25 Free Summer Reading Programs & Rewards 2023
Summer Reading Program Rewards are a great way to keep your child learning, and not experience what’s known as summer slide or summer learning loss, forgetting what they learned in class this year! So, we’ve compiled a roundup list of the best Summer Reading Programs 2023 for your child this summer. They are all FREE and offer great rewards.
And, don’t miss our Report Card – Rewards for Good Grades list of freebies!
Certainly, we’ve found a ton of great summer reading rewards to keep kids busy and learning.
Top Summer Reading Rewards
We like to get a head start on these, but not everyone is as early as we are! Therefore, not all programs have been announced yet for 2023. Stay tuned, and we’ll update as they are unveiled.
Find Free Books on Amazon
There are hundreds of free books on Amazon, and we have the list of the top 100 free best sellers Children’s Books on Amazon!
ABC Mouse and Adventure Academy
- ABC Mouse – score a free month of online school for younger kids, age 2-7 (preschool through 3rd grade)
- Adventure Academy offers a free month for older kids, age 8-13 (2nd to 8th grade).
Applebee’s Bookworm Reading Club
Kids ages 10 and younger can get free food at Applebees! Here’s how it works: children, read 10 books. Then, record their accomplishment on their Bookworm Club record card. Once they read all 10 books, they can get a free kid’s meal at Applebee’s Bookworm Reading Club (with adult meal purchase).
Amazon.com Summer Reading Challenge 2023
In the past, Amazon has given a free book for reading 8 books during the summer. Kids who participate can and earn an Amazon gift card! However, this year they seem to have removed the Summer Reading Challenge program since the link no longer works. The good news is, you can still grab a ton of free kids books on Amazon. Double-check the price before buying as prices change often on Amazon.
Audio Books Sync
Audio Books Sync – Since they sold to Audio File, they no longer offer a free summer audiobook program for teens 13+
Barefoot Books Summer Rewards
Kids get a free color-in membership certificate when they sign up for the Barefoot Books free summer reading program.
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program
In past summers, kids grades 1-6 could earn a FREE book through the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program. Read any 8 books and record them in your Summer Reading Journal. When you’re done, bring it to a Barnes & Noble store and choose your free book! Redeemable 7/1-8/31.
Braum’s Ice Cream Book Buddy
Braum’s Ice Cream offers free ice cream for grades 1-5 during the school year.
Braum’s Book Buddy is a reading incentive program for children in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Each child can earn up to six Braum’s ice cream treats per school year just by reading, and it is free to participate in the program!The program begins in October and lasts through the school year. Teachers distribute Braum’s Book Buddy booklets to their students and then monitor book reading by placing a Book Buddy sticker in the student’s booklet for each book read. When a student has read six books, the teacher rewards the student with a coupon for a free treat from Braum’s!
Books-a-Million
Read 4 books from the Books-a-Million summer reading list, then record them in the reading journal and get a free gift from BAM.
Cap Com Federal Credit Union
Students in grades Kindergarten through 12 can earn up to $10 ($2 per book) during the Cap Com Federal Credit Union Fall, Winter and Summer Reading Programs.
Chuck E Cheeses Pizza
Kids, read a book every day for 2 weeks, and earn 10 FREE tokens to Chuck E Cheese. However, there is a limit of one token award per day for each child. Also, a food purchase is required.
Half-Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading
In 2023, Half-Price Books has revamped the Half-Price Books summer reading program. You can sign up now to get all the details when they begin on June 1!
H-E-Buddy Summer Reading Program
HEB Grocery Stores Summer Reading Program offers kids who read 10 books by October 1, and mail in this reading log, a free t-shirt by mail!
H-E-Buddy is ready for summer fun and summer jamming, so it’s time to kick off our H-E-Buddy Summer Reading Club. All you have to do is read ten books and record them on your reading log from the form linked below. And remember, one of the books must be a Read 3 Book (see choices below). Each time you log a book, have an adult initial by the title so you get credit for reading. Once the log is complete, mail the form to the address below, and you’ll be rewarded with a special prize. You have until October 1 to get in ten good reads. Texas summers are made for adventures, and some of the best adventures you find are in books, so find a stack of books and start exploring.*
Mail to:
H-E-Buddy 2021 Summer Reading Program
10530 Sentinel
San Antonio, TX 78217H-E-Buddy Summer Reading Club Form
*Must be postmarked by October 1st.
