5 Summer Reading Programs Free to Kids - Views From a Step Stool

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Summer reading programs are great for incentivizing kids to read over summer break. Here are 5 free programs to join that are fun for kids!

Summer is low-key in our house. We love to have as much unscheduled down time as possible. However, that has also created a bit of a slippery slope for my kids. They are certainly learning through hands-on activities and play, but they aren’t reading as much as we do during the school year with our normal bed-time routine. Here are 5 really fun summer reading programs free for kids that have helped us get over this slump.

Summer Reading Programs for Kids

Kids love incentives. Let’s be honest, we all do. These reading programs offer prizes or special events when kids complete the requirements. From free play tokens to a free book, here are 5 summer reading programs you’ll want to join (plus, none of them take too long to complete, so it’s easy enough to focus on one at a time, and see how many you can get through!).

Chuck E. Cheese’s

My kids just adore this place. Pro Tip: Go RIGHT when they open to avoid the rush, and get the freshly cleaned games 😉 Check out their summer reading program here where kids can read for two weeks to earn free tokens!

Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble summer reading program is one of my favorites. I love that they reward kids with a free book AND inspire kids to write as they note their favorite part of the story they read. Print of their sheets and get recording.

American Girl

Reading has always been a large component of these collectible dolls. Head over here to their summer reading challenge where kids can print their bookmark to collect badges for reading different types of books. A great way to help your child try reading something new!

Scholastic

Scholastic has an online summer reading challenge that kids can sign up for and use to track their progress. With weekly activities and fun, this is one that kids will love to do independently if old enough!

TD Bank

This summer reading program is a really fun one to existing TD Bank customers, or those who are willing to open a savings account for their children. For those who complete the program, they will get $10 into their account!

Have you tried any of these yet? Any more summer reading programs that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below. One last place you might want to check is your local library! Their programs vary from place to place, but they most likely have a great free summer reading program as well! Enjoy!