summer reading

My kids are officially out of school, and the 2023 summer reading programs are underway! I’m not super strict about reading during the summer, because I also want my kids to go outside and play. Once they’ve read at least a half hour or so, it’s off to the next thing — which is why I appreciate that most of these programs are super simple and reward kids with free books to encourage more reading! Check out the 2023 summer reading programs for kids I’ve rounded up below.

Little Mama Shirt Shop reading challenge. This is the fifth year Chynna has done this challenge, and I’m glad she’s gone back to offering a tote as a reward. To participate, download the reading log, add a checkmark each time your kids read, and list your favorite books on the back. Email her a picture of the completed chart (200 books or chapters) by Sept. 15, and she’ll send you a coupon code for her shop and a free book tote. Chynna is an Idaho mom, so I love to support her shop and encourage reading, too.

Salt Lake County summer reading challenge. If you live around Salt Lake City, go to your nearest county library branch and pick up forms for your family to track their reading. Kids, teens, and adults can participate! Once you finish the form, return it to the library and get coupons for free or discounted admission to local museums and attractions. You’ll also get a free book for each person who participates. We complete this challenge every year, and my kids get excited to pick out a new book.

The City Library Super Summer Challenge. Yes, there are two separate library systems in Salt Lake City, which I love! This one is similar to the county challenge, with activities to complete before earning a free book, but you can download the activity tracker without visiting a branch. My good friend Emma works at one of the city library branches, so we like completing this challenge and visiting her.

Barnes & Noble summer reading journal. My kids have finished this program every year since first grade (children in grades 1-6 are eligible). It’s really simple: Have your children read just eight books and write the titles and what they liked best about them. Once they’re done, bring the completed paper to a Barnes & Noble store by Aug. 31 to pick out a free book from the list. The available books are updated each year, so there are different options your kids will enjoy.

Utah State Fair Read & Win program. Finally, this is our favorite challenge because we love the Utah State Fair. It’s open to kids in grades 1-6 as well. Have your children read 10 books, write down the titles, and mail the form (or submit it online) by July 17. They’ll get free admission to the Utah State Fair, a free big yellow slide ride (our FAVORITE), free carnival ride and fountain drink, and a ribbon bookmark. The other part that’s fun is that my kids get individual envelopes with their tickets and bookmarks. Since they rarely get mail, they get excited for this each summer.

This list is obviously Utah-heavy, but check your local library or library system for programs if you live elsewhere! You can also check out my previous list with national programs from Scholastic and Book-It. Please share any other 2023 summer reading programs with me in the comments!

My kids officially finished first grade today, and many other schools have either just ended or will ending in the next few weeks. I put together a list of summer reading programs last year and thought you might find it helpful this year, too. Hopefully it is MUCH easier for you to get books this year now that most libraries and stores are fully open! Check out these 2021 summer reading programs to keep your kids on track.

Utah State Fair Read & Win program. You’ll love this program if you’re a Utah resident! Kids in first through sixth grade must read just 10 books between May 1 and July 16. Then parents either fill out the online form or mail the book list to the fair administration building. Prizes include:

• One children’s admission ticket to the Utah State Fair
• One free drink coupon to redeem at the State Fair Store
• A free carnival ride
• A ribbon bookmark
• One free ride on the giant yellow slide

We go to the Utah State Fair every year, and the giant yellow slide is our favorite ride. This is a great incentive for kids who might be a bit more hesitant to read during the summer.

Salt Lake County Tails & Tales challenge. Again, Utah friends, this one is awesome. If you live in Salt Lake County, download a form or pick one up at your local branch. Then have your kids color in a shape each day whenever they complete one of the activities. This includes reading but also encourages kids to play, create, learn, and connect in the community. When your child turns in their form, they’ll receive a free book and also be entered in a drawing. As an added bonus, you’ll receive a one-time fine waiver of $5 per card for signing up.

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal. We did this last year with my kids, and it is the easiest challenge ever. Have your kids read eight books, write down the title and author and their favorite part. Then return the journal to any Barnes & Noble store and your child can pick one of the books listed on the form. I love that this program rewards kids with age-appropriate books and that several are also available in Spanish! This is for kids in grades 1-6.

Camp Book-It. You may have participated in a Book-It challenge when you were a kid. I remember doing this and LOVING it because I got Pizza Hut pizza. While it’s available for pre-K thru grade 6, this program does have more hoops to jump through. Sign your kids up and then receive reading incentives for them through email!

Scholastic Summer Reading. I will admit that I have not yet signed my kids up for this one because I limit their time on tablets and still prefer paper books for them. I also know that I’ll forget to have them log on daily and record their reading activity. However, if you have older kids or have kids who prefer phones and tablets, this may be a great option! Kids can log onto Home Base and read books and articles and also connect with their favorite authors. There are a lot of virtual events, too.

Do you participate in a summer reading program you love? I want to hear about it!

It’s summer, which means no kid is being FORCED to read for school. If you’re like me, you still want to encourage your children to read so they don’t slide back when school starts again.

I’ve rounded up several reading reward programs (one is local to Utah, but the rest are open to anyone) to help you get your kids reading this summer! Make sure you check your local library, too. Ours are offering digital programs that are easy to enroll in.

Little Mama Shirt Shop reading challenge. Technically, this reading program rewards YOU for reading to your kids, so I thought I’d start with that. You deserve a reward for reading, too! Go to Chynna’s site, download the reading log, add a checkmark each time you read to your kids, and then list your favorite books on the back. Send her a picture of the completed chart (200 books, but you’ve got this) and she’ll send you a coupon code for her shop. We love all her cute tees (I even got my husband and kids matching Daddy/baby shark shirts last year). I also love that she encourages parents and kids to read.

Barnes & Noble summer reading journal. This program for kids in grades 1-6 is SO simple, and I love that. Have your kids read just eight books, write the titles and what they liked best about them, and bring the completed paper to a Barnes & Noble store to pick out a free book from the list. They offer some good titles, too, like Mercy Watson and Ramona Quimby books!

Read Today summer reading event. Utah friends, this is for you! Print off the cute baseball diamond and have your kids read for 20 minutes each day. They color in the baseballs and get rewards each time they reach one of the bases. One is a Happy Meal, which my kids probably would love more than a new book. Then email a picture of the completed baseball diamond before July 20. Easy and fun.

Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza. I like that this program rewards kids for reading every day and encourages them to see how long they can keep up their streak. They earn digital experiences when they log into Home Base, and they also unlock 100,000 books, which Scholastic donates to the United Way. I love that they’re giving back to families in need!

Book-It! reading program. I used to LOVE this program as a kid, because it rewards you with Pizza Hut pizza. I was shocked to find out that it still exists! Keep track of your kids’ reading time each day, and they earn different prizes for consistently reading.

I hope these motivate both you and your kids to read this summer! In some ways, I feel like it’s a good time to try to get into a new series, because normal activities are still limited here. Let me know if I missed any great summer programs!