Like winter, summer has its extremes that leave us wanting to stay indoors with a good book. It gets interesting when you have little ones that are excited about doing more.
We homeschool our babies which means we pretty much do school all year round with breaks here and there as needed.
Not to brag or maybe to brag a little, our babies are enjoying school this season, so that has us staying ahead with their school.
For the summer though, we have decided to maintain reading, math and art so they can have time to do other fun summer staff like play dates, swimming, baking in the sun at play parks, taking walks and more bike riding.
We have an 8 year old boy who is extreme with his reading; I mean he really loves to read and on the other hand we have our precious 6 year old who would rather sit back on mama’s lap and listen to whatever has to be read even though she can now read on her own when she wants to. She is a good listener though (which makes the reading part much easier).
What our 8 year old is reading;
- The “Spirit Flyer” series by John Bibee
- The Magic Bicycle – Completed
- The Toy Campaign – Completed
- The Only Game in Town – Completed
- Bicycle Hills
- The Last Christmas
- The Runaway Parents
- The Perfect Star
- The Journey of Wishes
- The mouse and the motorcycle by Beverly Clearly – Completed
- Run away Ralph by Beverly Clearly – Completed
- Ralph S Mouse by Beverly Clearly
- The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin – Completed
- The legend of Diamond Lil by Doreen Cronin – Completed
- Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne – Completed
- Adventures in Odyssey “The imagination station” – Completed
- Saxon math 2(we use this all year round for their math but it’s also really good for supplement math over the summer break)
What our 6 year old is reading;
- Owl at Home by Arnold Love
- Heidi (retold from the Johanna Spyri original)
- Classic Starts: Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie
- Brain quest reading
- Saxon math 1(we use this all year round for their math but it’s also really good for supplement math over the summer break)
As we continue raising our babies, I hope and pray that we will take one day at a time asking God to guide us in nurturing them. I personally know that summer time can feel long but yet again, it’s a perfect time to create long lasting memories with our children. Enjoy them while we can, for they grow fast so I hear.
God Bless
“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.”
― Frank Serafini
Rhythm In Life 
Enjoy your children , they grow up so soon and they fly away to college and then to life.
Thank you very much. We are taking in one day at a time enjoying every day as it comes. 🙏
I enjoyed this one today for some reason and I’m glad you care enough to homeschool your children. It is so important, I think, that we teach our values to them before they encounter on a regular basis people who want to teach them to think differently. Back in the dark ages, our teachers didn’t try to teach us WHAT to think, they taught us HOW to think things through. The most important thing they wanted us to learn was how to think. My mom taught us how to find out what we wanted to know by using reference books (no computers or Google in the 40s and 50s) and if we asked a question about something she would turn it around on us and ask us what we thought about what we were asking about and if our thinking was not clear she helped guide us to an answer by pointing out rules we had learned and how those rules applied to what we seemed to be confused about at the time. Do people even do that anymore or do teachers just tell kids what to think without the kids learning how to reason? Anyway, good blog today!
As a former Reference Librarian, I love your response
Thank-you very much 🙏. It’s always an honor hearing from ones that have lived through seasons of life that we are living in the moment and taking their wisdom. I find learning to read as a door to endless imagination. It’s like fresh air to our minds. I watch my babies learn to think and imagine beyond what they see through books. Our 8 year old enjoys summarizing his readings something that I believe helps him think beyond the words written out for him. You are absolutely right, it’s important for our children to learn to think and reason. Thank you again 🙏
I am reading the first Harry Potter with my 8 year old. The 6 year old is crazy about cows and baseball so we have a pile of books about farming and baseball that we are reading and re-reading. My 4 year old LOVES Clifford, Thomas the Train, and Paw Patrol so you can guess what we are reading. I have also snuck in Diary of a Worm and a few other favorites. We love sometime reading on the porch and after bedtime baths. There is comfort in sharing the words.
Those are popular choices in our home too! Also, Curious George!
This is beautiful. As long as they are enjoying their reading time. Also those moments spent flipping pages and reading out to our babies are beautiful memories made.🙏
Great list.
Thank-you 🙏
I don’t know if it’s true there, but here Barnes and Noble and our local library both have summer reading challenges. In each case, the child submits a list of books read. Barnes and Noble gives out a free book. The library usually a cute t-shirt. My grandkids love the challenge.
I just heard about this too! I believe they have to journal about their favorite book?
I think they answer some questions. It was quite easy and rewarding.
👏 yay!
I am not sure if ours does that but I am going to find out. Our boy has been practicing for a speech and debate conference that will be taking place on the 23rd and 24th of this month. He has written a 2 minutes short story and he is excited to read it out loud to other kids. I am excited too since this is his first year.
My grandkids are home schooled too, so I like finding out things that are enriching and free. His speech sounds exciting.
That’s a great reading list! We are avid readers in our home too. My 7 year old is plowing through the Captain Underpants series. It’s not what I would’ve chosen. But, it’s so great to see them enjoying what they read! Me might look for some from your list at our library trip today! Thank you!
😁 Captain underpants is definitely on our 8 year old’s list. Last night they did an art tutorial and got to draw Captain underpants 😁. Thank you 🙏
That’s awesome! He’s been making his own comic books so he would’ve loved that!
Susan, you know me…I love book lists. 😉 Already jotting some of these down for later! Thank you for sharing!
It’s my joy sis. I hope your munchkins enjoy some of these. ❤
Wish my daughter will be a reader too… I liked that you shared his reading list😊
Fun! They have a great summer ahead of them! I always chose a book to read with my children, too. And I include creative writing exercises – I pick a picture from a magazine and everyone writes a short story. Enjoy!
Creative writing is a good way to go.
I love Heidi. I’m so glad they have such a wonderful reading list. 🙂
Thank you my dear 🙏. Our little girl is obsessed with Heidi that she at times pretends to dress up like Heidi.😁
It pleases me to no end that both of my kids love reading. Little Man has been reading nonstop since school let out — he is 9 and loves the Percy Jackson books. And Baby Girl is all about Pete the Cat. 😀
Our little girl enjoys Pete the Cat as well. It’s beautiful to see them curled up enjoying a book they love.💞
Thanks for the list of book ideas we stop home school year-round my 6year old can’t read yet but she loves looking at science books. My oldest (14) got a reading list from me.
It’s my joy to be able to share 🙏