Library Card
What better gift can you give your students at the end of the year than a library card? Take a field trip to your local library or ask the children’s librarian to visit your school and describe all their summer reading activities.
Summer Reading List
It’s easy to do an internet search and find a suggested reading list for your grade level. Parents would probably appreciate this when helping their child choose books to read over the summer.
*I think this summer reading challenge at Scholastic.com is perfect for any reading level:
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/reading-challenges-kids.html
This summer’s reading challenges will encourage kids to expand their learning horizons this season and beyond. Packed with fresh new ideas for summer reading fun, your child will be inspired by the limitless wonder found in books. Variety is key to encouraging reader engagement — for young readers, reluctant readers, and avid readers alike!
This reading challenge consists of 10 badges for children to color in as they complete each reading goal. With fun-filled stories to read on-the-go and bright new books to enjoy under the sun, who says summer reading has to feel like a chore?
Family Fun Calendar
Here’s a summer calendar that you can run off for your students. Glue it to a heavy piece of cardboard and attach a string so it can be hung up in their home. Read over the activities to motivate your students, and then let them decorate their calendars with markers or crayons.
Bucket of “Fun”
You can buy sand buckets or just use a plastic cup like I did. Punch holes and add a pipe cleaner handle. Let children decorate their “buckets of fun” with markers, stickers, etc.
Make a list of activities that children can do with their families over the summer to reinforce skills you’ve worked on during the school year. Cut into strips and place in the buckets. Send the bucket home with a note encouraging the parents to let their child select a strip each day and do the activity.
Some examples might include:
Read a story with your parents. Tell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. What do you think will happen next?
Play a rhyming game. How many words can you think of that rhyme with "can"? "Pot"?
"Book"? "Coat"? "Sheep"? "Like"?
Trace around your hand and your foot. What can you make out of them?
Count as high as you can. Can you count by 2's, 5's, and 1O's?
Ask your parents to teach you a song they learned when they were your age.
Look in your kitchen pantry. How many labels can you read?
How many ways can you move? Can you hop, skip, jump, gallop, tiptoe, walk
backwards?
Can you draw a circle, oval, square, rectangle, and triangle? What other shapes can
you draw?
Write a special letter to someone in your house.
Look at some of your baby pictures. How have you changed?
Find something that begins with these letters: B, H, S, M, L,
Draw a picture of your neighborhood.
Make a list of 5 things that are non-living. Make a list of 5 things that are living.
Do you have a library card? Visit your library and check out some books.
Do a job around the house.
Write your name on a piece of paper - first, middle, and last. What are your initials?
End of Year Letter
Give parents with a positive lasting impression by sending a letter similar to the one below. It might be thoughtful to send a picture of their child along with the note.
Dear ______,
Lucky me to get to spend this special year with your child! (Child’s name) has worked hard and has grown in many ways. One of my favorite memories is (something unique about the child).
I appreciate all the support and encouragement you have given (child’s name) at home. Behind every great student is a great family!
Saying good-bye is bittersweet. “Bitter” because I will miss (child’s name), but sweet because I am so proud to have been a part of his/her life! Please keep in touch because I know the future holds many wonderful things for your child and your family!
Remember to read and laugh every day this summer!
Fondly,
Some examples might include:
Read a story with your parents. Tell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. What do you think will happen next?
Play a rhyming game. How many words can you think of that rhyme with "can"? "Pot"?
"Book"? "Coat"? "Sheep"? "Like"?
Trace around your hand and your foot. What can you make out of them?
Count as high as you can. Can you count by 2's, 5's, and 1O's?
Ask your parents to teach you a song they learned when they were your age.
Look in your kitchen pantry. How many labels can you read?
How many ways can you move? Can you hop, skip, jump, gallop, tiptoe, walk
backwards?
Can you draw a circle, oval, square, rectangle, and triangle? What other shapes can
you draw?
Write a special letter to someone in your house.
Look at some of your baby pictures. How have you changed?
Find something that begins with these letters: B, H, S, M, L,
Draw a picture of your neighborhood.
Make a list of 5 things that are non-living. Make a list of 5 things that are living.
Do you have a library card? Visit your library and check out some books.
Do a job around the house.
Write your name on a piece of paper - first, middle, and last. What are your initials?
End of Year Letter
Give parents with a positive lasting impression by sending a letter similar to the one below. It might be thoughtful to send a picture of their child along with the note.
Dear ______,
Lucky me to get to spend this special year with your child! (Child’s name) has worked hard and has grown in many ways. One of my favorite memories is (something unique about the child).
I appreciate all the support and encouragement you have given (child’s name) at home. Behind every great student is a great family!
Saying good-bye is bittersweet. “Bitter” because I will miss (child’s name), but sweet because I am so proud to have been a part of his/her life! Please keep in touch because I know the future holds many wonderful things for your child and your family!
Remember to read and laugh every day this summer!
Fondly,
