Summer Reading Freebies 2024

I'm an avid reader... I'm about to finish my 30th book of 2024! But my girls have grown up in a digital age where the lure of the internet is real. I'm all about incentivizing them to read in hopes that one day they'll love it as much as I do. 

If your kids are like mine, they are incentivized by prizes, rewards and freebies. So, here it is- the list of cool, free things they can get in Summer 2024 for reading.

Summer 2024 Reading Freebies in the DFW area

Barnes & Noble- 

Kids in grades 1-6 can earn a free book from a selected list when they read 8 books of their choosing. Download the journal here and once your child has completed their reading, bring it to your closest location for a free book. Program runs July 1- August 31, 2024. 

Panda Express-

This program is best for teachers to sign up for to reward their kids, but I still wanted to include it! Teachers can enroll in the program and then receive free meal cards to be handed to students who complete five books. 

Pizza Hut- 

I loved the Book It! Program as a kid and I still love it as an adult! Kids can earn a free personal pan pizza for completing their reading journal. This program is designed for kids in PreK through 6th grade. Homeschool children can participate in this program during the school year, too! 

Half Price Books-

Summer reading camp is back! You can enroll your child on the linked website and print their reading log. Once they complete their summer reading (between June 1 and July 31), they can bring their completed reading log to their local HPB store and receive $5 in bookworm bucks, which is good for $5 off anything in the store. 

Freeplay-

We especially love this prize. Read 5 books and then play games all day! Score! Submit your reading log to the above link and your child receives free admission to Freeplay! This is an easy, fun reward for kids- and parents! 

Don't forget to check out the programs at your local library. Last year we earned a free membership to the Perot Museum through the Grand Prairie Library! 

Summer Reading Clubs 2023: Cool Things Your Kids Can Earn by Reading

It's June, which means it's summer. The kids are out of school, the cupboard is constantly almost bare and the kids are trying to see how much screen time they can log in one single day. 

I say this every year, but this summer, especially, I don't want my kids to lose the progress they've made all year at school. One way to help kids get (and stay) ahead academically is by encouraging them to read, which is why so many places offer incentives for kids who are willing to open a book or 5 or 10 this summer. (I'm paying my kids to read books in Spanish. They are all inspired... for now)

This kid loves to read... and she loves when she gets prizes and incentives for reading, too!

If your kid needs a little extra push to crack open a book and journey with the characters inside, I get it. So do bookstores and other local companies, who are willing to give your kids some cool freebies in exchange for reading. So, if your kid is looking for a reason to head over to the library and pick up a few new titles that pique their interest, well, here it is. Here are several summer reading programs your kids won't want to miss!

Summer reading programs where kids can earn prizes for reading

• Free Play Arlington- Kids love video games? Same. Make them earn their gaming adventures by reading five books and submitting their list to the Free Play website (linked above) for free admission plus other goodies! Kids can submit multiple lists for multiple free entries. This sounds like a reading challenge my kids can get behind!
• Chica Power- I'm super excited about this one because this is an awesome local mama supporting awesome local kids! Kids can earn one free kids shake at Chica Power (located at Bowen and Park Row in Arlington) for every 5 books they read. They can pick up a punchcard starting Saturday and start earning summer treats right away. Yum!
• H-E-Buddy Reading Club- Read 10 books and mail or email the completed form (linked above) for the chance to a win a prize that will be mailed to your home. 
• Book It Reading Program- Kids can read for their dinner with the Book It Program from Pizza Hut. Kids can simply read, log their time online and then submit the form to have a coupon for a free Personal Pan Pizza mailed right to them. Yum! 
• Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Log- Have your kiddo read eight books, complete the log and bring it to your closes Barnes and Noble location for a free book from a preselected list. What a great way to build your home library! 
• Feeding Reading from Kellogg's- Okay, so this one isn't so much encouraging your kids to read as much as it is giving them free books to fill their library. But one participating Kellogg's product (see the link for details) and submit the online form for a free book. Redeem up to 10 times for 10 free books!
• Summer Reading Club from Half Price Books- The interactive summer reading club has lots of cool activities and resources for mom and dad as well as an incentive for the kids- bring in the completed reading log and get $5 in bookworm bucks that can be applied to anything in the store. Shopping spree!
• Discover Summer at the Arlington Public Library- The library offers lots of great summer programming so check back often. Be sure to check back for prizes for a completed reading log, too! Don't forget to check out summer reading incentives from other area libraries, too, such as Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Kennedale and more. 
• Free book tote from Little Mama Shirt Shop- Download the free tracker at the linked website and read 200 books with your kiddo this summer (picture books count!). Then submit the tracker for a free tote! This is how they suck me in... I want basically every shirt in this shop! 

Snag this adorable tote when you and your kiddo read 200 books together this summer!

If I've missed any summer reading incentives, please send them my way! I love love love to read myself and will do anything to encourage it in my kiddos!

Kids' Summer Reading Incentives

I love to read. Like, love love to read. I read 6 books in May and have more than 70 (that is not a typo) stacked against my bedroom wall just waiting for me to dive in. I prefer chick lit by British authors as well as mysteries and thrillers. The last great book I read was The Paris Orphan, although I do wish the ending had been different.

These days, my kids feel the pull of screens more than I would like them to. It's hard to convince them to put down YouTube Kids and read a book. In the summer, I institute 20 minutes of reading every day. It can be more but it can't be less. Somedays they read willingly, somedays it's a real challenge. 

Check out the great article I recently did for Zulily about starting a book club for kids! I loved doing this with my girls when they are little and am trying to convince my youngest to round up a few friends start one herself. 

My most avid reader with her current favorite book, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.

Luckily, there are lots of great summer reading incentives for kids out there right now. My girls can get earn all kinds of great stuff, from free books to free food, just by sitting still and reading a book. Why won't someone do that for me?! I'd be the happiest mama on the planet if someone gave me freebies for doing something I already love...

Summer Reading Challenges (with Incentives!) for Kids

Summer Reading Challenge with the Arlington Public Library- Fill out the reading log between June 1 and July 31 and then bring the completed log to the library for a goodie bag! Previous goodie bags have included coupons for food and ice cream as well as fun items to celebrate a job well done by your kiddos!

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Challenge- Print out the log sheet and fill it out with books your kiddos read this summer (for kids in grades 1-6) and then bring to your closest store for a free book from a pre-approved list.  

Pizza Hut Camp Book It!- Free pizza just for reading? Yes please! Complete the monthly reading journal with your child and they will receive a coupon for a free personal pizza. Yum! 

Scholastic Summer Reading- Join this virtual reading program where kids can complete challenges and earn virtual rewards. There is new content weekly, where kids can gain access to all kinds of unique content from favorite authors and more. 

H-E-Buddy Reading Club- Read 10 books and fill them in on the linked log sheet. Then mail the completed form, by October 1, to H-E-B in San Antonio and your child will be rewarded with a special prize! 

Chuck E Cheese Reading Rewards Calendar- Have your child read daily for two weeks and record it on the linked calendar. Then bring it to your closest CEC for 10 free play points! Score! 

Kids can earn free pizza with Camp Book It!