6 Free Summer Reading Programs For Your Kids

As a former teacher, I know how important it is for kids to keep reading and using their minds over the summer so that they don't lose any of their skills.  BUT, being a mom, I also know how hard it can be to coax your kids into reading when the beach, pool, and park are all calling their names!

One way to get your kids reading over the summer is to enroll them in some of the free summer reading programs that many companies offer.  I have done some of these in the past with my kids, and they love filling out their reading charts and going to get their prize!

Here are a few good summer reading programs that I have found.  If you know of any more, please leave a comment at the end of the post to let others know.

1. Barnes & Noble has a Summer Reading Program available May 21 - Sept. 3, where kids can earn a free book in 3 easy steps:

1. Read 8 books off of their list and record them in their Reading Journal.
2. Bring the completed Reading Journal to a B&N store.
3. Choose a free book from the selections available on the Reading Journal list !

2. Pottery Barn Kids will be offering its' Summer Reading Challenge from May 16 - August 26.  Throughout the the summer your kids can read each book that is offered at their free weekly story time.  Kids will receive a prize when they finish all of the books on the list!  And hey, it's an excuse to shop at  on of the cutest stores ever, Pottery Barn Kids ;)

You can use the store locator tool to find a store near you.

3. Chuck E. Cheese's has a Reading Rewards Calender available for kids to mark off every day that they read for two weeks.  Once completed, kids can turn in the certificate for 10 free tokens!  One offer allowed per child per day, and you must make a food purchase- and yes, drinks do count ;)  Expires 12/31/13, so you can use this on all year!

4. Showcase Cinemas is showing free movies every Wednesday morning at 10 from July 10 - Aug. 7. A completed Book Report is your child's ticket to get into the movie.

5. Book Adventure is a free website from Sylvan where kids in grades K-8 can search the database for books, read any books listed, take on-line quizzes on what they read, and earn prizes.  Prizes include free chocolate bars, temporary tattoos, and Highlights Magazine subscriptions.

6. Public libraries usually all have a summer reading program available where kids can earn prizes and attend fun events!  Check out your local library for details.

Hope this list helps you keep your kids reading this summer!  Make sure to leave a comment if you know of any other summer reading programs!

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xo, Laura