CE1 Summer Workbook: what to review, and which one to choose
CE1 (2nd grade) is the year when reading becomes fluent and mathematics gains complexity: initial multiplication tables, two-step problems, and agreement within the noun phrase. Much is learned in a short time—and much can be quickly forgotten if not revisited over the summer.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Always choose the workbook for the grade the child has just finished: a child finishing CE1 should use the CE1 workbook to consolidate before entering CE2 (3rd grade).
- Target age: 7 and 8 years old, at the end of CE1 or the very beginning of CE2.
- The right pace: ten to fifteen minutes a day, preferably in the morning. The goal is never to finish the workbook, but to stay in practice.
- Top priority for review: numbers up to 1,000, basic multiplication tables (both ways), lengths, weights, time, and currency.
- Also called a CE1 to CE2 summer workbook or CE1 holiday homework: it is the same workbook, named either by the starting grade or by the transition.
- To test the style before buying, a free printable summer workbook is available on kidibook.com.
- Our workbook: Leo and the Jungle Map — Large CE1 Activity Workbook, 95 large A4 pages including 72 pages of full-color activities, €24.99 with free delivery, printed on demand in Europe.
Summary
The CE1 curriculum in detail
A good summer workbook doesn't guess: it covers, concept by concept, what your child actually worked on this year. Here is what the CE1 annual benchmarks (cycle 2) require, in mathematics and French.
In mathematics
Reading becomes fluent and mathematics expands. Your child works on numbers up to 1,000, daily mental math, and especially multiplication tables, which they must know both ways: what is 4 times 5, but also what number multiplied by 5 equals 20. Problem-solving plays a central role—addition, subtraction, then multiplication and division. They measure lengths and weights in grams and kilograms, tell time, and handle money.
In French
The sentence structure becomes more complex. Your child identifies the subject and the verb, recognizes the noun, adjective, and determiner, and applies agreement within the noun phrase. They conjugate in the present, imperfect, and future tenses, and discover the passé composé. Regular dictations reinforce the spelling of common words, and they write increasingly long texts.
In practice, what a CE1 workbook must cover
- numbers up to 1,000
- basic multiplication tables, both ways
- one- or two-step problems
- subject, verb, and agreement within the noun phrase
- present, imperfect, future—and the passé composé
- lengths, weights, time, and money
The principle to remember A CE1 summer workbook covers the curriculum of the year your child has just finished, not the following year. You consolidate before the new school year; you do not get ahead—that is what distinguishes a summer workbook from a tutoring manual.
Why review during the summer
CE2 (3rd grade) starts all the tables and conjugation for real. Arriving in September with solid tables from 2 to 5 changes the year completely: you build on them instead of re-learning them.
Two months without practicing is a long time for a 7- or 8-year-old child. It is not that knowledge disappears—it remains, somewhere—but the automaticity: reading slows down, the multiplication table must be reconstructed instead of recited, the agreement rule is retrieved with a delay. Researchers call this the "summer slide." A few pages a week are enough to avoid it.
And this is not about keeping the child busy: it is about preventing the unpleasant feeling in September of having forgotten everything. It is a matter of confidence as much as level.
How to choose a CE1 summer workbook
Back-to-school aisles offer a dozen workbooks for the same grade, and they all look the same on the outside. Here are the six criteria that really make a difference, in order of importance.
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| The right level | That of the finished grade, never the upcoming one. A workbook that is too advanced will be discouraging within three pages. |
| Curriculum coverage | French and mathematics, with the key concepts of the year—not just thematic games. |
| Duration of activities | Short exercises, doable in ten minutes. One page = one session, otherwise the workbook becomes a chore. |
| Answer keys | Included, and readable by a busy parent. Without answer keys, you end up re-doing the exercises in the evening. |
| The desire to open the book | A story, a mascot, visible progress. This is the only criterion that decides if the workbook gets finished or abandoned. |
| The format | Large A4 format, paperback, that lays flat on a kitchen table and slides into a beach bag. |
The last criterion is the one most underestimated. A summer workbook that becomes a chore has already lost: it will end up half-filled on a shelf, and the reviews along with it. This is why our workbooks tell an adventure rather than just lining up worksheets.
Our CE1 to CE2 summer workbook: Leo and the Jungle Map
CE1 Summer Workbook · 7-8 years
Leo and the Jungle Map — Large CE1 Activity Workbook
95 large A4 pages, including 72 full-color activity pages, driven by an 8-chapter story featuring Leo the lion.
€24.99Free delivery · printed on demand in Europe
Discover the CE1 workbookThe principle is simple: your child doesn't "do exercises," they help Leo the lion find the lost map in the jungle. Each chapter moves the story forward, and each finished page advances the adventure. This isn't just a gimmick: it's what makes a child reopen the workbook the next day without being asked.
What the workbook contains
- 95 large A4 pages, including 72 full-color activity pages.
- The CE1 curriculum in French and mathematics, covering the concepts listed above.
- Games between exercises: mazes, word searches, coloring, observation games.
- All answer keys at the end of the workbook, for a quick check—or to let the child correct themselves.
- Visible progress and a certificate to fill out on the last page.
- Printed on demand in Europe, delivered for free, no minimum purchase.