The H-E-Buddy Summer Reading Club is intended solely for children who are residents of Texas and between the ages of 3-12.
Lifeway Stores
Lifeway Stores – in past years, kids age 1-6 who read six books and memorized six Scripture verses, got a free book and free bible. However, they seem to have discontinued this.
Meatheads Burgers
Meatheads Burgers – In past years, kids ages 13 and under who read 5 books would earn a reward of one lil’ meathead burger every 30 days. However,they haven’t done this for the past few years. We hope they bring it back.
Pizza Hut Camp Book It! Summer Reading Camp
This super fun Summertime Pizza Hut Camp Book It! extends the regular school-year Book it program. When kids read, they can earn a Reading Award Certificate, redeemable for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza® from Pizza Hut.
Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading
In past years, children received a special surprise after attending 5 Weekly Pottery Barn Kids Storytime events. However, until things fully get back to normal post-Covid, this one seems to be on hold.
Rusty Bucket Restaurants Bucketeer Bookworms Reading Program
Bucketeer Bookworms in Indianapolis can pick up a Bookmark Tracker at Rusty Bucket Restaurants. Once kids read 5 different books, then they get a free kids meal!
Bucketeer Bookworms:
– The Bucketeer Bookworm Reading Program is designed to encourage kids to read. Enrolling is child’s play: just visit your neighborhood Bucket and ask for your Bucketeer Bookworm Bookmark Tracker.
– When they finish five books, they earn a complimentary kid’s meal.
Scholastic Happy Camper Summer Reading
With Scholastic Happy Camper Reading Program, Kids read and log in minutes all summer, take weekly challenges and earn rewards! It’s a Fun, Free and Safe Program for Kids.
From Monday, April 26 to Friday, September 3, kids can participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Program where they will be encouraged to read, celebrate their achievements and help increase access to books for their peers.
Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesday
A fun and rewarding summer reading program developed to encourage young children to read during the summer months, Bookworm Wednesdays entitles kids to free admission to a select children’s film when they present a book report at a participating Showcase Cinemas box office. Tickets must be reserved in advance online or on the app and seating is limited. Tickets will not be available at the box office, for large parties or for camp groups. Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six years of age receive free admission and do not need to submit a book report.
Six Flags Theme Parks Read to Succeed
In the past, K-6 students who complete six hours of non-school related reading, that has been approved by their parents and teachers, are eligible for free admission to their nearest theme park with the Six Flags Read to Succeed summer reading program.
Update: Due to COVID-19, the Read to Succeed Program has been suspended. Stay tuned as it is hopefully brought back soon!
Sylvan Learning Academy
Sylvan Book Adventure is an online reading program for children in grades K-8. Kids can read books, take quizzes and get rewarded. In the past, this was completely free; however, now it appears that there is a 7-day free trial and users must pay to participate after that.
Sync Summer Teen Reading Program
Teens 13+ will be able to download 2 Free audiobooks every week through the OverDrive app when they sign up for the Sync Summer Reading Program For Teens.
TD Bank summer reading
Kids who read 10 books to particpate in the TD Bank summer reading program. Incentive is receiving $10 in their new or existing TD Simple Savings account.
Your Local Public Library
Why not stay in your community? Most library locations offer something special, and some even offer them weekly! So, check your local libraries to find out which programs they’ll be offering this year. Grab your children, or even a playgroup and make an afternoon out of it! Some locations will even be offering FREE books, prizes or crafts.
Of course, we will add any new Reading Programs for kids as we find them.
Why Should Kids Read During Summer?
Keep young minds active, while being rewarded and having fun! Perfect for children who get bored during summer breaks, and it’ll make going back to school easier this fall.
Experts say Summer learning loss is the loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of summer holidays. The loss in learning varies across grade level, subject matter, and family income.
A common finding across numerous studies is that on average, students score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer than they do at the beginning of summer (on the same test).
Summer loss for all students is estimated to be equal to about 1 month (Cooper 1996), but this varies across subject matter. -Source Wikipedia
