Summer Reading Made Easy: 10 Free Resources to Share with Families
9 July, 2026As the summer holidays approach, many schools will be thinking about how to help children keep reading beyond the classroom and avoid the summer reading ‘dip’.
To help you support your school community, we’ve rounded up ten free summer reading resources that offer families different ways to explore and enjoy stories over the break. From choosing books children genuinely want to read to finding stories and activities for rainy days, quiet afternoons and long journeys, there are plenty of ideas here to promote reading for pleasure throughout the holidays.
Make summer reading accessible, engaging and fun by sharing these resources with families before the holidays begin.
1. Summer Reading Challenge
Download and share the free promotional resources to encourage pupils to get involved in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Available through local libraries and online, children can choose to read any book they like to earn stickers and rewards, depending on their local library offer.
A great way to encourage families to visit their local library.
2. Books for Topics Summer Reading Bingo
Books for Topics has created a free Summer Reading Bingo Challenge to help keep primary-aged children engaged with reading throughout the holidays. The focus is on fun rather than reading targets, encouraging children to explore books in different ways and discover new reading experiences.
Teachers can print bingo cards to send home with pupils or share them digitally with families. The website also includes a Summer Recommended Reads booklist and downloadable certificates that children can receive when they return to school in the autumn.
3. Reading Rocks Summer Book Boost
Reading Rocks offers a free Summer Book Boost for families of primary-aged children. Parents who sign up receive a weekly email packed with engaging book-based activities designed to keep children connected to books and reading.
Each edition includes an author or illustrator video, a book extract to enjoy together, a link to an audiobook version, book recommendations and creative follow-up activities. It’s an easy way for families to discover new books and share reading experiences at home.
4. LoveMyBooks
LoveMyBooks is a free website dedicated to helping families enjoy books together. It offers expertly selected book recommendations for children from birth to age 11, alongside practical ideas and activities that encourage discussion, creativity and shared reading.
Parents can browse by age group or topic, making it simple to find books that match their child’s interests and stage of development.
5. Sooper Books
Sooper Books provides access to a wide selection of free online stories for toddlers and primary-aged children. Families can read stories online or listen to narrated versions, making it a useful option for children who enjoy listening to stories as well as reading independently.
With a wide selection of fairy tales, original stories and bedtime reads, there’s plenty to explore throughout the summer holidays.
6. CLC Family Learning Hub
The Children’s Literacy Charity’s Family Learning Hub brings together a wealth of free resources designed to support children’s literacy development at home. Parents and carers can access practical advice, literacy activities and expert guidance to help make reading and language learning part of everyday family life.
The resources are suitable for a wide range of ages and can help families build confidence in supporting reading at home.
7. NLT Summer of Literacy
The National Literacy Trust’s Summer of Literacy resources offer a collection of creative ideas and activities designed to set pupils up with a ‘literacy mindset’ ahead of the holidays.
Explore the resources and share some of the ideas with families to help keep them engaged with reading and writing over the summer.
8. Storynory
Storynory offers a library of free audio stories that children can listen to any time. From classic fairy tales and myths to original adventures and poems, there is something to suit a wide range of reading interests.
There is also a free Storynory podcast — perfect for car journeys, quiet afternoons or screen-free bedtime listening.
9. Toppsta
Toppsta is a child-friendly book review platform where young readers share recommendations and reviews of the books they have enjoyed. Families can browse titles by age range, genre or popularity to discover new books for the summer.
Reading recommendations from fellow children can be a powerful motivator, helping young readers find books that genuinely interest them.
10. Track My Read
Track My Read enables children and families to create their own personalised reading challenges. Users can set goals, track progress and celebrate their reading achievements throughout the summer.
Allowing children to choose their own targets and reading materials can help promote ownership and reading motivation.
Signposting families to free, easy-to-use resources before the end of term can help sustain children’s reading habits over the summer. Whether children read, listen, browse, review or take part in a challenge, the aim is the same: to keep stories visible, enjoyable and part of everyday life until September.
