Do you take summers off?  I use the phrase “summers off” lightly because we all know that learning happens all of the time.  The brain doesn’t just shut off for summer.

If you are like me, you take summer off but spend time trying to find engaging ways to keep your homeschooler learning without him/her realizing it.

One thing my kids love to do is read.  I can’t tell you how happy I am about that.  Reading is such a fundamental skill – the love of reading opens up worlds that the boys might not otherwise discover.

Next year, I’ll be coaching my youngest son’s Battle of the Books team.  There are twenty-seven books on the list for the team to read so that they are prepared to answer questions about each at a competition in May.  Questions like, “In which book did…”  Not deep, critical thinking questions, but comprehension questions nonetheless.  One of the reasons I signed up to do this is because it would entail him reading ALL summer long.  Yes!

Have you ever been to a book store where your child cannot find a..single..book he/she wants to read? There are literally THOUSANDS, but none are interesting at the moment.  Battle of the Books means no questions about what needs to be read, and the variety is great!  Sci-fi, sports, teen issues, multi-cultural stories, the entire gambit.  One thing we’ve learned in homeschooling is that it’s OK to read books we normally wouldn’t choose.  Some of our favorites have emerged that way.

My youngest has decided during summer he’ll read three chapters a night.  That way, come August, he’ll have the nine books we all agreed to tackle over summer out of the way.  At three books a month, this endeavor will turn into his literature program for next year.  I have found numerous study guides online for the various books, so we’ll take at least one book a month and go deep while just reading the other two.  Most study guides include vocabulary and writing prompts.  We’ll supplement with Easy Grammar to make sure he’s getting that as well.

One other advantage of doing Battle of the Books is the fact that he gets to get together with a bunch of his friends.  They challenge each other, encourage each other, and compete with each other.  It’s a great way to stimulate an even greater desire to read and read well.  Teams consist of anywhere from two to twelve participants.

If you have a homeschool team in your area, let me encourage you to join.  If you don’t, how about starting a competition in your area?  It’s not that hard – you get people to sign up their teams, and you have a one day competition.  Here’s the link to the main Battle site – http://www.battleofthebooks.org/.

If your state is like ours, they may make their own book selections.  Here’s what NC is doing.  The public schools all do Battle of the Books because they understand the value of kids reading.  This is another chance for homeschoolers to have those same advantages.

So, what are you doing educationally this summer?  Are you taking a long trip?  Do you need something for your kids to read while traveling in the car?  Why not try Battle of the Books?  Literacy is so important – why not make it fun and competitive in the process?

April Bradley is the blessed mother of four beautiful children ranging in age from 20 to 11: one girl and three boys. She teaches English online to university students and homeschools her two youngest boys. They make their home in North Carolina where April enjoys reading, cooking, travel, playing disc golf with family, and napping.

Her blog, Heartfelt Homeschooling (http://bzoohomeschool.blogspot.com/ ), covers all things homeschool – the joys, the troubles and everything in between. In addition, you will find Teen Talk, Monday Memoirs, recipes, and reviews of curriculum and books. Come on by and share your thoughts…