Free Summer Reading Programs With Prizes 2024
Are you looking for ways to encourage your kids to read more this summer? Summer reading programs are one way to do that. All of these programs are free, and most offer prizes to reward your child for reading. Kids can earn free books, pizza, and more for reading! Choose one (or several!) and keep your kids reading all summer.
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program
At Barnes and Noble, kids in grades 1st through 6th are awarded a free book for reading eight books over the summer. They must record the books they read in this printable journal and turn it in at any Barnes and Noble store between July 1, 2024, and August 31, 2024.
Books-A-Million Summer Reading Adventure
Participants in Books-A-Million’s summer program choose any four books to read from the Summer Reading Adventure section, either in-store or online, and record the books in the printable logbook. Return the completed logbook to any store for a Wings of Fire hat (while supplies last).
Pizza Hut Camp Book It!
Pizza Hut Camp Book It is open to students in Pre-K through 6th grade (ages 4-12). Parents set reading goals for June through August. When students meet the goals, they are rewarded with a certificate that’s good for a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza. Pizza Hut also offers the Book It! program during the school year from October through March. Kids can earn a free Personal Pan Pizza each month they meet their reading goal. See the Book It! FAQs for more information about both programs.
Chuck E. Cheese Rewards Calendars
Chuck E. Cheese awards children ten free Play Points (with food purchase) for reading every day for two weeks. Simply mark each day your child reads on this printable calendar and bring it to any location. This is a year-round program. Chuck E. Cheese also offers similar awards for good grades, doing chores, meeting other goals, birthdays, and other special occasions.
Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesdays
Each Wednesday, Showcase Cinemas gives kids free admission to a select children’s film when they present a book report at the box office of participating locations. Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six years old will also receive free admission without submitting a book report. The tickets must be reserved in advance online. Showcase Cinemas has locations in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Ohio.
JourneyForth Summer Reading Challenge
The JourneyForth Summer Reading Challenge, sponsored by BJU Press, runs from June 1, 2024, to August 19, 2024, and is open to kids ages 4 through 17. Participants who read at least 15 minutes per day for 40 days will receive a prize pack while supplies last. Additionally, at the end of the challenge, BJU will randomly choose nine grand prize winners to receive a tote bag of JourneyForth books.
Half Price Books’ Summer Reading Camp
Half Price Books’ Summer Reading Camp begins June 1, 2024, and runs through July 31, 2024. This virtual reading camp provides reading lists, activity ideas, and coloring sheets. During July and August, “campers” can visit their local Half Price Books with their completed reading logs to receive $5 in Bookworm Bucks, which are good for $5 off anything in the store. The Bookworm Bucks are not redeemable online.
Not Consumed Summer Reading Challenge
Not Consumed’s Reading Challenge lasts from May 28, 20024 through July 31, 2024. Parents set their kids’ summer reading goals based on the number of books or the number of minutes spent reading. Not Consumed provides several different printable reading logs to choose from. Participants who submit their completed form by August 16th will receive a prize.
Public Libraries
Public libraries often offer a summer reading program, so check with your local library to see if they have one. Some libraries host educational events and storytimes over the summer. Many will also provide a prize for meeting summer reading goals. To find libraries in your area, check out the directory at PublicLibraries.com or try Googling “library summer reading challenges in [your city]” or “summer reading programs for kids near me.”
Local Businesses
Many local or regional businesses offer summer reading programs with prizes or fun activities. Try Googling “summer reading in [your city or state].” Also, keep an eye out for these programs on social media. Facebook pages for local homeschool groups are a great place to check. If your city has an online community calendar, look there too.
More Summer Reading Activities
While these programs don’t provide prizes, they do offer fun activities or printables.
- Sonlight’s Summer Reading Challenge Kit– This 25-page printable includes activity ideas, a reading log, bookmarks, a book report template, a reader’s response journal, a certificate of completion, and much more.
- Reading is Fundamental’s Summer Field Trips– With this program, kids visit exciting places through books. There are printable reading logs, postcards, and scrapbook pages for them to record their “field trips.”
- Scholastic Home Base– Home Base is a digital destination that offers stories, games, and a community of readers. Kids read ebooks, watch author read-alouds, attend virtual events, play games, and print reading achievement reports.
- The Good and the Beautiful– TGTB’s free book giveaway has ended, but you can still download their summer reading printables. The download includes a printable reading log, stickers, and bookmarks.
Read Free Ebooks
If you aren’t able to get to the library, here are some places your family can read books online this summer:
Related Posts
- 40 Free Ways to Prevent Summer Slide
- Free June Unit Studies and Lessons
- Free July Unit Studies and Lessons
Note: This post was originally published on May 13, 2021, and is updated every summer.
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