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You are here: Home / Archives for Family Activities

2014 Summer Reading: Half Price Books

June 10, 2014 by Tracy

2014 Summer Reading: Half Price Books
2014 Summer Reading: Half Price Books

Photograph Credit: Half Price Books

Miss 6 informed me that she has read 14 books for summer reading. She is keeping a pile of the books she has read for me to record on her reading logs.

As I write this post, she is camped out in our reading corner reading more books.

Definitely fascinated by books, she loves to “read” what she thinks the picture is communicating rather actually reading the words.

She gets frustrated with how long it takes her to read which I am hoping that patience, a well-written curriculum, and repetition will cause a steady improvement in the next couple of months.

In the meantime, Miss 6 enjoys her books and allows us to assist in reading the stories.

Moving from create-your-own summer reading program to log your minutes, the next highlighted program comes from Half Price Books.

Half Price Books Feed the Brain

2014 Summer Reading: Half Price Books

Photograph Credit: Half Price Books

Participants

Children ages 14 and younger.

Program Length

June and July 2014.

The June logs are due by Sunday, July 6, 2014.

The July logs are due by Sunday, August 10, 2014.

Goal

Read every day for at least 15 minutes totaling a minimum of 300 minutes per month.

Requirements

Work on your summer reading and record the number of minutes read each day on your reading log. Add up your minutes and have a parent initial each weekly total.

Redemption

Take the finished reading log to a participating Half Price Books store.

Reward

Qualifying participants who read 300 or more minutes during the month and submit their reading logs by the monthly deadline will earn $5 in HPB Bookworm Bucks.

The coupons are valid through August 27, 2014 and apply to a pre-tax amount on your next visit’s transaction.

Multiple eligible family members may participate, and minutes parents read to their children count in the total minutes read.

One top reader award of a $20 HPB Bookworm Buck will be chosen for each month in each age category (ages 5 and younger, 6-10, and 11-14). For more details, visit the Half Price Books website.

Half Price Books Feed the Brain Benefits

In establishing good reading habits, Feed the Brain encourages reading 15 minutes per day. As participants are encouraged to submit their reading logs once they reach 300 minutes, obviously more minutes are allowed each day.

Even if you start this program after the June 1 or the kickoff on June 8, your reader can make up the time missed by reading more on other days – if needed. If your family is like mine, we don’t even track all the books we read.

We definitely read at least 15 minutes per day, but many times I forget to consider the little book here and there or the nightly reading series as part of that time – though I probably should.

Keep on emulating good reading habits and encourage the progress they make on their summer reading journey. Happy summer reading!

More 2014 summer reading programs:

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million
  • Chuck E. Cheese
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
  • Everyday Snapshots
  • Education.com

Filed Under: Rewards, Summer Reading, Family Activities Tagged With: Summer reading, Half Price Books

2014 Summer Reading: Education.com

June 9, 2014 by Tracy

2014 Summer Reading: Education.com
2014 Summer Reading: Education.com

Photograph Credit: Education.com

Read another short book today on Egyptian history from a title on my daughter’s second grade reading list.

I have more books on my dining room table purchased for next year’s curriculum, but frankly, I do not find the medieval genre calling my name.

In fact, I keep putting off reading a couple of those books though I need to get through them. In the meantime, I enjoyed reading 4 books to my kiddos this evening after dinner.

My son really loves the Sir Cumference series. This is a cute series of four books based on math concepts like circumference, diameter, radius, angles, and more.

The series is set in medieval times around the time of King Arthur. I am enjoying this series and watching my son make the connections between the names of the characters and the terms in math.

As you work on summer reading, I encourage you to branch out into new genres and topics. For more ideas on creating your own summer reading program, check out the 10-week Do-It-Yourself Summer Reading Camp at Education.com.

Education.com Summer Reading Adventures

Participants

Students of all ages.

Program Length

Each week is a different reading theme. The resources for all 10 weeks have been published. One can access the worksheets at any time.

Goal

Explore a topic through reading and hands-on activities.

Requirements

To download the worksheets, you must register with education.com. Using the basic FREE version, one is limited to 5 downloads a month. For unlimited downloads, one must purchase the PLUS option for $47.88 per year.

Reward

Either combine these resources with a program that allows reading any type of books or determine your own individual or family rewards – the choice is yours.

Education.com Summer Reading Adventures Benefits

With at least 5 FREE resources each month, one can print 5 of the 10 summer reading camp worksheets in June and then print the remaining 5 in July. Education.com offers hundreds of printable worksheets and activities to assist parents and educators.

Though not every summer reading resource will work for your family, choose the ones that interest you. The point is to keep on developing a love for good books while continuing to develop strong reading skills. Happy summer reading!

More 2014 summer reading programs:

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million
  • Chuck E. Cheese
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
  • Everyday Snapshots

Filed Under: Rewards, Summer Reading, Family Activities Tagged With: Summer reading, education.com

2014 Summer Reading: Everyday Snapshots

June 8, 2014 by Tracy

2014 Summer Reading: Everyday Snapshots
2014 Summer Reading: Everyday Snapshots

Photograph Credit: Everyday Snapshots

With Mr. 8 headed to summer camp this week, we are in preparation mode.

Spending family time together yesterday and trying to fit in all the loads of laundry between our activities, we are putting it all together.

Somehow, I find packing for a boy much easier than when I went to camp.

As we get ready to head up to the mountains, I am reminded of those readers who would love to have oodles of summer reading options. But the big chain stores are not in your area.

For those you who rely on your own creativity for summer reading, I hope you will find the Traveling through the Pages resources helpful from Everyday Snapshots.

