Summer Reading Activities at Libraries and Online

DPI Release:

Research shows students not engaged with educational activities over the summer test lower at summer’s end than at the beginning. Estimates place this learning loss at two to three months’ worth of learning—a quarter of the school year.

However, reading 4-6 books per summer has been shown to help readers maintain their skills, while reading 10-20 helps them improve. Summer reading incentive programs at libraries across Wisconsin provide enriching, engaging activities including art, music, hands-on science, and storytelling. Many also offer adult programming.

Online, Wisconsin students and families can use BadgerLinkto access educational activities such as these: Encyclopædia Britannica offers not only informative articles but also educational games in its “Learning Zone” and in the “Learning Materials” section of its Elementary, Middle, and High school editions. The encyclopedia is also available for mobile devices. LearningExpress Library provides test preparation and skill building for children, teens, and adults. Kids can practice math or grammar, prepare for the SAT, ACT, or AP tests, and more. NoveList and NoveList K-8 offer book recommendations, book lists, and discussion guides for fiction books. TeachingBooks provides K-12 book-related multimedia: author interviews, book trailers, authors reading their works, book lists, and discussion guides.