Our Summer Reading and Writing Adventure!

Today we started our great Reading and Writing Adventure! 

I wanted to keep the boys' school skills fresh this summer and in order to encourage them (hey, who am I kidding? I need to encourage ME!) to do reading and writing every day, we made this super cool chart/game today. It kinda looks like CandyLand! (right?) 

Anywho, here is how the game works. For each book we read out loud together (because I am not above bribing my kids to read with me) they get a sticker (one sticker per boy/book per day. The number of books we read is unlimited). 

For each worksheet they complete, they get a sticker too!

I made copies of this number and letter workbook we have so they can practice their writing throughout the summer. 

 Today they worked on some coloring. 

Coloring isn't their favorite thing in the world but I am just glad they actually completed the sheet! 

 And they got a sticker! 

We did some reading this afternoon so now there are 4 stickers on our chart. 

 There are 102 squares on our chart (I decided to go for a nice round number....just kidding. That's just how many squares it took to fill in my squiggly line on the poster board. 

My math major husband reminded me that 102 is not divisible by 4). 

When we get to 102, we get to go to TOYS R US to pick out a new toy! The boys can't wait. 

Really. They wanted to go today. 

I reminded them 7 times that this chart is going to take lots of hard work and patience. 

So, while we wait to get to TOYS R US, we have some Star incentives along the way. There are 11 stars (I just asked the boys where we should put the stars and we ended up with 11. Go figure).

At each star we will pick a Star Card and do something fun like "Play the Wii" or "get a slush from Sonic." Hopefully the Star Cards will keep the boys motivated this summer until we get to Square one-oh-two. 

I really have no idea how long it will take us to complete the chart. We may need to make another chart before the summer is over. (fingers crossed...maybe that is just wishful thinking...)

I am hoping that our great Summer Reading and Writing Adventure Game will keep us all motivated to keep practicing those skool skillz...

What do you do to keep your kids' academics fresh over the summer?