Summer Reading Programs

It's the last week of the school year for our family this week...that means summer is almost here! We are excited for some of the activities we have planned for our family, and we are especially excited for the month of July when I will be having baby #4!

Along with all the other summer things I have been planning for my family this week, I have also been signing my kids up for summer reading programs. I like working as a family to keep up their reading over the summer and there are so many fun summer reading programs you can sign up for to help encourage your kids to read each day and track their progress. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Public Library Programs
This is the first place you should sign up! Libraries around the country do free Summer Reading programs for kids through the Collaborative Summer Library Program. Every library uses a theme each year (this year it is 'On Your Mark, Get Set...READ!') to plan activities, story times, and crafts around. They also give out prizes to kids as they track their reading each week. My kids love this and look forward to it every year. If you haven't yet, go sign up at your local library!

2. Barnes and Noble Summer Reading
We did this one last year and plan to do it this year. You print off a reading journal for the kids to fill out, and then take it to your local Barnes and Noble where they get to pick a free book from a selection of books. My kids love getting free books and this one is pretty simple to do.

3. Utah Read Today and the Governor's Summer Reading Program
This one is for Utah residents. You sign up your family on the Read Today website, and then print off a tracker form for reading 20 minutes a day for each of your kids. You have to mail in the form by August 12 and kids can attend the Ready Today Night at the Bee's baseball game for free.

4. Read and Win at the Utah State Fair
Here is another fun one for Utah residents. Kids just need to read 10 books and record those on the form you can print off from the Utah State Fair website. You mail in your kid's form by July 26 and get back a free ticket to the Utah State Fair, a coupon for a free drink, and a coupon for one free carnival ride.

Those are some of the programs we use to help us get excited about Summer Reading! What Summer Reading programs does your family like to do?

My kids wearing their firemen hats at a fun story time we went to last summer.