Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids

I’ve learned the hard way how detrimental it can be when your children fall behind on summer learning.  We know that children can lose up to 2 months of reading achievement during the summer months and while summer reading programs can be quite costly, there are some free options available for parents.

Here is a list of FREE summer reading programs for kids definitely worth looking into for you and your children. This list will be updated regularly with more details and programs as they become available.  If you know of any more that are available nationwide, please share those in the comments and I’ll add them to this list.  (Thank you to This Mommy Saves Money for compiling this list.)

FREE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS FOR KIDS

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

Read & log minutes all summer. Take weekly challenges & earn rewards. Help set a new reading world record! The theme this year is Happy Camper: Take a Reading Adventure! Throughout the summer, students will log their reading minutes, earn digital rewards, and access fun reading activities.

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program:

This Summer, continue to read books! Children in grades 1 – 6 get ready for a Summer of reading adventures! Read any eight books this summer and record them in your Summer Reading Journal .

Chuck E Cheese

Read a book every day for 2 weeks and get 10 FREE Tokens at Chuck E Cheese. One free token award per child per day. Food purchase is required.

Sylvan Book Adventure

Book Adventure is a free, online reading program for children in grades K-8. Kids learn to love reading through interactive tools, games and motivational rewards. At Book Adventure, reading is rewarding! Within the Prize Library, kids can search for a prize they’d like to win or exchange points for a prize they have earned by reading books and answering quiz questions correctly. Register here

 Books A Million 

Choose four books from the Summer Reading Adventure section. Read the books and record in your reading journal. When complete, have your parent/guardian sign your journal, then turn it in to your local store to get a free James Patterson Middle School Lunch bag.

Lifeway Stores 

Summer Reading Program Kickoff Party May 26—27. Come in store to grab your FREE Summer Reading Program Journal, Bookmark and Pencil. Program runs June 1 to Aug. 31.  This program is geared toward grades 1 through 6, but all are welcome to join in the adventure. Summer R.E.A.D. program. Challenge: Read six books over the course of the summer and memorize six Scripture verses. Reward: Turn in a completed summer reading journal at your local LifeWay store to earn a free book and a new free Bible.

Half Price Books: Kids 14 and under

This June and July, read 15 minutes a day. (Grown-ups may read aloud to kids who are still learning.) Use the reading log, add up your minutes and have your parent or guardian initial each week. Once you’ve reached 300 or more minutes, bring your log to your local HPB to claim your Bookworm Bucks.