Summer Reading Bingo
Inspired by my friend Whitney at Brighter Day Press I created my own version of a Summer Reading Bingo chart! It’s the perfect way to keep kiddos engaged over the summer without much fuss. This bingo structure gives kids lots of options and freedom while setting them up to discover new favorites and maybe even explore a whole new genre. There are many ways to play depending on the size of your family and the ages of your readers. I’ve included some of our favorite titles organized by each bingo box category and have listed a book suggestion or two (or three) for each age range: preschooler, elementary, and tween/teen. In the PDF you’ll see all the titles color-coded by age range along with clickable links.
You could make up your own rules/goals based on whether each child will have their own chart or everyone will contribute as a family. Read-alouds totally count! Picture books to chapter books…make it work for your family.
bingo = 5 covered squares in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row
make a goal of 1, 2, or 3 bingos…maybe even a blackout!
each person can have their own chart (siblings could even ‘race’)
or the whole family can work towards a blackout together :)
I’d love to hear how your family decides to use this customizable twist on intentional summer reading! Share on IG and tag @green.grove.home or share in our community fb group. It’s a great place to share book ideas and discuss family dynamics.
Oh! Magnet clips are a great way to keep something like this in plain sight. The side of our fridge is definitely our favorite spot.
Happy Reading!
Biographies: The Boy Who Grew a Forest, Shark Lady / The Who Was or Extraordinary Life series / The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Radium Girls
Outdoors: My Very First Outdoor Book, Up in the Garden Down in the Dirt / I Like the Outdoors...What Jobs are There?, The Outdoor Book / Survival Camp, Epic Climbs
Flashlight: Lights-Out, Lenard, The Secrets of Animal Camouflage / The Human Body Shine-a-Light, Real-life Mysteries / True Stories of Ghosts, The Book of Secrets
Wordless: Hike, Flotsam, Journey, Unspoken, The Lion and the Mouse
Poems: Otters, Snails, and Tadpole Tails, Days Like This / A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mr. Rogers, Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry / Imperfect: poems about mistakes
Siblings: A Celebration of Sisters, A Celebration of Brothers, All About Families / The Big Sister, Siblings: You're Stuck with Eachother, So Stick Together / The Sibling Survival Guide
Fairy Tales: Peek Inside a Fairy Tale / Illustrated Fairy Tales / The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Grimm Brothers
Forts: Build Me a Home, The Perfect Shelter / The Fort, Lift the Flap Engineering / My Side of the Moutain, Swiss Family Robinson
Animal as main character: Ten 10-minute Animal Bedtime Stories, The Story of Ferdinand, Charlotte's Web, Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH / White Fang, Black Beauty
Friendship: All About Friends, Room For Everyone / Polly and Buster, Friendship S.O.S, The Wild Robot / Pax, Friendship: Insights and Tips for Teenagers
Nature/Conservation: Bug Hotel, Planet Earth / Saving Our Planet, Explore! America's National Parks / Helping Our Planet, Understanding Climate Change
Plants/Flowers: Why Do We Need Bees?, How Flowers Grow, Miss Rumphius, Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt / The Leaf Detective / Teen Guide to Eco-Gardening, Food, and Cooking
Series: Billy and the Mini Monsters / The Pendwerwicks, The Vanderbeekers / The Mapmaker Chronicals
Made into a Movie: Madeline / The Mouse and the Motorcycle / Little Women
Adventure: Muddle and Match: Adventure, Axolotl Finds a Bottle / Bear Grylls Adventures, Robin Hood, Island of the Blue Dolphins / The Impossible Quest, Treasure Island
Set in Your Country: We are Water Protectors, Fry Bread / Sarah, Plain and Tall, Stella by Starlight / Sweet Home Alaska
Emotions: All About Feelings, I Breathe, The Whatif Monster / Mindful Kid's Collection / Are you There God? It's Me, Margret, Mindfulness for Teens in 10 minutes a Day
Written over 50 years ago: Blueberries for Sal, Cordoury / Charlotte's Web, Anne of Green Gables / The Secret Garden, The Odyssey
Disability: BOY / The Story of Helen Keller, The War That Saved My Life / Butterflies
Summer: 1,2,3 By the Sea, Summer Days and Nights / The Penderwicks, Summer of the Woods / Summerlost
Award-Winning: Make Way for Ducklings / The War That Saved My Life / One Crazy Summer
Set in a different country: Planting the Trees of Kenya / A Place to Hang the Moon / The Rent Collector
Mystery: Grandpa's Teeth / Summer of the Woods, Billie B. Mystery / Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow, Summerlost
Old Favorite: Extraordinary!, Where Happiness Lives / PIE, Matilda / The Door in the Wall, Harry Potter
Need more book ideas for all ages? Check out the GG Resource Guide!
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