10 Summer Reading Programs for Kids That Actually Make Them Want to Read (2025)
Summer break is almost here, and with it comes the annual worry about the “summer slide” — that learning loss that creeps in when kids trade textbooks for video games. But here’s the thing: if you pick the right program, summer reading doesn’t feel like homework. It feels like a challenge, a game, or a treasure hunt. I’ve rounded up ten programs that actually get kids excited to turn pages, from free printables to free pizza. Yes, pizza.
The Summer Reading Bundle, made with The Week Junior, gives you a reading log, a bingo challenge, and goal sheets. It covers sports, culture, movies, crafts, and recipes — stuff that actually interests kids. Works for classrooms or just the kitchen table.
Reading Is Fundamental runs a free Summer Reading Camp with book lists and activities for kids from preschool through 8th grade. They also have a summer book club. It’s run by the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the country, so you know the picks are solid.
Research backs up what we already know: kids who read early do better later. Reading logs help track progress and create a little friendly competition. There are free printables where kids log daily reading time, answer weekly questions, or just color a picture for every 20 minutes they read.
Barnes & Noble does a summer reading journal every year. Kids in grades 1-6 read 8 books, log them in the journal, and bring it to a store to pick a free book from a list. Not bad for a summer’s work.
Half Price Books lets kids earn $5 Bookworm Bucks for reading in June and July. It’s open to all ages, from preschoolers to teens. The site has coloring sheets, online story times, and mystery book picks by age group.
Scholastic’s Home Base is a free digital platform where kids can safely connect with other readers. The Summer Zone runs from May 9 to September 12. Kids can track their reading, keep a streak, and hang out with their favorite book characters online.
Scratch-off stickers make reading feel like a lottery win. Sign up with your email, get free templates, and cover the circles with store-bought scratch-off stickers. There’s a general version, a log for every 20 minutes, and a library challenge.
BOOK IT! is a free program for Pre-K through 6th grade. Kids track their reading on a digital dashboard from June to August. If they hit the monthly goals their parents set, they get a free Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut. Yes, pizza.
Sonlight, a homeschool curriculum publisher, offers a free printable Summer Reading Challenge kit from June 1 to August 31. It includes punch cards, bingo, bookmarks, bookplates, brackets, and award certificates. Every participant gets a free book light and a shot at $50 off a Sonlight purchase.
A color-in reading challenge is simple: kids color a bookmark or checklist for each book they finish. Fill out a form online to download the full set. It’s a tangible thing they can bring back to their teacher in the fall and say, “Look what I did.”
