Summer is the perfect time for kids to explore new interests and make unforgettable memories. It’s also a wonderful season to nurture a love of reading beyond the classroom. One of the easiest ways to keep children excited about reading is to bring their favorite stories to life. Looking for inspiration? Here are five fun summer activities for kids inspired by books you can find on Epic.
1. Build the Ultimate Sandcastle
A trip to the beach is the perfect opportunity to turn a favorite story into a hands-on adventure. After reading Building Sandcastles, challenge kids to design and build their own castle in the sand. They can create towers, dig moats and decorate with seashells or driftwood before inventing a story about who lives inside. If you’re not heading to the beach this summer, a sandbox or even kinetic sand at home can inspire just as much imaginative play.
2. Go on a Backyard Bug Safari
Summer is full of opportunities to explore the outdoors and even your own backyard can become an exciting place for discovery. After reading Fly, Firefly!, grab a magnifying glass and head outside to look for butterflies, ants, ladybugs and beetles. Encourage kids to sketch what they find in a nature journal or write down one interesting fact about each insect. This simple activity combines reading with observation while helping children develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
3. Host a Backyard Campout
Camping is one of summer’s classic adventures and you don’t have to travel far to enjoy it. A backyard campsite or an indoor blanket fort can turn an ordinary evening into a memorable adventure. Read camping stories together with flashlights, tell funny campfire tales or see who can spot the first stars of the evening. Reading a camping-themed book beforehand helps build excitement and gives kids ideas for their own outdoor fun.
Start with Princess Angelica, Camp Catastrophe for a fun read, then continue the adventure with Creature Campers Book 1: The Secret…
4. Collect Seashells and Create a Nature Display
A walk along the beach becomes even more meaningful when kids connect what they discover with what they’ve read. Before heading out, read S Is for Sea Glass: A Beach Alphabet together to learn about treasures commonly found along the shore. Then collect seashells, smooth rocks or pieces of driftwood and bring them home to sort by size, color or shape. Arrange the treasures in a shadow box, create a nature collage or label favorite finds to make your own mini museum.
Activities like these encourage observation skills while showing children that books can inspire real-world exploration.
5. Learn a New Summer Skill
Summer is a wonderful time to try something new. Whether your child is learning to swim, ride a bike, paddle a kayak or simply becoming more confident in the water, reading about the experience first can help build excitement and ease first-day jitters. Stories introduce new vocabulary, answer questions and help children imagine themselves succeeding before they even begin.
If swimming is on your summer bucket list, read Fluffy Learns to Swim together before heading to the pool. For kids dreaming of catching waves, Surfer Chick offers a fun introduction to surfing and beach adventures. Afterwards, talk about how your child’s own experience compared to the one in the story.
Make Reading Part of Every Summer Adventure
Books have a special way of inspiring curiosity long after the final page. By pairing reading with outdoor adventures, creative projects and family activities, you can help children build lasting memories while strengthening their reading skills throughout the summer. Best of all, these simple activities show kids that reading isn’t just something they do indoors. It’s something that can spark fun wherever summer takes them.
Looking for even more ways to keep kids learning during the break? Check out our Top 10 Tips to Prevent the Summer Slide for practical strategies that help children maintain their reading skills all summer long.
You can also explore Top 10 Summer Reading Tips to Help Students Keep Growing for more engaging ideas to inspire a lifelong love of reading.
Epic Books for Kids offers thousands of books, audiobooks and Read-To-Me stories for every age, interest and reading level, making it easy to keep kids reading, imagining and learning all summer long!
Frequently Asked Questions
▶ What are some fun summer activities for kids that encourage reading?
Some of the best summer activities combine reading with hands-on experiences. Building sandcastles, exploring nature, hosting a backyard campout, collecting seashells and learning a new skill all become even more meaningful when paired with a related book. Connecting stories to real-life adventures helps children stay engaged with reading throughout the summer.
▶ How can I prevent the summer slide at home?
Encouraging children to read a little each day is one of the most effective ways to prevent the summer slide. Pair books with fun activities, let kids choose stories that match their interests and make reading part of your family’s daily routine. Even 15–20 minutes of reading each day can help maintain literacy skills during school break.
▶ What are good summer books for kids?
The best summer books for kids reflect the adventures they’re having throughout the season. Stories about camping, the beach, nature, swimming and outdoor exploration can spark curiosity and inspire imaginative play. Epic offers thousands of books, audiobooks and Read-To-Me stories for every age, interest and reading level, making it easy to find books that match every child’s summer adventures.
▶ Why should kids read during summer break?
Reading during the summer helps children maintain the literacy skills they developed during the school year while building vocabulary, comprehension and confidence. It also encourages creativity, critical thinking and a lifelong love of learning, all while making summer activities even more enjoyable.
▶ Where can I find books for summer reading?
Epic Books for Kids offers a vast digital library of books, audiobooks and Read-To-Me stories for children of all ages and reading levels. Families can explore themed collections, discover new favorite authors and find books that pair perfectly with summer adventures at home or on vacation.
