Monday, December 28, 2015

2016 Reading Challenge (For Kids!)

     
If you are here from Money Saving Mom, thanks for taking the time to check out my post!

    My sister introduced me to the concept of a year-long reading challenge. There are a multitude of challenges for adults all over the internet, ranging from as few as 12 books to as many as hundreds! It is exciting to think about picking a list, and delving into new books that I wouldn’t necessarily choose on my own. I like the idea of having some direction for my choices, ordinarily I choose the same genres over and over.

    And so do my kids! I decided that it would be fun to create a challenge specifically for them.  The great part about this is that you can decide exactly how to define the selections. Do all of them, do some of them, use them to create your own list. Pick books on your child’s reading level or read to them, if you prefer. If you have an avid reader on your hands, have them do each type twice! 
  
     The challenge has twenty types of books, so a little less than one every two weeks. I think that kids aged 6-12 will probably glean the most from it, but even an adult could use it! The best part is that you should be able to find books for every one in your local library. Encourage your kids to reach for authors with whom they may be unfamiliar. This challenge is intended to help your children "read outside the box". Let me know what you think!

Right click on the image to save, then print from saved location.

8 comments:

  1. Awesome idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy using it.:)

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  3. What a wonderful idea!!! I want to use this at home with my children. They are all in middle school. I'm having a little trouble trying to set up the logistics of it all. Should I go and pick the books out for them? How long should I give them to complete the challenge? Do you have a reading log to use to list the books my daughter's read? Should I make them do a short book report or synopsis of each book to make sure they have read each book? What rewards would you suggests I offer for completing the challenge?

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    1. Hi Andreka-
      I think you can use it however it would be most beneficial, but if you are looking for ideas, I'm happy to help! I haven't been choosing the books for my kids, but I will make suggestions if they are stumped for a particular category. My children are elementary-aged but if they were in middle school, I would say 3-6 months for a time limit (depending on whether they choose longer, more difficult books and are strong readers) would probably cover it. (You could even set a limit of 10-20 weeks, as that would work out to 1-2 books a week.) I did not set up a log, my kids have been recording their books on the printable, by the category they filled. Personally, I am going to track my own reading on Pinterest, by pinning the book covers to a specific board. If your children are old enough to do that, they could use that method for tracking, too. I don't plan on having my kids do any type of writing, although you certainly could. My own intention is not for it to be "school" related, but a short paragraph or two wouldn't be excessive if that is an area you are working on. I think discussing the books verbally (Who was your favorite character? Were there any plot twists? etc.) is a great way to evaluate comprehension. As to rewards, you could offer something small (a favorite snack, a pair of fun socks) for each category, or a larger reward at the end (a new book, a "date" night). I might ask your children what they would consider to be an appropriate incentive, it might surprise you! :) I would love to hear what you decide on-it might inspire me to change up what I am doing.

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  4. Thank you so much! My daughter saw my 2016 reading challenge on my bulletin board and asked if she could do something similar. After one simple Google search I stumbled across this via Crystal Paine! Thank you so very much! This is delightful and wonderful!

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  5. I am glad that Crystal was willing to feature it! I hope your daughter enjoys using it. :)

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  6. I LOVE this Idea !! It's perfect timing for the summer.
    I included it (directly linked to your page) in my post "10 Great Ideas for 'Summer School'"
    http://fieldsofdaisies.com/10-great-ideas-for-summer-school/.
    I hope that is ok! :) Thanks for sharing !

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    1. I always appreciate a link share! Thanks so much.

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