Reading is an excellent way to avoid the infamous summer slide. Do your kids need some outside motivation to crack open a book? Check out these seven 2024 summer reading programs that will reward kids for reading. Enter one or all!
Indian River County Library
Who: PreK - 5th graders
When: June 3rd - July 26th
The Reward: Brag tags
How: For every 100 minutes a child reads, they will earn a different brag tag. Pick up a Reading Challenge packet at the Children's Desk of any Indian River County Library branch. The packet will include a reading log, stickers, a bag, and a bookmark.
Who: Kids
When: Starting May 1st
The Reward: Free pony ride
How: Adopt a stuffed animal to read to! Commit to read to your animals for 20 minutes each night. Write down your books at the end of each month to get a free pony ride.
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Journal
Who: Kids in Grades 1 - 6
When: Redeem July 1 - August 31, 2024
The Reward: A free book from a predetermined list from Barnes & Noble (limit one per child).
How: Read any eight books this summer and record them in this Summer Reading Journal. Bring your completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between July 1 - August 31, 2023 to redeem your book. Please note that the free book must be chosen from a provided list.
Note: Our closest Barnes & Noble locations are Jensen Beach & West Melbourne.
Pizza Hut's Camp BOOK IT!
Who: All families with PreK - 6th grade students (ages 4 - 12).
When: June - August
The Reward: Free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut
How: Enroll online, read, track your child's reading, and earn your reward when your child meets their goal.
Chuck E. Cheese Reading Rewards
Who: Kids (no age given)
When: Year Round
The Reward: Kids can receive 10 free tokens for every 2 weeks of daily reading.
How: Kids must record that they read every day for two weeks using this certificate. You can only redeem 1 calendar per child per visit, and you must make a food purchase to redeem it.
Note: Our closest Chuck E. Cheese locations are Stuart and Melbourne. There are many other reward charts available on their website here.
New York Times Summer Reading Contest
Who: Middle and high school students (ages 13 - 19)
When: June 7th - August 16th
The Reward: Your child's writing or video could appear in the New York Times.
How: Every Friday beginning on June 7th, 2024, the New York Times will publish a post asking the same question: "What got your attention in the New York Times this week?". Contestants can choose from any Times article, essay, video, graphic, podcast, or photograph published in 2024 to read and respond to via essay or video. It's okay if you're not subscribed - The New York Times will provide free links to teen-friendly content each week this summer. The New York Times will announce winners every Tuesday and publish their response. Read the rules here.
Who: Kids (no age given)
When: May 9th - September 12th
The Reward: Earn digital experiences (games, books, etc.) in Scholastic Home Base.
How: Join Schoastic's online program Home Base. Kids can track their reading through the program, and maintain a Reading Streak TM by reading daily. The longer a child has a Reading Streak TM, the more digital experiences they earn.
Sometimes an incentive - even a small one! - is all a kid needs to find the motivation to read. We hope these summer reading programs give your child an extra push toward reading this summer! Don't forget to let your kids choose some "just for fun" reading material, too!
