With our kids’ summer break starting this weekend, we created a playful twist on our usual reading goals: a summer reading bracket. The idea came up during a family walk while we played “would you rather.” Back home, we sketched a paper template and, an hour later, Sherry shared it briefly on Instagram. Her DMs filled up quickly with requests for the bracket, so we made two free printable versions and uploaded them here. I even filled one out myself — as a 41-year-old, I kept it fairly tame compared to our kids’ wilder choices.
The concept is simple: have your kids try reading in different spots and match each location head-to-head in a March Madness-style bracket. Is reading on my bed better than reading under my bed? Does a float in the pool beat a blanket fort? How will the hammock fare against the outdoor swing? We even included funny match-ups like reading in an empty tub with a sleeping bag versus curling up in a swivel chair by the fireplace. It’s a fun way to refresh reading routines and officially crown a favorite cozy reading spot.
Click To Download The Simplified Summer Reading Bracket Printable Above
After printing the simplified version (the one Sherry posted on Instagram), I tweaked the design. I added time guidelines for each competition stage: start with 15 minutes in each location and build up to 30 minutes for the later rounds. That felt like a truer test of how comfortable and engaging a spot really is.
I also split the bracket into two sides: inside locations versus outside locations. This not only encouraged creativity but nudged our kids to spend more time outdoors. It also makes the final matchup more interesting — I’m betting the hammock will win, while Sherry thinks floating in the pool will be champion.
Click To Download The Summer Reading Bracket Printable Above (With Times)
We let our kids pick their own 16 reading locations, which turned into another fun activity. Our son and daughter chose many of the same spots, but it was entertaining to see where their brackets diverged. They even included two neighborhood locations to test whether “destination reading” adds to the fun.
The printable is intentionally simple so kids can color and personalize it with markers, stickers, or drawings. We considered adding a reading-log section but decided kids could jot notes on the back if they wanted to track time or titles.
Other Reading Bracket Variations
You can easily adapt the bracket to fit your kids’ ages, interests, or attention spans. A few variations we liked:
- Assign different book types to each round — start with comics or picture books and progress to chapter books for later rounds.
- Add comfort items gradually: round one could allow a favorite stuffed animal, round two a snack, and later rounds a drink or cozy blanket.
- Include rewards for winning rounds, such as choosing a new library book or earning special reading time with a parent.
- Let siblings pick spots on each other’s brackets to introduce funny or adventurous choices like reading in a tree for 15 minutes.
Keep it as simple or as involved as you like. This is our first time trying the bracket, but the kids were excited from the moment we mentioned it on our walk. If they follow the full bracket, it adds up to 30 reading sessions and more than nine hours of reading for each child. Our kids already love books, but turning reading into a lighthearted competition has them even more eager to crack open their next book — at this moment both are reading in two decidedly unusual spots.
Below are the download links for each version:
Download The Summer Reading Bracket Without Times
Download The Summer Reading Bracket With Times
Happy reading! If you want to share which spots became favorites in your home, feel free to message Sherry on Instagram. Now I’m tempted to run my own bracket to decide whether our hanging daybed, hammock, or poolside lounge chair truly deserves the top spot — though I might just keep sampling them all.