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Chapter 4, reading

Summer Reading Programs for Kids: Types and How to Choose

Summer reading programs turn reading into a challenge with goals and rewards. Here is how the main types work, what is known about whether they help and how to pick one your child will actually stick with.

A low bookshelf full of colorful children's books beside a window

Types of summer reading programs

The three common types are library programs, retail or business programs and school or district programs. They differ in cost, rules and rewards, so check the current terms of each one directly.

Library

Public libraries are the classic provider. According to the American Library Association, summer reading programs began in the 1890s, aimed at school-age children so they would keep reading over the break, use the library and form reading habits. Public libraries in member states can get materials through the Collaborative Summer Library Program, a consortium of states that provides summer reading materials for children, teens and adults to public libraries at low cost. The ALA lists benefits such as helping children keep skills up, drawing in reluctant readers and encouraging reading as a lifelong habit. Joining typically means registering at your local branch, reading toward a goal and collecting a small reward. Rules, ages and themes vary by library, and many libraries also welcome teens and adults.

One honest caveat from the ALA's own guide: there is a large body of writing on summer reading programs, but little literature that evaluates them. In other words, they are popular and well loved, and rigorous proof of their effect is thinner.

Retail

Some bookstores and other businesses run their own reading challenges, often with a coupon or free book as a reward. These change every year and have their own terms, so read the details at the source. They can be a fun extra, but they usually do not provide the library's variety or support from staff.

School

Schools and districts may send home summer reading lists, run summer school or mail books to families. The evidence here is mixed. Brookings reports that a book-mailing program called READS showed benefits for lower-income students in earlier studies and that low-income students benefited most from summer reading programs in a 2013 review by Kim and Quinn. But a later randomized trial of READS with 793 third graders, reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse, found no statistically significant effect on reading comprehension. The results suggest that books help some children, and that program design and the child's own engagement matter.

How to choose a summer reading program

Pick the program that fits your child's reading level and interests, has a simple way to track progress and sets goals that are reachable. Free options through the library are a good default.

Search for free summer reading programs for kids by checking your local library's website first. Then use these questions:

  • Is it free? Library programs generally are, but confirm.
  • Does it count the kind of reading your child likes? Comics, audiobooks, magazines and series should be allowed.
  • Are the goals realistic? A target of one book a day will discourage most children. Minutes read per week is often kinder.
  • Is the age range right? Some programs have separate tracks for preschoolers, children and teens.
  • What are the rewards? Prizes can motivate, but the best reward is another book that the child wants to read. Programs with prizes vary a lot in size and value.
  • Is it local? Programs near you are easier to attend, and the library staff can recommend books.

The strongest evidence on summer programs in general, from a randomized study by RAND and The Wallace Foundation, links benefits to frequent attendance: children who attended at least 20 days showed gains. For reading programs the equivalent is steady participation rather than a sprint in the last week.

Making a summer reading program stick

Build a routine, give your child control of what to read and make the progress visible. A small, regular habit works better than a burst of enthusiasm in June.

  1. Set a daily time. Twenty minutes after breakfast or before bed, and make it a family habit.
  2. Visit the library every week or two. A short routine keeps the supply fresh.
  3. Let your child choose. Interest drives reading time more than reading level does.
  4. Track it visibly. A chart on the fridge or a jar of paper slips works well for younger children.
  5. Talk about the book. Two questions, such as "What happened?" and "What would you have done?", turn reading into conversation.
  6. Read yourself. Children copy what they see.

For the wider picture, see how to prevent summer slide, which sets reading next to math and everyday learning.