Summer Reading Challenge
1 in 4 children cannot read well by the age of 11. This hugely limits their life choices and skills. We're on a mission to change this.
The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to keep reading during the school summer holidays - and to choose anything they enjoy to read! It's free to take part and children can sign up at their local library or online. They'll be invited to set a reading goal, and collect rewards for their reading.
In 2023, The Reading Agency teamed up with national children's charity the Youth Sport Trust for Ready, Set, Read!, a sports and games-themed Challenge which aims to keep children's minds and bodies active over the summer break. Find out more here.
Who is it for?
The Summer Reading Challenge is aimed at children from 4-11 years old. It supports this age group and their families by:
- Preparing children to get back to the classroom in the autumn.
- Supporting the move into a new year group.
- Boosting children's confidence and self-esteem by supporting independent reading.
- Providing free access to books and fun family activities during the summer.
Impact and reach:
"We've joined the reading challenge for the past 4 years and every year it has inspired and encouraged a deeper joy for reading. For a young dyslexic boy, the Challenge helps make reading fun." Parent/carer of 6-year-old boy
The Summer Reading Challenge is the UK's biggest reading for pleasure programme for children, and helps get approximately 700,000 children into libraries each year. It's a UK-wide programme, developed by The Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with public libraries. In 2022, 75% of children taking part improved their reading skills over the holidays.
Find out more in our Summer Reading Challenge 2022 annual report.
Get involved:
In the library
Visit your local library and sign up. Your child will set a reading goal, choose anything they like to read, and collect special stickers and rewards for their reading.
Online
Sign up on the official Challenge website to take part online. Children can set a reading goal and get tips for accessing books for free at home. As they read books, they'll unlock digital rewards, including a printable certificate.
If you would like to find out how your library could deliver the Summer Reading Challenge, email summerreadingchallenge@readingagency.org.uk.
