Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids
Every summer, my kids try to get all of the free stuff they can we try to pursue educational goals and advance reading levels before we start our next school year. Well…it’s really the free stuff that’s motivating extra reading time for two of my kids. I have one reader who has read 32 books this summer, regardless of the reading programs available. Having both eager and reluctant readers makes me extra thankful for these programs that offer incentives.
First – my favorite – Barnes and Noble. Kids complete a Reading Journal (you can download one HERE) and return it to Barnes and Noble by September 6 for a free book. Barnes and Noble has a group of free books selected for your reader to choose from once they complete the journal.
Next, I would highly suggest checking your local library! Once, we lived in a place where the library’s incentive program was dropping a cotton ball in a jar for every book you read. It was a big jar, but…let’s just say it wasn’t as exciting as the rest of these programs! Hopefully your library has something fun going on this year.
If you live near a Books-A-Million, you can download a Summer Reading Journal and kids can read four books from their selected list, fill out the journal, and return it to their nearest location for a free tote bag. (My kids were like, “What would we carry in a tote bag that we can’t carry in a grocery store bag?” So we didn’t do this one). Some end as soon as August 8, so you might want to check it out as soon as possible.
This one is super cute – Chuck E. Cheese has a rewards program where kids can earn 10 free tokens by completing a Rewards chart. They have charts for reading, going potty, doing chores…and from what I can tell of their website, it goes on all year long!
Sylvan Learning Centers has a Book Adventures website where your readers can answer quizzes about books they’ve read to earn points and redeem them. Because this is all online, you do have to sign up and provide personal information, so I would recommend parental supervision for this one.
Pizza Hut has a program for kids to record reading minutes to earn a chance to win prizes. Their “Book-It” program appears to run from October-March, but there are some fun things and other incentives to explore on their website.
Running until September 9, Scholastic’s reading program also allows kids to record reading minutes to earn “virtual prizes” and a chance to enter to win real prizes from Klutz.
I’m not familiar with Junie B. books, but I hear they’re very popular, and they have a reading program, as well, although I had a hard time finding the details. But you can download info to get started HERE.
