Check out the huge list of FREE Summer Reading Programs for Kids 2025 available this year. There are a LOT of great programs that your children can take advantage of to earn FREE books, prizes, and even cash!
Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids
Here are some of our favorite programs you can check out this year!
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program: Kids in grades 1-6 can earn a free book this summer just by reading and filling out a simple Reading Journal. A great way to keep young readers motivated!
Books-A-Million Summer Reading Adventure: Read books, fill out the journal, and kids can score a free hat just for participating! Check with your local Books-A-Million store for more details.
Chuck E. Cheese Reading Rewards: Print off the Reading Rewards Calendar, have your child track their reading progress, and they’ll earn 10 FREE Play Points as a reward!
Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp: Starting June 1st, families can access free printable activities, reading lists, and coloring sheets online. Plus, stop by your local HPB store to get your camper’s Summer Reading Log, camp stickers, and info on how to earn $5 Bookworm Bucks in June and July!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: If you have kids ages 1-5, you can sign them up to receive free books by mail every month through this amazing program.
Check Your Local Library: Most public libraries host summer reading challenges with fun rewards and prizes! Some offer free books, coupons, and even prize drawings. Be sure to see what’s happening at your local branch!
Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading: Encourage older readers to take on literary classics! Kids can earn a special certificate and even a free Excellence in Reading t-shirt by completing books from a curated reading list.
Panda Express Read With Me Program: This reading challenge encourages kids to read five books and, once completed, they’ll receive a FREE kids meal coupon! This program is often shared with teachers or groups, so check if your child’s school participates.
Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program: The classic program is still going strong! Kids can earn a free personal pan pizza for meeting reading goals, both during the school year and over the summer!
Reading with the Rays: This popular Florida-based program returns on May 25th. In previous years, participants could earn free baseball tickets just for reading. Stay tuned for 2025 details!
Scholastic Summer Reading on Home Base: Kids can log their reading online from May 9th-September 12th and explore a virtual world full of free games, author events, and challenges.
Seattle Seahawks Summer Reading: Join the Seahawks’ reading program and help the community reach their reading goal! For every 25,000 minutes read, new prizes unlock, and top readers each month could win cool swag! Including a Blitz visit for the overall winner.
Programs like these are a great way to encourage our children to continue reading throughout the summer months. If you know of any other programs that aren’t listed here, please feel free to leave the information in a comments below!
We’ve done the Barnes and Noble program before but we live quite a-ways from the closest one… I was pretty sure I found information on it online last year including what books they were offering as rewards but when I follow your link it just takes me to their site and even when I search things like “summer reading program” or “kids’ program” it doesn’t get me to it…….. did you find a list of books they’re offering by chance? And qualifications to receive them? Last year there was a paper to fill out that required my little reader to write a short paragraph for each book it seems like. I’d rather have that done ahead of time this year.
How do I sign up
Just click on the teal blue text for the program you want to participate in and it will take you to the website that has the sign up information on it.