time activity pairs a great book with a delicious and easy snack!


9. Taking Stock: Thoughts on Kitchens and Books - Laura Sassi shares her thoughts on "taking stock" of what your kids are reading. 

8. Summer Challenge Week One: Tasty Treats! - Suggestions for books about treats, along with discussion and activity ideas for a tasty and engaging summer story time. 

7. Guest Post: Because Mom Read Aloud - A guest post by Samantha Coté, daughter of Rebecca J. Gomez, reflecting on how reading aloud influenced her own love for books. 


6. North Woods Girl Review and Nature Collage - A review of North Woods Girl by Aimée Bissonette, illustrated by Claudia McGehee, along with a story time idea with discussion topics and a creative nature collage.

5. Thank You, Omu! Review and Activity - A review and story time idea for Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora. Discuss the book and create a thank you note inspired by the book's illustrations.

4. Story Time Idea: Federico and the Wolf - A simple discussion and activity to pair with Federico and the Wolf by Rebecca J. Gomez, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. 


3. Interview with author Jody Jensen Shaffer - Laura Sassi interviews Jody Jensen Shaffer, author of Emergency Kittens!, A Chip Off the Old Block, and more. 

2. Can I Be Your Dog? Letter Writing Activity - A story time idea for Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings. Discuss the story, then write letters of your own like Arfy does in the book. 

And the most popular post of 2022 is...

Story Time Idea: Kate, Who Tamed the Wind



Comments

Mindy Baker said…
Fun to look back at the year!