By: Deborah
Pace Rowley
One of the
most important things children can do to keep from backsliding over the summer
is to READ. Nothing encourages summer reading more than regular trips to the
library and these fun wall charts and rewards.
Homemade
versions of these wall charts originated with my mom during my own childhood. I
remember writing each completed book title on a star or a footprint and then
taping them to the wall to track my reading progress down our hallway in the
basement. I was so proud of the ever expanding train and I loved earning the
rewards my Mom and I had planned together. You can create your own reading wall
with the free printable charts below.
Step 1:
Decide on a wall where you want your reading chart to be. This can be a bedroom
wall or a hallway wall or a wall in the kitchen. How much space you will need
depends on how many books your child will read. I think the best way to orient
the chart is horizontally so that your child can hang up the piece as soon as
the book has been completed but if you don’t have much wall space, the chart
can climb vertically and even cross the ceiling if needed.
Step 2: Once
you have decided where to put your chart, choose a theme for each child. I have
included the following seven themes: Cowboy, Space, Princess, Puppy, Race Car,
Wizard and Bo-Peep. Each theme includes three different images. These images are
in the public domain or come from www.phillipmartin.com. If you haven’t checked out this
great site for free clip art, you need to! The first page includes 6 copies of
a simple image that will be used to record every completed book. For example, images
include a crown for the princess set, a horseshoe for the cowboy set and a bone
for the puppy set. Make as many copies of this page as you will need for your
summer reading. Cut out one image and write your child’s name and START on that
image and place it on the wall where you want the chart to begin. Cut apart the
rest of the images and store them in a basket or bag somewhere accessible. You
will have your child write down the book title and the date they completed the
book on the image before they hang it on the wall. (Note: For a very reluctant
reader you may choose to write every completed chapter on an image for more
obtainable rewards.)
Step 3:
Print out the second page of each theme which includes two larger images that
will be used for rewards. For example, the puppy theme includes two images of a
doghouse, the princess theme includes two castles, and the space theme includes
two planets. You will choose what rewards to write on these images with your
child. One reward should be earned approximately at the end of June. The second
reward should be earned towards the end of the July. Some possible rewards
include a visit to an ice cream parlor or McDonalds, a trip to the zoo or a favorite
park, an outdoor movie night, a campfire in the mountains etc. Think of a few
possible rewards that fit your budget or schedule and then let your child
decide which reward he or she wants.
Step 4: Once
you have decided on the rewards and written them on the images, you need to
hang them on the wall the right distance from the start. To do this, decide how
many books you would like your child to read in the month of June. Base this
decision on your own child’s ability and interest in reading. This will vary
from child to child. Some kids will devour 10 books a month. Some children will
read 2 books. You want the reading goal to be realistic but still a little bit
challenging. Depending on the age of your child, they will be reading picture
books, early chapter books, or longer novels. This will also determine how many
books you expect each child to read. If you want your child to read 5 books in
June, place the reward down the wall the distance of 5 stars or bones etc. Use
the images you have printed out as a guide. Then place your second reward
further down the wall to illustrate how many books need to be read in July.
Step 5: Once
you have placed your short term rewards on the wall, print out the final page
which is a single large image of a cowboy or a spaceman or a princess etc. This
large image is the finish line of your reading chart. It represents the final
reward for a summer’s worth of reading. Write a larger reward on this image
before placing it on the proper space on the wall to illustrate how many books
need to be completed in August before school starts. This final reward can be
the purchase of a toy or item that the child really wants or a special trip or
outing to a water park or an amusement park. It can be a party with favorite
foods and include special friends. You decide what will fit in your schedule
and budget but make sure that this reward will be a highly motivating for your
child. If you have several children participating in your summer reading
program, you may want to have the short-term rewards unique to each child but
then have the final reward the same for the entire family but only those
children who complete their chart can participate.
Step 6: Now
that you have set the stage, gather some great books and let the reading begin!
Explore some new reading places with your child. How about reading in a tent on
the back lawn or while lying on the trampoline or under the kitchen table
covered with a blanket. How about reading in bed with a flashlight! Make sure
you regularly point out to Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and even the babysitter how
the reading chart is growing. You may want to use the dinner table celebration
I wrote about here to celebrate when your child reaches a short-term
reward. Find our recommendations for fantastic pictures books here and
favorite novels here. Enjoy a summer of reading together!
Click on each theme below to print your reading chart
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