One hour of private tutoring costs about €30. This workbook costs €24.99 and supports your child all summer long.
How to use it without ruining the summer
About ten minutes a day, no more. Preferably in the morning, before the beach or pool, when the mind is fresh. The goal is never to finish the workbook: it is to keep in touch with reading, numbers, and the pencil.
And if your child skips an entire week, it's not a big deal—really. Better three pages done happily in August than thirty pages forced at the end of July. At 7 and 8 years old, consistency matters more than volume.
The ritual that works Keep the workbook in the same place, at the same time, and let your child choose their page. Choice changes everything: it transforms an obligation into a decision. And keep the answer keys for the end—correcting oneself is part of the learning process.
Which workbook based on your child's grade
The reference is always the same: the grade your child has just finished. A child finishing CE1 takes the CE1 workbook, even if they are entering CE2 in September.
| Grade finished | Age | Workbook | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petite Section (Pre-K) | 3-4 years | PS Summer Workbook | Titou |
| Moyenne Section (Pre-K) | 4-5 years | MS Summer Workbook | Rosie |
| Grande Section (Kindergarten) | 5-6 years | GS Summer Workbook | Bibou |
| CP (1st Grade) | 6-7 years | CP Summer Workbook | Plouf |
| CE1 (2nd Grade) | 7-8 years | CE1 Summer Workbook (current page) | Leo |
| CE2 (3rd Grade) | 8-9 years | CE2 Summer Workbook | Astro |
| CM1 (4th Grade) | 9-10 years | CM1 Summer Workbook | Rex |
| CM2 (5th Grade) | 10-11 years | CM2 Summer Workbook | Gauvain |
"CE1 to CE2 summer workbook": what are we talking about?
Many publishers—and many parents—name the workbook by the transition rather than the grade: CE1 to CE2 summer workbook. It is exactly the same book as the CE1 workbook: it reviews the CE1 curriculum to prepare for entering CE2. You will also see the phrase CE1 holiday homework, which refers to the same thing.
Are you hesitating between two levels, because the year was difficult or, conversely, very easy? Take the one for the finished grade in the first case—the workbook covers the basics step by step—and the finished grade in the second case as well: reviewing quickly and effectively is better than struggling with concepts never seen before. Our FAQ details special cases.
Other Kidibook formats
For the school year: My Super Year CE1
The summer workbook covers the summer. If you are looking for a daily ritual during the school year, My Super Year CE1 — Kidibook offers one challenge per day, a star to color, and badges to unlock, throughout the CE1 year. The two complement each other: one maintains, the other accompanies.
To try before you buy: the printable workbook
If you want to test how we design our exercises, a free printable summer workbook is available on our main site. It's a good way to see if the format appeals to your child before ordering the paperback version.
For the winter holidays
The Great Advent Workbook uses the same principle over 24 days, with the six mascots reunited. The entire range is gathered in the collection The Great Adventure Workbooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which summer workbook to choose for a child who just finished CE1?
The one for the grade they just finished, so the CE1 workbook. A summer workbook consolidates the past year: it is not intended to introduce the CE2 curriculum, which will be taught in class at the start of the school year.
What age is the CE1 summer workbook for?
For children 7 and 8 years old, at the end of CE1 or the beginning of CE2.
How much time per day should be spent on it?
Ten to fifteen minutes is enough, four or five times a week. Beyond that, attention wanes and the workbook becomes a chore. Better a short daily session than a long weekly one.
My child had difficulties this year, is it suitable?
Yes. The workbook covers the basics step-by-step, without assuming everything is mastered. It is precisely the opportunity to review in peace what was tricky, without the pressure of grades or the classroom environment.
Are answer keys included?
Yes, all answer keys are at the end of the workbook. You can check at a glance without having to do the exercises yourself, and your child can also correct themselves when they want.
What is the delivery time?
Each copy is printed on demand in a partner workshop in Europe: allow 5 to 10 business days between order and receipt. Delivery is free, with no minimum purchase, throughout mainland France. The CE1 workbook is €24.99.
Can it be used during the school year, not just the summer?
Absolutely. Many families open it during the fall break or make it a weekend ritual. The exercises are short and corrected, making them easy to integrate at any time.
What is the difference between a CE1 summer workbook and CE1 holiday homework?
None, in practice: both terms refer to the same summer review material. "Holiday homework" emphasizes the school aspect, "summer workbook" the fun aspect. You will also come across the phrasing "CE1 to CE2 summer workbook," which names the book by the transition rather than the grade finished.
Are multiplication tables covered?
Yes, and that is one of the strengths of the CE1 workbook: the tables come back regularly, in the form of games, quick calculations, and mini-challenges, rather than as lists to recite. Spaced repetition is what anchors them, not reciting one big block at a time.
The CE1 summer workbook, ready to go on vacation with you
95 pages, 72 pages of full-color activities, all answer keys included. Printed on demand in Europe, delivered for free.
Order the CE1 workbook — €24.99Summarize this page with an AI:
Kidibook designs educational workbooks and books from kindergarten to high school, written based on the annual curriculum benchmarks of the French Ministry of Education and illustrated in-house. All our works are printed on demand in Europe. A question about choosing a level? Write to us, we respond within 48 hours.