Summer Reading Programs and Contests

I like to give my children the opportunity to enter summer reading programs and contests. They all read quite a bit, but it's nice to have a little incentive sometimes. It's a bit late, but here are a few programs that I found this year (As always, check out the sites first to see if you are comfortable with having your children use them.):

• Scholastic Summer Challenge - Kids sign up, take a quiz to get sorted into teams, log minutes read and read for a cause, Save the Children. At the end of the year, the winning reading team gets to choose which Save the Children U.S. program will receive a donation.

• Summer Reading Splash - This reading program is hosted by HomeschoolBlogger and includes Splish's Blog, where children may share their reading lists, enter weekly contests and interact with others. Download the reading log for younger students here and for older students here.

• Barnes & Noble - Children in grades 1-6 download a reading journal to keep track of the books they read and record their favorite parts. Return the completed form (8 books) to a local Barnes & Noble for a free book (books are pre-selected by age and based on local availability).

Don't forget to check your library! All of the libraries around us have summer reading programs with prizes.