Making the summer reading challenge harder?

[RoboJesus]

This will be the 3rd year my child will do the summer reading challenge. First year was fine, but last year it really wasn't a challenge at all. I think this year I'm going to try making them ready more and harder books. Does anyone else do anything similar?

[corythatwas]

How does it work? Do you get to pick your own choice of books? If so, seems easy enough. Classics often a good choice ime: more complex in language and thought but less likely to contain age-inappropriate material.

[onemouseplace]

It’s only 6 books isn’t it, which isn’t usually much of a challenge. The one I used to do as a child was much better - I seem to remember there being bronze, silver and gold levels depending on how many books you read (maybe up to 24/ 36) and they had a proper award ceremony with a children’s author for children who got the gold award.

[RoboJesus]

Yep just 6 books that could technically just be baby books. Last year I steered my kid towards level appropriate books but since they were reading a couple of books a day anyway it was done in a few days. Im thinking maybe aim for 20 novel sized books. But bring the stuff in to get the certificate if they don't quite make it

[pallisers]

is it important to do the challenge? If not, why not just let your child off in the library/bookshelves and read what he/she wants within reason.

[PerspicaciaTick]

Don't muck about with the SRC, you will confuse your child and the library volunteers when you insist on applying a different set of rules to the ones shown all over the paperwork.
If you want to come up with your own challenge, fine. But keep it separate from the SRC.

[RoboJesus]

Well no it's not going to matter to them if every book is written down or every third book, whether is the Gruffalo or Harry Potter is it?

[haba]

Well, yes, for those that are gifted at reading, the summer reading challenge is a bit of a misnomer. Why bother with it? I would have read more than the required number by day two, so I didn't bother, and just read, read, read all holiday. I loved the summer holidays, as school didn't interfere with reading time!

[RoboJesus]

Because little kids like earning stickers and medals

[pallisers]

Because little kids like earning stickers and medals

Then do the challenge and get it over with in the first few days/week.
After than he can read for pleasure.

My experience of really good engaged readers is that they read for the sake of it so his experience of reading is a different thing to getting the stickers.

I was not G&T but was an early and voracious reader. I wouldn't have cared much about stickers at any age or if I did it wouldn't have had anything to do with the joy of reading a good book.

I presume the challenge is to engage reluctant readers or kids who are more interested in other things. It will never be a real challenge for an interested reader.

[RoboJesus]

But that's no fun...

[thegrinningfox]

The fun is in the reading

[pallisers]

Robo, maybe you weren't a big reader yourself when that age. But if you love reading the fun is in the reading - not the stickers.

If you need stickers to motivate your kid to read - even if he is capable of reading at a high level - then he isn't a kid who just wants to read (as I suspect many of us replying were) and the challenge is important for him too. Why not google good books for readers at his level and give them to him for the summer challenge?

[timeisnotaline]

I don’t know the challenge. But if he’s a reader do the challenge then just find him more books. If you want to add challenge items tell him next week he needs to read one book genre x by an author famous n the us post 1980 ... can’t think of anything more interesting than that now, that’s a terrible example. Depends on his age for specific recommendations.

[RoboJesus]

My kid finds challenges fun and wants to earn some things. Although they love reading it's just something they've done everyday for most of their life. When they were 2 and still learning it took nearly the whole summer to read 6 proper books to fluency so the challenge was a challenge. Maybe I should give a topic for some of the books ie Ancient Egypt or survival skills. That might be fun

[haba]

Just set your own challenges for him.
You can buy sheets of stickers cheaply enough, to give when he finishes a book.

But I agree with every word of pallisers' posts- people that love reading aren't motivated by stickers. The reading is the reward.
My youngest has spend the last four days reading solidly all day. He loves the holidays!

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

I think even if you are g&t and love reading, a challenge can be fun and can encourage you to read different material. I loved reading for its own sake but still enjoyed it when my mum challenged me to try different authors who I might not really have thought about. I remember the summer I was 12, my mum did some kind of reading challenge for me around European late 1800s writing and got me to try Victor Hugo, Tolstoy, Hardy, Dostoyevsky... that was a fun summer! She did other challenges but that was the most memorable for the sheer length of the books! 😂

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

You can get more online badges for reading past the six

[SmileSweetly]

The library only counts 2 books per visit (6 books in total) because they want to encourage regular visits back over the summer.

Most children read many more than just the 2 books each time (even though only 2 are counted).

Take out a few books each time, and only return the the library to collect rewards when all the books have been read at home.

The aim is to encourage reading through the holidays and nurture a love for reading and encourage library use in the next generation. Just let him enjoy it, if you are too strict on what he can and can't read then you will put him off.

Well done for supporting your local library, there is a lot going on behind the scenes with budget cuts and less staffing etc. It is a real struggle. Families like yours who encourage reading and bring your child in regularly are what might actually save some libraries in the end.

[bellinisurge]

Agree with op. Do it for the stickers etc. But the challenge of sitting and reading an enjoyable book can be hard for any child. How about just having one book at the end of the six that's a bit tougher? Or just do six Horrid Henry type books and have a summer book that is a personal challenge.

[hugoagogo]

I am one of the few librarians left and I agree with Just let him enjoy it, if you are too strict on what he can and can't read then you will put him off. from smile ^
The SRC is lovely this year with the Beano theme, it is sure to be great fun

[noblegiraffe]

DS gets about 20 books out each visit but they don’t let you do the challenge all in one go, which is good. He picks his favourites to go on the sheet, and we’ve started writing little book reviews so will probably do that this summer. He loves the library anyway, the stickers and activities just make it even more fun.

[blackbirdbluebottle]

I wish adults could do this too. I loved doing this challenge as a kid, I still have my awards 😂

[RoboJesus]

I went and bought extra stickers today. I think 20 is probably a good number and 5 of them I can give a topic for. I talked to my kid about it and they are excited to have an actual challenge. They'd read everyday regardless but getting to earn cool stickers and eventually a medal is just more fun.

[bookmum08]

Are you doing the challenge too? If you are being so determined your child must read x amount of books over the summer then I hope you will be reading as well.

[RoboJesus]

The summer reading challenge is for kids