Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Winter Reading Challenge: Free Printable Planner for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Winter Reading Challenge is a free printable reading planner for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children log each book they read, write how many minutes they spent reading, and circle 1 to 5 stars to show how much they liked it. The challenge is to keep reading through the winter and earn a bookmark and a certificate.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. It is two A4 pages. Print both, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The planner is a table that children fill in after each reading session. For every book, they write the book title, the minutes they read, and then circle 1 to 5 stars to show how much they liked it. Over the winter the table becomes a record of what they have read. Children can look back at it and see which books they enjoyed most.
- Book title
- Minutes read
- I liked it (circle 1 to 5 stars)
Why log reading for pleasure?
Reading for pleasure means choosing to read because you enjoy it, not because you have been told to. Children who see reading as something they do for fun are more likely to keep going. A log helps with this. It turns reading into something children can see building up, one row at a time, and it gives them a small goal to aim for.
The star rating asks children to decide what they think and to say so. A rating is a first step towards giving an opinion about a book. Later, children can explain why they scored a book high or low, and compare their views with a friend. There are no wrong ratings. Two people can read the same book and score it differently.
Skills and curriculum link
- Keeping a reading log
- Reading for pleasure
- Giving opinions
- Recording book titles
- Building a reading habit
Ideas for the grown up
- Let your child chooseChildren are more likely to read when they pick the book. Offer a mix of stories, fact books, comics and poems, and let them decide what goes in the log.
- Count shared readingBooks read aloud together count. So do picture books and audiobooks followed with the book in hand. Every kind of reading adds to the habit.
- Make a reading spotA warm, cosy corner with a blanket and a lamp makes winter reading feel special. Try to read at about the same time each day.
- Ask about the starsWhen your child circles a rating, ask what made them choose it. Listen to the answer and share your own opinion of a book you have read.
Key words
- LogA written record. A reading log lists what you have read.
- TitleThe name of a book.
- AuthorThe person who wrote the book.
- RatingA score that shows how much you liked something. Here, it is a number of stars.
- OpinionWhat you think or feel about something. Different people can have different opinions.
- RecommendTo tell someone a book is worth reading.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes for the grown up.
- Look at the table together. Talk about the three things to fill in: the book title, the minutes read and the star rating.
- After a reading session, your child writes the title and the minutes in a new row. A grown up can initial the row.
- Ask your child to circle 1 to 5 stars. Then ask, "What made you choose that number?"
- Keep the planner somewhere easy to find, such as beside the bed or in the book bag, and fill it in after each reading session.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Let your child count a book once they have finished a chapter, so the log fills up sooner. Shared reading with a grown up counts too. Write the title together if spelling it is tricky, and copy it from the cover.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to write one sentence about their favourite book in the log, saying why they would or would not recommend it to a friend. Encourage them to give a reason, using the word "because".
Make it a game
Swap logs with a sibling or friend. Look at each other's top rated books and each pick the next book to read from the other person's list. Then compare ratings once you have both finished.
Talk about it
- Which book in your log made you want to keep reading? What happened in it?
- How did you decide how many stars to give?
- Would you recommend any of these books to a friend? Who, and why?
- Which book would you like to read next, and what makes you want to read it?
- Where is your favourite place to read in winter?
- What kind of book have you not tried yet that you might like?
Take it off the page
Make a bookmark
Cut a strip of card and decorate it with winter patterns. Use it to keep your place in your current book. Ask an adult to help with the scissors.
Reading den
Build a den with cushions and blankets. Bring a torch, a favourite book and a snack, and spend a calm hour reading inside it.
Book recommendation card
Draw the cover of a book you liked on a small card. Write its title and one reason to read it, then give it to a friend or family member.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first entry, then let them fill in the log on their own. Initial each row to show you have seen it. Praise the habit of reading, not how fast or how much they read.
Teachers
Use it as a class reading challenge over winter, a homework task or a reading corner display. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Pairs can swap logs and talk about their ratings, which gives children practice at giving opinions.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. Add the books your child reads for other subjects, and use the star ratings as a starting point for short book talks. Print it again for brothers and sisters.
Where this fits
Before this, children have learned to enjoy stories and to talk about books they have heard or read. Keeping a simple record of what they read is a natural next step as they become more independent readers in Year 3.
After this, children can move on to writing short book reviews, comparing different authors and stories, and explaining their opinions with reasons. A reading log helps them remember what they have read, so they can talk about it with more confidence.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Winter Reading Challenge for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can use it with a grown up, and older children can use it too if they enjoy keeping a reading log.
- What will children practise?
Children build a reading habit by logging books and rating them. They practise writing book titles, recording minutes read and giving an opinion with a star rating, which supports reading for pleasure.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. After each reading session they fill in a row, and a grown up can initial it. Picture books, books read aloud together and audiobooks followed with the book in hand all count.
- What if it feels too hard?
Let your child count a book once they have finished a chapter, and allow shared reading with a grown up. You can also write the book title together, copying it from the cover, so the log feels manageable.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, another group of children or a later term, whenever you need a fresh planner.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, and the reading itself can be done with real books. It works well for quiet time after school, rainy days, school holidays and calm moments before bed.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a class reading challenge, a homework task, a reading corner activity or an early finisher task. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and black and white printing works well.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.