It’s summer!! And summer means it’s time for the Traveling Through the Pages Summer Reading Adventure. We are so excited to bring you this fun summer reading program of books, ideas, and helpful tips to encourage kids to read all summer long.
We also created a set of Morning Time plans
to go with this program — doing the plans along with the program will check off squares in the reading program through read-alouds for your kids if they are young, or encourage older readers to learn more about the topics you are studying in Morning Time.
Morning Time is the perfect summer learning activity. School and homeschool families can come together for about 30-45 minutes a day and learn about math, art, music, nature study, and more in an enjoyable way. And the plans do all the hard work for you.
What the FREE summer reading pack includes
The TTTP reading passport
This is the heart of the program. There is a back and front available if you want to print both and make a booklet, but you can also just print one side and hang it on the fridge. It is based on a “BINGO” concept. Have your kids complete the squares and mark them with a sticker, date stamp, or a big ol’ X made with a crayon. When they complete a row, they win a prize. Have them complete multiple rows or go for a total blackout (what a wonderful summer of reading that would be!).
Reading rewards tickets
Write in which prizes are right for your family. When your child completes a row on his passport, he gets to pick a prize!
Reading log
Are you tracking books read this summer for school or other reading programs? Maybe you just want a record to save. This is the form for you! You can also offer a prize for the number of pages read, so record those here as well. There are two versions of the reading log. One has space for your child to write a one-sentence summary of the book. The other just records the books read. Print the one you like best.
Reading bucket list
How many reading locations can you check off this summer?
Bookmarks
Print on cardstock and laminate if desired. Fun!
Certificate
Something fun to present when the program is done.
Coloring pages
Fun!
Summer reading prize ideas
Need a few prize ideas for your reading reward tickets? Try some of these:
- Ice Cream
- Movie ticket
- Fingernail painting “party”
- Mom makes a treat of choice
- Mom makes a meal of choice
- Buy a book of their choice
- A trip to their favorite restaurant
- Bowling
- Special date with Mom or Dad
- Dollar store funds
- Make a treasure chest of small items
- Picnic at the park — dessert of their choice
- Backyard campout and s’mores
- A trip to the nature center, zoo, or other local “free” place kids love to go
- Extra computer time
- Art or craft kit from the craft store
- “Stay up late” pass
- Free day from chores
More great reading ideas
We have a ton of great summer reading program posts and even a podcast to give you ideas for books and ways to encourage your kids to read.
- Ten Books Full of Travel and Adventure
- Five Secrets of Great Library Trips with Kids
- Ten Books of Poems for Kids
- Make a Fun Library Card Holder
- The Story Goes On: Book Series Kids Love
- Host Your Own Kid’s Poetry Tea
- Thirteen FUN Geography Books for Kids
- New Fairy Tales for Kids and Grownups Alike
- Award-winning Children’s Books
- How to Host a Mad Scientists’ Convention
- Read Aloud Revival Episode #27: Summer Reading — Making memories (and having fun!)
And be sure to follow our summer reading board on Pinterest for book and prize ideas and helpful tips.
Follow the Summer Reading board on Pinterest.
We are excited about the fun things we have to share this summer. Happy reading!
Click here to download your FREE summer reading program printable pack.
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How neat! Your video was great and I love this idea!
Thanks! Feel free to share it with friends
I wanted to do something like this for the summer to encourage reading, but it looks like you have done all the work for me! Thanks!!
Awesome! That’s what I was hoping for.
You know that this just made me love you even more, right? 🙂
It’s perfect! Thanks for sharing all of your great ideas!
Ha! You know that’s what I love to hear. Makes it all worth it. Hope you have a blast with it.
Such a great idea! Thanks for linking up with Homeschool Freebie Friday!
Great ideas. Thank you for sharing on the Homeschool Freebie Friday Link Up!!!
I love this!! We have used a summer book BINGO idea in years past and the kids loved it!! Thanks so much for sharing at the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop!
This looks like such a fun reading program! I love the list of prizes…. Thanks for setting it up! 🙂
Tried to get the free downloads to start this program ,but have not gotten an email. I checked my junk mail also. Is it too late?
Thank you for these great downloads, Pam!! All your videos and blog posts are incredibly amazing–and SO helpful!! I FINALLY purchased the “Plan Your Year” and am excited about reading through it in the next few days and learning how to implementing it into our next school year!!! YAY!!!! ^_^ Thank you for all you do!!!! <3
Oh yay! You know Dawn is doing a Plan Your Year work-through starting June 5 in the PYY Facebook group. Be sure to join in on that!
How many weeks are in the Summer Morning Time Plans?
Hi Lena, There are 3 weeks of plans. Hope that helps! Dawn Garrett, Community Care Coordinator
Great! I’ve been busy printing away! Q: where is the certificate of completion? I didn’t see that page. Thanks so much – fun!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention; it’s now in the downloads and everyone should be able to redownload and access it. Dawn Garret, Community Care Coordinator
I’ve got it now! Our Summer Reading Family Folder is ready to go! Thank you!
We are so excited to start! I don’t see the certificate in the download. Did I miss it? Can you post it here as a separate PDF? Thanks!! ~Laura
My kids are so excited about this! I bought some prizes and put them in a basket on our school table. I’m stuck on what books to recommend for the category “book based on a poem.” Any good ideas for an 8 and 9 year old. I’m thinking my 11 year old could try a book written in free verse…
There are a few in this post https://pambarnhill.com/poems-for-kids/ and another couple in our Summer Adventure Morning Time Plans. HTH.
Are you publishing any other summer plans? Fingers crossed for an Early Summer 3.0 😉
Yep. They will be out later this month — by May 25 at the latest but maybe sooner.
We are just three days into your reading challenge. It has been phenomenal. We all have loved it. My rising 6th grader has just earned his first prize, reading several hundred pages to do so. My rising fourth grader has already finished one of the 10 books I had planned on him doing during the school year next year (don’t tell him!) And my rising first grader just read his first ever chapter book (without prompting, because he noticed it was a book about a knight)! Thanks for an amazing challenge!