Everyday Snapshots

2014 Summer Reading: Everyday Snapshots

Photograph Credit: Everyday Snapshots

Participants

Students of all ages.

Program Length

The month of June 2014 with emails on each Friday.

Goal

Encourage summer reading through games and different genres.

Requirements

No registration required. This resource is geared to parents with lots of ways to customize the options with ideas for rewards.

Redemption

Within the printable resources, parents can determine prizes and rewards based on reading goals reached.

Reward

Determined by parents from individual prizes to a family vacation.

Everyday Snapshots Benefits

This program is a great resource with printable bookmarks, reading log, certificate, and more. For parents who prefer to design their own summer reading program, these weekly e-mails from Everyday Snapshots will guide you along the way.

Summer break has officially arrived in our area as all the schools completed their school year on Friday. Though the grades are done, the learning continues. May you enjoy the slower pace of summer as you seize these moments to read and learn. Happy summer reading!

More 2014 summer reading programs:

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million
  • Chuck E. Cheese
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Filed Under: Rewards, Summer Reading, Family Activities Tagged With: Summer reading, Everyday Snapshots

2014 Summer Reading: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

June 7, 2014 by Tracy

2014 Summer Reading: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
2014 Summer Reading: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Photograph Credit: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Yay! I completed my adult summer reading log and within the first week of signing up.

Desiring to read the recommended reading books prior to my children, I am reading and  marking them off of list one at a time.

While I am enjoying my summer reading, my children are in a game-playing phase right now.

Miss 4 wakes up asking me to play Go Fish while Mr. 8 reluctantly joins us for the chance to play Phase 10 or another “bigger” game with me later.

Growing up is a good thing and giving children the best start means starting with something simple before moving to the complex.

For the young children, our next summer reading program is actually all-year long through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Participants

Children ages 0 – 5.

Program Length

Expires on the child’s 6th birthday.

Goal

Develop a love of reading from birth with a new book each month.

Requirements

Check to see if there is a participating Imagination Library in your local area. If so, then signup any eligible child.

If you don’t have this program, then send this link to your school district’s preschool coordinator requesting they offer this program.

Reward

Each month your child will receive an age-appropriate book in the mail throughout his time in the program.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Benefits

2014 Summer Reading: Dolly Parton’s Imagination LibraryUnfortunately, our area does not invest in the lives of young child through this program.

When Mr. 8 was born, there was a similar program where an education coordinator came to our home once a month and talked about normal development, played a game or two with us, and then left us an age-appropriate book.

Within the second year of my son’s life, the program ceased without a replacement.

I still remember the first book our educator Brooke gave to him as Mr. 8 gnawed on it and would not let it go. Though he chewed on it, this book survived all 3 of my children and still has life left.

He loved to have it read to him and kept it in his crib.

If you have young children or know of those with little ones and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available in your area, then please sign them up and encourage others to do the same.

You can’t beat up to 60 FREE books to get your home library going for your young learner. Happy summer reading!

More 2014 summer reading programs:

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million
  • Chuck E. Cheese

Filed Under: Rewards, Summer Reading, Family Activities Tagged With: Summer reading, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

2014 Summer Reading: Chuck E. Cheese

June 6, 2014 by Tracy

2014 Summer Reading: Chuck E. Cheese
2014 Summer Reading: Chuck E. Cheese

Photograph Credit: Chuck E. Cheese

Relaxed and read an e-book last night before heading to bed.

With our home mostly in ship shape, I have discovered time to read, play more with my children, and delight in the moments.

Since school has ended for us, our family has a new-found freedom which is wonderful.

For my children, I have started reading a chapter book to them at night, but we have spent the week running errands, spending time with grandparents, playing with friends at the park, dropping off and picking up my art camp attendee, and taking in a memorable baseball game. Whew!

When put together it sounds really busy, but it has been relaxing and fun.

Summer is filled with great adventures including playing games with tokens earned via the Chuck E. Cheese Reward Calendar program.

Chuck E. Cheese Summer Reading

2014 Summer Reading: Chuck E. Cheese

Photograph Credit: Chuck E. Cheese

Participants

Students of all ages.

Program Length

Expires on December 31, 2014.

Goal

Read every day for 2 weeks.

Requirements

Work on your summer reading and complete the Reading Reward calendar by marking each day read with a sticker, “X,” stamp, amount of time read, or initial.

Redemption

Take the finished Reading Reward to a participating Chuck E. Cheese.

Reward

Make a food purchase and receive 10 FREE tokens for your accomplishment. No more than 1 of any FREE token offer can be used per child, per day.

Chuck E. Cheese Benefits

Playing arcade games, earning tickets, and choosing prizes comprises our visits at Chuck E. Cheese. From the racing games to skeet ball, Chuck E. Cheese has numerous arcade games for children of all ages.

For valuable coupons, register for the Chuck E. Cheese e-mail club and have savings delivered to your inbox. If you prefer to keep your inbox clutter-free, then you can also access coupons from the Chuck E. Cheese’s website.

With 10 FREE tokens earned for 14 days of summer reading with no registration necessary, you can complete the Reading Reward and wait until your next visit to Chuck E. Cheese. Having until the end of the year to redeem your reward, you have plenty of time to read and earn.

The indoor fun at Chuck E. Cheese is a welcome break from the heat of summer or a scheduled break this fall. In pairing rewards with coupons, families can stay within their budget while celebrating the accomplishment of hard work. Happy summer reading!

More 2014 summer reading programs:

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million

Filed Under: Rewards, Summer Reading, Family Activities Tagged With: Summer reading, Chuck E. Cheese

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