Summer of Reading Resources
Are you looking for activities to keep your family busy over the summer? You’re in the right place. The organisations that are bringing you the Summer of Reading have lots of activities to share. There are read-alongs, games, quizzes, book clubs and so much more.
More resources will be added over the summer, so check back to find out what’s new.
Activities
Lots of our partners have online hubs where you’ll find videos, games, activities and more, all available for you to access for free.
- Chatterbooks is the UK’s largest network of children’s reading groups from The Reading Agency, run in libraries and schools to generate discussion and encourage children to enjoy reading. The groups are run by librarians, teachers, teaching assistants, or volunteers – anyone with a passion for reading. Chatterbooks groups can access free resources and offers from publishers.
- Looking for something fun as a family this summer? Enjoy storytime with BookTrust’s free online books and videos, play games, win prizes, test your knowledge in our book-themed quizzes, or even learn how to draw some of your favourite characters. Go to BookTrust HomeTime.
- Check out the British Library’s inspirational free webspace, Discovering Children’s Books. It’s brimming with videos, printable packs and activities inspired by the wonderful world of children’s stories. Create a comic or cookbook, dream up an imaginary school, write an animal tale or a miniature book, or Pack your suitcase with Paddington. Share your creations with us on Twitter @BL_Learning and we’ll be sure to celebrate your work.
- This is the first edition of The Story Corner, Bookmark’s new magazine. It is packed full of stories, activities and games. It can be read online here or downloaded to keep. In December, over 16,000 free copies of the magazine were sent out to 106 schools across England for children to take home and enjoy reading over the Christmas break. In January, we gifted 13,000 more and were particularly grateful for the support of a large number of food banks and community groups who shared our magazine with families in their local communities. Keep an eye on our website, because there will be a new edition ready to read over the Summer holidays!
- Scavenger hunt activity sheets from World Book Day in partnership with Twinkl – why not try one of our fun book-themed scavenger hunts over the summer? We have challenges for different age groups so you can pick the one that is best for you:
Ages 5-7
Ages 7-9
Ages 9-11 - Read for Good’s web app Track My Read (Think Strava for books!) offers children a fun and easy way to log what they are reading and to share their reading goals with their school, family or community. Teachers and parents can use Track My Read to encourage children to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge, so why not encourage your children, friends, or neighbours to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge and use Track My Read to see who can read the most!
- SLA’s Recreate the Book Cover Challenge. Reading is all about creativity and the power of imagination. But who says the fun has to finish with the final chapter? This summer, we challenge you to help spread the love of reading by joining us in recreating our favourite book covers. We’ve shared the covers of two brilliant books we’ve read and loved, and now we want to see if you’re up for the challenge of recreating one (or both!) of them. Whether through photos, film, art – or even papier-mâché! – use whatever you have at your disposal to get creative this summer. The best recreations will win some beautiful picture books! Take part in the challenge now.
- Reading at home is crucial to a successful Summer of Reading. Have a look at the Open University Reading for Pleasure’s work dedicated to Reading at Home. It’s packed with top texts and tips to nurture young children’s love of reading, from story time recommendations, to the seven steps of making reading aloud magical. Enjoy!
Reading recommendations
- The Summer Reading Challenge from The Reading Agency encourages children aged 4 to 11 to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure over the summer holidays, providing lots of fun as well as helping to prevent the summer reading ‘dip’. This year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme is Wild World Heroes, created in partnership with WWF and illustrated by award-winning children’s authors and illustrator Heath McKenzie. Join in the Summer Reading Challenge in your local library and online.
- Reading Well for children from The Reading Agency provides quality-assured information, stories and advice to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. Books have been chosen and recommended by leading health professionals and co-produced with children and families. The booklist is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11), but includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support less confident readers, and to encourage children to read together with their siblings and carers.
- Mini Book Club from Book Clubs in Schools and Speakers for Schools – Year 7 transition is an engaging set of questions and activities based around everyone reading the same book. It is for new Year 7s to do over the summer as part of their preparation for secondary school. It will help build their confidence as readers and means that when they start school they will all have something in common.
- The World Book Day Book Club brings you an exciting book each month, with videos and downloadable activities to make talking about books together more fun, memorable and magic. The August Book Club title is Maddy Yip’s Guide to Life by Sue Cheung, published by Andersen Press. You can read an extract from the book, follow a snack recipe inspired by the book itself, or download questions to use for discussion in your own book club from this month’s page. Be sure to watch our brilliant Q&A videos with Sue Cheung, where she reads from Maddy Yip’s Guide to Life and discusses this hilarious illustrated story.
- Read for Good’s Book Recommendations is a great resource for teachers and parents to discover more about the latest books for children of all ages and on Read for Good’s Kids Page you’ll find our super- popular Storymaker game, plus videos and other fun reading resources to keep kids busy over the summer.
Videos – Read alongs and events
- Read along to Lara the Yellow Ladybird with Nousha from Bookmark in this video. Children can watch the video and open and download the PDF of the story to read and keep.
- Read along to The Bounce with Aurélien from Bookmark in this video. Children can watch the video and open and download the PDF of the story to read and keep.
- From the Storybarn: Join The Reader each week online for stories, crafting and fun! As part of this regular weekly session, we’ll feature our some of our favourite stories from The Reader Bookshelf designed to nurture a love of stories and spark a life-long reading for pleasure. Dates: Weekly, Friday at 11.30am Facebook: @caldiessb. Half hour live stream, which will then remain online for families to re-watch and share again.
- Book at Bedtime: Free videos on YouTube Classic titles shared chapter-by-chapter by some of The Reader Storyhunters – The Secret Garden, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or The Wind in the Willows free to watch whenever you want! Access: Free stream via The Reader website or by subscribing to The Reader You Tube channel
- Share a Story Corner video books and activities from World Book Day – take ten minutes to share stories with your little ones. Our video books have familiar characters and easy-to follow-stories, as well as fun activities to complete and tips for reading together. New video stories include Ruby’s Worry and Ravi’s Roar from the Big Bright Feelings series by Tom Percival and Supertato stories launching in July.
- 10 minute story shares from World Book Day – pick and choose which of your favourite authors & illustrators you’d like to share story time with in our short story reading videos.
- Anna James is the bestselling author of the Pages and Co. series for readers aged 9+, which celebrates all that is best in life: books, adventure, friendship – and cake. Nicola Skinner is a middle grade rising star whose previous books have been longlisted for both the Blue Peter Book Award and Branford Boase Book Award. Friends in real life, they sat down to talk about their latest books and what it’s really like being an author before answering children’s questions! Watch the event from The Reading Agency now.
- Join author and illustrator Bethan Woollvin as she reads from her picture book, Three Little Vikings and teaches children how to draw some of the characters! Watch the event from The Reading Agency now.
- Read for Good and Everyman Theatre’s Summer Reading Challenge workshop. Everyman Theatre, with the support of Investec, has produced a great new play, Zeb and Cat Save the World. The play is inspired by the Summer Reading Challenge theme of Wild World Heroes. Join Everyman Theatre’s Camille for these two seriously fun virtual drama workshops and get kids excited about being a Wild World Hero!
- Everyman Theatre, with the support of Investec, has produced Zeb and Cat Save the World, a play inspired by The Summer Reading Challenge’s theme of Wild World Heroes! “Zeb and Cat find that litter is really messing up their park and the wildlife is being harmed. Can you join Zeb and Cat and try to save the animals? A family show about protecting the environment for children aged 4- 11 years at locations across Gloucestershire this summer.” Add to the fun by participating in a drama workshop, based on Zeb and Cat Save the World. You can watch them here.
