Books on Blankets

Looking for a fun way to encourage summer reading?  Consider hosting Books on Blankets!  It’s an easy and fun way to promote literacy and books for students and their families.  

I’m always looking for engaging ways to get students reading over the summer.  For years I’ve hosted Teacher Tuesdays at the public library (click here for more details).  New this year, I started Books on Blankets and it was a big hit!  Start by picking a summer date and time (we did a Monday evening from 7:00pm-8:00pm) and a location (we did the school’s front lawn). Then promote the event with students and families, and asked them to bring a book and a blanket.  I did a sign-up genius to invite staff members to attend and asked them to bring a book to read aloud.  The day of the event, I pulled a variety of books from the school library for families to read, put them in three roll crates, and rolled them outside.  I set up a few blankets and lawn chairs, and brought popsicles for students to enjoy in the summer shade.  Students and their families drove, rode bikes, and walked to the event - with books and blankets in hand!  Staff, students, and parents talked about their summer fun and read books - some alone and some together.  A few teachers and a parent did a read aloud.  We enjoyed the perfect summer night, no rain and a comfortable temperature.  

All in all, our first Books on Blankets was a fun and successful event.  It doesn’t get any better than staff, students, and families reading together on a beautiful summer evening. 

What kind of summer reading events do you host at your school?  For more ways to encourage students to read over the summer, click here.  Happy summer reading!