This Summer, "Read" For the Gold

Swifter, Higher, Stronger... that's the motto of the 2008 Summer Olympics taking place in Beijing, China this August.

This summer, make it your motto to help children develop into swifter readers with higher comprehension skills and stronger vocabularies. And what better way to do so than with a fun and friendly competition:

Host a Summer Reading Olympics for your family, neighborhood, or local youth group

Step 1: Meet together and determine the rules, events, and sports-themed prizes (baseball game, pool party, etc.) for your Reading Olympics. The events could range from "Most Books Read" to "Most Minutes Read;" from "Most Improved Reader" to "Most Adventurous Reader."

Step 2: Have children log the books and minutes they've read in an online "Reading Log," which is available for free on RIF's Reading Planet Club. Sign up or log in to the Club.

Step 3: At the end of the competition, hold a medal ceremony and present gold, silver, and bronze handmade medallions to the winners.

Below are activities, books, and more to make your Summer Reading Olympics a Herculean success.

Arts & Crafts
Family Olympic Torch Kick off your family's "Summer Reading Olympics" by making an Olympic torch.

Olympic Medallions Design Olympic medallions to award during the medal ceremony at the end of your family's "Summer Reading Olympics."

Books
Check out The World's Most Athletic Booklist. Each book centers around one of the official sports of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Ages 6-8
Ages 9-12
Ages 13+

Tips
Relax the rules for summer During the school year, children often have busy schedules and required reading. Summer is a time when they can relax and read what, when, and how they please.

Lead by example Stuff a paperback in your beach bag. If kids see you reading often, they will understand that literature can be a fun and important part of their summer days.

Links
Watching the 2008 Summer Olympics with Kids—tips on getting kids in the Olympic spirit.

Go for the Gold!—Scholastic's kid-friendly website with Olympic facts and up-to-the-minute news.

Beijing 2008 Educational Kit—contains over fifty pages with information on China and the Olympic games.

*The hosting of a Reading Olympics was the orginial idea of the international non-profit Reading is Fundamental (RIF)