It’s officially summer, a time of year filled with fun, sun and relaxation, but also the challenge of keeping your child’s mind sharp and his or her path to learning engaged through the summer months.

We solicited advice on the topic from some trusted resources, recently. It was thrilling to hear so many varied ideas for games, activities and launching points for learning-moments. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of the great ideas you can use to keep your kids reading during the summer, starting with this fun summer reading strategy.

Amy Mascott of Teach Mama gave us this gem, the first of many we hope to share!
Custom Shopping Lists for Trips to the Grocery Store:

• Make a list of words to read and find on a shopping trip. Give each kid a crayon and his/her own list with words spelled out in large letters and a drawn or printed picture beside it.
• As you shop, guide children to read the words on their lists and locate those items in the store, checking items off as they are found.
• Bonus fun: take photos with your smart phone of interesting items to add to your check list for your next shopping trip!

We’d love to hear how this works for you! And if your child is ready to transform his or her reading ability this summer through engaging instruction and fun, entertaining practice, check out our digital Learn to Read app for on-the-go learning.