I like to be able to track my kid’s reading, and keep records to go into their school portfolios of what we’ve read. I also like to reward good reading habits. I’ve found that in our family, keeping reading charts is a way to kill both of these birds with one stone.
I have created several different reading charts to use with my kids. Having some different options seems to keep things fresh. However, the result of a filled reading chart is always the same- a special treat from our giant cupcake-shaped cookie jar!
Our treat jar is filled with treats that I don’t normally buy as a mother: full sized candy bars, bottle pops, giant smarties, whistle pops, ring pops, and pretty much any other treat I would usually cringe at. When your reading chart is full, you get to choose one treat of your choice. The kids love this!
Here are some of the reading charts I’ve made- you can download each of them for free! 🙂
Downloadable 20 Book Challenge: On this one, you just fill in the title, author, and the number of pages in the book. I require that when you fill this chart, the books are in your current reading level. You can see how I sort books based on reading level in our home here. I allow them to count books under their current reading level only when reading to a younger sibling.
Downoadable 100 Book Challenge: When you fill this chart at my house, you can read books of any level. You don’t have to write any information in, you just put a check for each book you read. Very simple.
Downloadable 40 Book Challenge: This chart gets your child to read books from different genres, 40 books total. I made a cute one with lots of little clip art pictures. You can choose between 2 versions of this chart. One includes reading 2 religious books, and the other does not. This is the one Lydia is working on right now. In each square, they write the title of a book they’ve read in that genre.
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I generally find it best to tape these on the wall while kids are filling them. This way, they don’t get lost.
I also have some reading charts that match our home library system. This way you can require your child to read books of certain reading levels or books of specific subject areas in order to fill the charts. If you read that post about the home library system we have, it will make since to you, but basically the colored circles stand for reading levels and the stars stand for different topics.
Downloadable Library System Reading Charts– this includes charts for all different ages and abilities including charts for non-readers AND there is also a graph in there where the kids can simply graph how many different kinds of books they read as they go.
The “rules” of using your reading charts are all up to you- do they have to read on your child’s reading level? Do books on tape count? Do books that mom reads to me count? Do they have to be chapter books? Do they have to be a certain number of pages? What is in the rewards jar? Which chart is right for your child? Should all of your children get the same chart? All questions you’ll have to answer yourself. Good luck!
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Your 100 Book link is not working =(
Working now! 🙂
Hi there, I can not get the 100 book chart to download. It’s giving me and another person on a different computer the same error.
Thank you,
Tracey
All fixed now. 🙂
thank you very much!
I can access the other reading charts, but the 100 Book Challenge page is taking an error.
Fixd it
hi Lacy i love how you did the reading charts there awesome it really helps kids to read.
Hi Lacy,
love this blog! Little problem though. When I click on the link for the “100 book challenge” I get the following message:
“Forbidden
You don’t have permission to access /wp-content/uploads/2014/07/100-Book-Challenge.pdf on this server.
Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.”
🙁
Would you be able to fix this?
With love,
a dutch catholic mommy of 4
(from the Netherlands, not Pennsylvania Dutch)
Yes, I fixed it! 🙂
Can I get an editable version of your 40 book challenge?
Editable versions are not available. Sorry!
Angie, Catholic Icing Project Manager
Wow, so many reading charts! I love how you used the stickers to organize your books. My kids are 4 and 7, so I was wondering if you have had much feedback about whether you (or your readers) count Mom reading aloud for the 7 year old? Or now even YouTube channels where someone reads the book?
Hi Rebecca –
I would count books that mom reads aloud as a book as well as books on tape (or YouTube). My local library counts those kinds of things for their reading program as well.
However, it’s really up to you how you want to use them. 🙂
Angie, Catholic Icing Project Manager