Local Libraries
Check your local library for summer or year around reading rewards programs. This year, our local library has given away small toys and certificates for In N Out Burgers several times during the year.
Mensa Excellence in Reading Program
Year around reading program. Kids read books from the list and received a T-shirt and rewards certificates. Grade K-12
Pizza Hut Book It
October to March reading program. Students receive 1 free 1 topping personal pan pizza for each month your personal reading goals are met. Grade K-6. Check in the spring for the following year to enroll because you have to sign up ahead of time and then certificates are shipped in September or so. (Currently homeschoolers may sign up starting May 1).
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program
Kids get a free book when they read 8 books over the summer.
Reading Rewards Sites
For these sites, you, the parent, set and give students rewards. These sites help you track their reading.
Kids can search for books here, take quizzes, and earn prizes for reading.
This is a neat site where kids can track the books they read, and win digital badges. Parents can set a goal and their own rewards and when student reaches the goals, it will inform you so you can give them your reward.
Are Reading Incentive Programs a Good Idea?
Not everyone agrees that reading incentive programs are effective. I have found that they work wonderfully with my kids that already love to read, but not so much for ones that don't like to read.
Elementary Reading Incentive Programs is an article which has some good tips for using reading incentive programs as well as some of the drawbacks.
A Closer Look at Reading Incentive Programs, an article by Alfie Kohn, who is very anti-reading incentive program, provides a look at the case against reading incentive programs.
So, like I said, these type of programs provide a nice little reward for my readers. I'm still exploring ways to get my nonreaders to read more, but I think a great deal of it comes down to finding books that interest them. If they are not interested in novels, but say, animals, well, that's what we get them. If you have kids that find non-fiction more interesting then find books about faraway places, sports, etc that will get them reading, in shaa Allah.
