Summer Reading Programs

Our Sarah was fifteen months old when I started teaching her to ready with that "Your Baby Can Read" program. I got it before the whole thing was "infomercialed" into a $300 set...from an Usbourne Books gal and then made my own flash cards on my computer with clip art. Once a child understands the concept of the written word, their vocabulary and whole world just expand exponentially!

Summer Reading Programs are a great way to keep that love of learning a books going for your kids in over the summer as they can earn free books and other fun stuff too!

What is neat - you can "double or triple dip" by using the same weekly reading over several different programs. You can do a "google" search for different programs in your area -- I suggest starting with your public library! Ours has a different theme each year and a booklet that they get. Each week, you bring it back for a stamp and little gift, with a grand prize at the end of the 8 weeks. Our local aquatic center has a giant party that the kids earn admission to...but along the way they earn free pizza, stickers, pumpkin patch admissions and more! Add a few of the following and you can really rake in the goodies as a positive reinforcement for a great lifelong habit. (I am talking about Sun Prairie, WI)

My next favorite is Half Price Books.
Half-Price Books "Feed Your Brain" - where your kids can make money on reading! Kids under 14 can earn free $5 Half Price Books gift cards for reading at least 300 minutes during June and July. One lucky reader in each age group, per store, will be randomly selected to get $20 in Half Price Books back-to-school bucks. It's not as good as their program where the kiddos could earn $3 a week in free books, but it's better than nothing.
;)

Then, add on the Barnes 'N Noble program!
Kids can earn a FREE book for reading 8. Learn more HERE. They even have a suggested reading list that is age appropriate, and the program is for kids entering grades 1-6.

Visit our Summer Break web site for great fun!  You’ll find games, activity calendars, recipes for readers, books, tips for parents and a new online Minute Tracker!
Let's talk Pizza Hut!
This is different than their free pizza program during the year! There is a form you mail in to win one of 50 prize packages. From June 15th-August 15th, kids (entering K-6th grade) need to read 5 books so they can be entered to win some great Diary of a Wimpy Kid prizes!
Again, check around to see what else is available for you locally, these are just a few of our favorites that are on our plan of attack. Some have started already so get out there and get started! Get the form HERE

Speaking of Pizza Places, Chuck E. Cheese has a reading program too, but you have to make a purchase to redeem the reading forms for the game tokens - so it isn't really a FREE program. You can read more HERE

I think that covers all the programs that we can dip into ... unless you know of any others?
What is the bottom line? Keep the kiddo's reading over the summer! Their little brains need to keep active until school starts back up.
:)
Happy reading!
Dannelle

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