Summer is almost here! We are beyond ready for beach days and lazy days lying around with our books. Reading has always been a huge part of my summers since childhood. For my kids, I like to combine reading with other summer fun and I’d love for you to join us this summer.
To join, print out the printable overview of summer fun. Each week has a theme and some book and activity recommendations. Feel free to do some weeks and skip others that aren’t as interesting to you. Once a month we will have an author study week to continue our 2021 Author Study Challenge. Other weeks will be fun themes like the ocean, animals, stars and stripes and more.
affiliate links are included below.
Download: Free Summer Challenge Printable
Week of May 31: Pat Moro Author Study
Book Fiesta! by Pat Moro
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This author study is part of the 2021 author study challenge that has explored one author each month this year. Pat Moro is an author who frequently celebrates her Hispanic culture in her stories. This featured book is a bilingual picture book.
Ideas for This Week
- Pat Moro Booklist & Activity ideas are in this Author Study Post.
- Take a trip to the library.
- Take a stack of books outside to the yard or a park. Sit on a blanket and read together.
Week of June 7: Wordless Books & Art
Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson
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Ideas for This Week
- 10+ Most Stunning Wordless Picture Books
- 5 Ways to Use Wordless Books
- Dive into art this week. Try methods used by your favorite artists (often their materials are in the fine print near the copyright information)
Week of June 14: Food & Cooking
Try It! How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat by Mara Rockliff
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Ideas for This Week
- Read more books about food the ones on this booklist – 10+ Delectable Children’s Books about Food or Pat Moro’s Delicious Hullabaloo
- Borrow a kid’s cookbook from the library or research recipes online and cook something new together.
- Go to the Farmers’ Market and find a new fruit or vegetable to try.
- Have a picnic outside together
Week of June 21: Animals
Feature: Hidden Planet by Ben Rothery
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Ideas for This Week
- Animal Themed Booklists, Storytimes and Activities
- Read books about your favorite animals.
- Take a trip to the zoo or aquarium.
Week of June 28: Stars & Stripes
Let Liberty Rise: How American’s Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel
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Ideas for This Week
- Read books about America, Fireworks, or the colors red, white and blue. For elementary schoolers I also recommend Pat Moro’s I Pledge Allegiance
- Decorate your bikes and have a bike parade around your neighborhood.
Week of July 5: Kate DiCamillo Author Study
Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo
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Ideas for This Week
- This is part of the Author Study Challenge – Kate DiCamillo booklist and author study ideas
Week of July 12: Audiobooks & Road Trips
Because of Winn-Dixie on Audiobook by Kate DiCamillo
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Ideas for This Week
- More Awesome Audiobooks for Kids
- Listen to audiobooks when you run errands or on a longer drive.
- Drive to a new place further away. It doesn’t need to be a full road trip – but maybe a day trip or somewhere an hour away. Maybe a hiking spot, a lake, a new playground. Listen to an audiobook together on the way there and back.
- Listen to audiobooks at home – my kids do best if they have something to do with their hands while we listen. They color or play with playdough or eat breakfast while they listen.
Week of July 19: Camping and Hiking
The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans
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Ideas for This Week
- Go for a hike or night walk together
- Go camping – the real deal: tent in the forest or in your backyard or living room.
- Read more books about camping and hiking such as the ones on this Camping Picture Book list or these gorgeous new titles:
Mrs. Peanuckle’s Hiking Alphabet
by Mrs. Peanuckle
art by Jessie Ford
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The Camping Trip
by Jennifer K. Mann
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Hike
by Pete Oswald
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The Adventures of Allie and Amy: The Best Friend Plan
by Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole
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Wonder Walkers
by Micha Archer
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Week of July 26: Oceans
Sarah and the Big Wave by Bonnie Tsui and illustrated by Sophie Diao
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Ideas for This Week
- Go to the beach
- Make seashell crafts – we love drawing on ours with chalk markers
- Do this Ocean Storytime with a fun sensory activity.
- Read more books about the ocean such as these 30+ Ocean Picture Books for Kids or these new titles:
Don’t Worry, Little Crab
by Chris Haughton
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If I Had an Octopus
by Gabby Dawnay
illustrated by Alex Barrow
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Here Comes Ocean
written by Meg Fleming
illustrated by Paola Zakimi
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Field Trip to the Ocean Deep
by John Hare
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Grandfather Bowhead Tell Me a Story
by Aviaq Johnston
illustrated by Tamara Campeau
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About Marine Mammals
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill
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Week of August 2: Steve Light Author Study
Book by Steve Light
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Ideas for This Week
- This author study is part of the 2021 Author Study Challenge – Steve Light author study booklist & ideas
Week of August 9: STEM Week
The Thingity-Jig
by Kathleen Doherty
illustrated by Kristyna Litten
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Ideas for This Week
- Read more STEM books like these 30 STEM Children’s Books for Kids that we love.
- Explore STEM in new ways with these tips on How to Use Picture Books with STEM Learning.
- Make Slime – we love this book with all kinds of fun Slime Recipes.
- Take a trip to the science museum or have an outdoor science day – play with bubbles, bring blocks outside, etc.
Week of August 16: Outerspace
Astronauts ZOOM!: An Astronaut Alphabet
by Deborah Lee Rose
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Ideas for This Week
- Read more books about space like Mars is and these Picture Books about Astronauts & Rockets for Kids Who Love Space
- For elementary schoolers, I highly recommend POP-UP MOON. It’s a super thorough look at the moon full of truly awesome pop-ups.
- Read these books about Women in Space and do the extension ideas.
- Stay up late to see the stars. Try the NIGHT SKY app to find constellations.
- Use this Into Space Preschool Unit for more fun.
Week of August 23: Lazy Hazy Days of Summer
Tow Truck Joe Makes a Splash by June Sobel
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Ideas for This Week
- Eat Ice Cream and Popsicles
- Run Through the Sprinkler
- Spend a whole day outside as much as possible.
- For more summer reading, I highly suggest WHEN LOLA VISIT, BUBBLES UP!, and DUSK EXPLORERS.
Download: Free Summer Challenge Printable
