Incentives Encourage Summer Reading

Summer reading programs offer great incentives to keep kids reading books during their break from school. While some schools provide a list of required summer reading, most simply let parents be the guide regarding what, if anything, kids read. The best thing about summer reading is that it allows kids to choose topics that interest them rather than what is assigned. Reading at their own pace allows slow readers to gain confidence while fast readers enjoy the freedom of not being held back by slower classmates. Educators agree that summer reading is a key component in back to school readiness.

Whether your child prefers Harry Potter or Beatrix Potter, your local library is certain to have something on the shelf of interest. Libraries offer something for everyone and are perfect for generating interest in books. Best of all, libraries are free!

If your child is driven by incentives the library is the place to start for summer reading programs. Most library summer reading programs offer rewards for reading. Incentives vary by library but have been known to include Major League Baseball tickets and coupons for free French fries at McDonalds as well as bookmarks and other small trinkets. Reading to earn a special reward is the perfect incentive for many reluctant readers.

Bookstores are another place to enroll in summer reading programs. Barnes and Noble Booksellers offers a summer reading club each year. Details about the reading program and the incentives are available online at the store's website and also in local stores. In one year Barnes and Noble's summer reading program encouraged kids to read 2.3 million books. The company has given away more than 291,000 books free as incentive rewards to their participants.

If your child prefers surfing the net to reading a book, consider participating in Book Adventure sponsored by Sylvan Learning as part of a summer reading program. This no-charge website allows members to take tests on books they have read. Points are earned for correctly answering questions about the book. Incentives, including ebooks, temporary tattoos and bookmarks are available as rewards.

In conjunction with their school based "BOOK IT" program, Pizza Hut offers a different twist on the summer reading program. The Shake, Rattle, and Read! Summer Challenge encourages students in kindergarten thru sixth grade to earn a contest entry after reading five books and completing information about the books on the official entry form. Prizes include gift certificates, a Crosley Jukebox CD Player and books by C.S. Lewis. Details about the contest as well as the entry form are available on the summer reading program website.

Certainly incentives are not necessary to encourage summer reading but summer reading programs are a great way to reward your child.