Are you looking to level up your summer with a reading challenge, but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered with some tips for creating—and completing—your own challenge.
The Basics
Consider your target audience. Who is the challenge for? Is it for you, your kids or a friend? You’ll want to keep them in mind when considering all the parts of the challenge. The goal is to finish and have fun, so tailoring the challenge to the individual is the best way to ensure both.
Set goals. Goals can be as simple as reading a certain number of books, pages or for a set amount of time. They can be as complex as reading books in all different genres, only award-winning books, book-to-movie adaptations or a mix of all of the above.
Just remember to make your goals attainable—you’ll have no fun if you never get to reward yourself for your efforts. You are more likely to succeed if you feel good about your chances of success.
Have a system to track progress. Whether it's a website, app, star chart, bingo card or a good, old-fashioned tracking sheet, don't try to keep it all in your head.
Maybe you’ll take your 62 Days of Summer field notebook and keep a reading journal. Perhaps you’ll keep a stack of books on your shelf to whittle down or build up. Choose something that will encourage you to keep on reading.
Choose a reward. Aside from the fulfilling intrinsic value of reading, the most fun comes from reaching your goal and getting a reward. Pick out small rewards for milestones, larger rewards for goals and a big reward for completing the challenge. (Maybe even an "almost made it" consolation prize if you don’t complete the challenge.)
The key is to get yourself excited to meet your goals and to feel good about your efforts, even if you don’t complete the whole challenge.
Level Up Your Challenge
Use reading lists. If you don’t already have a list of books in mind for your challenge, check out our website for blogs and booklists to help you decide what to read.
Change up the format. Whether you’re experiencing eye fatigue or just not enthused about reading a particular book, consider changing the format to make it more fun. Kids can try Wonderbooks or Read Alongs on Bookflix. Teens struggling to read the classics might have a better time with a manga version.
Maybe you’ll find that book more exciting if it’s narrated by the author or—even better—a full cast. A different format can do wonders for keeping your challenge fresh and exciting.
Challenge friends or family. Maybe you’re the type of person who needs a social connection to really get into something. Invite friends and family to join your challenge. Discussing the books you’ve read, reading the same book or competing with each other can be huge motivators and make the challenge way more fun.
Remember: it doesn’t just have to be about reading. Just like inviting others to your challenge can add a social aspect, you can do other things for your challenge that aren’t solely about reading. You can make your challenge about trying different genres or formats. Maybe you want to try reading in different places like a café, the park or by the pool.
Try pairing experiences with your reading. Listen to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder while baking your own cookies. Grab a Michigan Activity Pass, visit the Sea Life Michigan Aquarium and read Remarkably Bright Creatures. Read Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man and then watch the movie.
Remember, this is your challenge. You can make it whatever you want it to be.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
If you’re struggling with your challenge and it’s not quite working for you, don’t be afraid to change things up. Reading is supposed to be fun, not a chore.
Even if you’re in the middle of your challenge, go ahead and adjust things. If you want to change your goals or how you track progress, that’s okay. If you decide something would make a really great reward, you can add it, swap it out or set a stretch goal. If you decide you need to abandon a book because it just isn’t enjoyable, then get a different book that will be more fun to read, and you’re more likely to finish.
At the end of the summer, the most important part of the challenge is that it is fun.
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