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Free pizza, play points and money: These programs will keep your kids reading this summer
It may be summer vacation for students, but that doesn't mean the reading fun has to come to an end. It can be a daily struggle trying to keep your child engaged and interested in reading when there are so many other things vying for their attention.
When school ends for the summer, reading can feel like a chore when there are video games to play, crafts to create, and forts to build. As a parent, it can feel like a never-ending battle to maintain consistent reading habits throughout the summer and cultivate a love for reading.
That's where summer reading programs come in handy, with these companies offering incentives from pizza to actual money to inspire your kiddos to read during summer vacation.
Here are free reading programs to help you encourage reading this summer:
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The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program is a fun and easy way for students in grades 1 through 6 to foster their love of reading and earn free books. It's simple, all your child has to do is read 8 books, write about their favorite part in the Reading Journal, and bring the completed journal to Barnes & Noble bookstore, at 392 State Road, Dartmouth, between July 1 and Aug. 31. Once they complete the journal, they get a free book from the store. Find out more at
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Your child can earn a reward for their love of reading with Chuck E. Cheese. If they complete a book, have them fill out the "Page-Turning Pro" award on the Chuck E. Cheese website. Then, bring it to their location at 412-418 State Road in Dartmouth to receive 10 free play points. Encourage them to continue reading daily by filling out the Reading Rewards Calendar. After two weeks of consistent reading, they will earn another 10 free points. Check it out at
"BOOK IT!" has now been upgraded with an easy-to-use app that tracks and rewards your child's reading habits. Throughout June, July, and August, children in pre-K through 6th grade who reach their parent-set reading goal each month will be awarded a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut. To qualify, the child must read for a minimum of 20 minutes a day for 15 days. To redeem your reward code, head over to locations at 914 Mount Pleasant St., New Bedford; 155 Hope St., Fall River; or 579 GAR Highway, Swansea. To download the app, go to
Personal and commercial banker Rockland Trust is holding its 17th annual Reading Makes Cent$ program, which encourages kids to keep up their reading and add to their bank accounts. For students entering grades 1 through 8 this fall, kids can earn up to $25 in a Rockland Trust savings account — $2.50 for each book they read, up to 10 books. The program, which began June 1, runs through Aug. 31. To grab a summer reading journal, visit any Rockland Trust branch or print one out online. Rockland Trust has branches in Fairhaven, Fall River, New Bedford and Somerset.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Summer reading at Pizza Hut, Chuck E. Cheese, and Barnes & Noble
