Summer 2011 Reading Incentive Programs ~ Freebies
Whether your kids’ summer started a few weeks ago (like mine) or will be starting in the next couple of weeks, many summer reading programs have already begun. To keep your kids reading this summer check out these summer reading programs. As an extra incentive many offer free books and rewards, just for reading.
Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge – May 31 to August 31 – Once kids 10 and and under complete one of the age-appropriate reading lists, they can bring the checked off list into PBK to receive a free book. Since there is no age minimum, I might read the Early Reader list with K to earn her free book. (Note: the titles from the Early Reader list are sold at PBK in store only, the other list is available online too.)
Chuck E. Cheese’s Reading Rewards Calendar – Now through December 31, 2011 – Chuck E. Cheese rewards kids for good behavior with its calendars. Download a Reading Rewards Calendar and your kiddo can mark off each day he/she reads. When the calendar is full, two weeks, turn it into your local Chuck E. Cheese for 10 free game tokens. Bonus, this can be done again and again. (Download other reward calendars here.)
Barnes and Noble’s Summer Reading – May 24 to September 6 – Your kids can read any 8 books and then make a recommendation about the books in the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Imagination’s Destination Journal. Once they complete the journal, they can take it back to the store to pick a free book from the list at the back of the journal. (Bonus, if your kids are into Judy Moody, they can get a free backpack when you buy two books. Click for details.)
Borders Double-Dog Dare – June 1 to August 5 – Kids 12 and under can read any 10 books, list them on the back of the reading form and redeem the coupon for a free book. Valid on select titles. Again, no age minimum, so I may do this one with K (we read 10 books this week alone!). This is valid for Borders, Borders Express or Waldenbooks.
Scholastic’s Summer Challenge - Yes, the same program that sells books through your kids’ school all year, will reward your kiddos with digital prizes for logging their reading minutes over the summer. There are also sweepstakes for fun gifts too.
TD Bank Summer Reading Program – Once your kids read 10 books and complete this form, TD Bank will deposit $10 into their Young Saver Account. (Note, you will need to either have or open a Young Saver Account for this program.)
Half Price Books Feed Your Brain – June 1 to July 31 – Kids 14 and under can earn $5 in back-to-school bucks by setting a reading goal and tracking their reading minutes (at least 15 minutes a day) with this reading calendar. Then kids who read at least 600 minutes over the summer can turn the form in from July 25 – August 7 and redeem the coupon for $5 in back-to-school bucks.
National Amusements Movie Theaters’s Bookworm Wednesdays – Earn free admission to summer movies on Wednesday mornings by reading a book, filling our the book report form and turning in your book report for admission.
HEB Grocery Stores’, HE Buddy Summer Reading Club – Read any 10 books, and then mail back the form by October 31 to receive your “cool” prize. (I am guessing a t-shirt since it asks for shirt size.) Hint - since this one is a mail in offer, you don’t even need to live near a HEB.
Sylvan Book Adventure – Kids (K-8) read books (7,000 titles to choose from), and then take a short quiz to earn points. The points can then be redeemed for prizes including a six-month subscription to Highlights Magazine and a chocolate bar.
Book It – June 15 to August 15 – Kids (K-6) who read 5 books can enter to win a Summer Prize Pack that includes: Tote Bag, Water Bottle, Mini Flier, Mini Ball, Sunglasses, Jump Rope, Book Light, “Mr. Popperʼs Penguins” by Richard Atwater and a $20 Visa Gift Card. (This is a sweepstakes, but hey, if you are already participating in one of the other programs above your kid might as well enter.) Entry form.
PBS Summer Reading Community Challenge – This one is more for parents with a daily email full of tips, but there is also a chance to win daily prizes. The 6-week program starts June 6.
Local libraries – most local libraries have some kind of summer reading program often with goodie bags from local merchants. Check your local library for more details.
Get Your Kids to Embrace Summer Reading
School’s out for summer!!! For some kids, that might be a temptation to let the books collect dust on the shelf, but for other kids reading is a year-round way to play!
Here are my tips to keep kids reading all year round from a mom who hated to read until the 3rd grade, and then couldn’t put books down! You can find even more tips on Twitter Mom’s discussion page.
- Get your kids eyes checked. When I was in the 3rd grade, I discovered that I have a condition that makes reading more of a chore than it needed to be. Thanks to the Irlen Method, I overcame this condition and went from a student labeled as a slow learner who was predicted to never graduate high school to a straight A student who graduated 3rd of 425 students, and then made a career out of the written word. If your kid complains about reading, listen to what they are saying and look into their complaints — they may really be valid. (More about how this changed my life coming in my first book due out before the end of the year!) Even if your kid just needs glasses, it can make a world of difference – I promise!
- Make it fun! Help your child choose books about subjects he/she is already interested. It helps the stories come to life.
- Check out these summer reading programs. Not only will you feel good about getting them to read, your kids will like earning cool prizes. Barnes and Noble’s Summer Reading Program – Read any eight books, fill out the reading passport and return it to Barnes and Noble between May 25 and September 7, 2010 to earn a free book from a list of available titles. Borders - Read any 10 books this summer to earn a free book from a list of available titles from Borders through August 30, 2010. Chuck E Cheese Reading Rewards Calendar – With the Reading Rewards Calendar, your reader checks off each day spent reading. Once the two-week calendar is filled, take the calendar to Chucky Cheese for 10 free tokens. Reading challenge can be repeated every two weeks until December 31, 2010. Pottery Barn Kids Book Club – Take the kids to PBK every Tuesday for story time (11 – 11:30 a.m.), after five visits kids receive a special gift.
Disclaimer — I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an “I Can Read!” book. For more information on how you can participate, click here. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
