Over 15 Free Summer Reading Programs in Columbus

Summer reading programs are a great incentive to keep kids reading during the Summer months. Students who read over the summer break tend to avoid the “Summer Slide”, or Summer learning loss.

Students should be reading at least 10-20 minutes each day, and adults should be reading to non-readers for the same amount of time (or more!).

The good news is that kids tend to respond well to incentives, so reluctant readers may be willing to read to earn rewards gift cards, free food, prizes, and more! Most of the programs require a similar amount of reading, so they can qualify for multiple program rewards.

Check out our list of Summer Reading Programs below! 

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

Download and print a Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program Reading Journal from the website for each child in grades 1-6.  Kids are encouraged to read any 8 books and fill out their Reading Journals about each book.

Once completed, bring the journals to any B&N store between July 1 – August 31, 2022. Kids can choose a FREE reading adventure from the book list featured on the reading journal.

Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp

Half Price Books hosts Summer Reading Camp each summer. Kids can submit their reading minutes and books each month to earn prizes and discounts. Check the link in June to see full details of their offerings!

Rusty Bucket Bucketeer Bookworms

Rusty Bucket Bucketeer Bookworms program encourages elementary school students in grades K-6 to read. Families can now pick a Bookmark Tracker at any Rusty Bucket Ohio location and start reading.

Young readers track their books on the back of the bookmark. After every five books read, kids receive a complimentary kid’s meal with an adult entrée purchase (dine-in only). Note: This program runs year round, not just through the summer! 

The Scholastic Summer Reading on Home Base Reading Challenge 

The Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Challenge is a free program to help prevent the effects of the summer slide—the learning losses that can occur during the summer months.

Over the course of 18 weeks, kids can enter their summer reading minutes online, unlocking digital rewards as they complete weekly reading challenges; and access book excerpts, videos, and other summer-exclusive content. Kids can enter minutes from May 9 – August 19. Printable resources such at book lists, reading pledges, and minute trackers are available online.

Once participating kids reach 25, then 50 and then 100 million minutes collectively read in the Summer Reading Challenge, Scholastic will donate 100,000 books to kids in need across the United States! 

Library Reading Programs

Columbus Metropolitan Library Summer Reading Challenge

The online Summer Reading Challenge starts June 1, 2022 to encourage people of all ages to read, from babies to adults to earn prizes! The program is divided into four age categories, each with different rewards and prize opportunities for 30 days of reading (15 minutes per day) Summer Reading Challenge reading minutes and activities must be completed and entered online by July 31.

Login at columbuslibrary.org/summerreading after June 1, OR Download the Summer Reading Challenge app, powered by READsquared:

• Summer Reading Challenge iOS app
• Summer Reading Challenge Android app

The Main Library Summer Reading Challenge Kickoff Party is June 4, and other branches are hosting kickoff parties between June 1-4, 2022.

Pickerington Public Library Summer Reading

 Violet’s Ocean Adventure Summer Reading Program runs May 21 and August 7, 2022. Participants can earn toys, coupons, and free books as well as raffle tickets for grand prize packages. 

Track reading, get book recommendations, complete missions, and play minigames on READsquared, the virtual reading platform, available via both app and web browser, or on a paper log on from the library. 

Check out other summer fun with Pickerington Public Library on their Facebook page or the website. They have TONS of fun activities all summer.

Pickerington Library Summer Reading Finale at Wigwam Event Center
Saturday, August 6, 2022 from 10:30 am – 2:00 pm. 

Celebrate summer’s accomplishments and join Pickerington Public Library, headliner Brian Holland, Interactive magic show with Magic Nate, Bring the Farm to You Petting Zoo, Touch-a-Truck, and more!

Finale fun acknowledges summer reading accomplishments with prize pickup, library card signup at the pop-up library, food trucks, snacks and refreshments. Local agencies will also be present, connecting families with services and resources available in Violet Township, Pickerington and Fairfield County.

The event is open to all – regardless of whether they’ve participated in Summer Reading program; no registration required. For a complete schedule of Summer Reading Finale events or more information about summer reading, visit pickeringtonlibrary.org.

Delaware County District Library Summer Reading Club

Summer Reading Club 2022: Oceans of Possibilities runs from May 28 through August 19 for all ages. Children ages 0-17 are encouraged to read 12 hours throughout the summer, collecting prizes once they reach six- and 12-hour benchmarks. Adults are encouraged to read books or attend library programs. Any combination of four books read or programs attended will earn participants a prize.

• Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 11 am – 3 pm. The annual Medieval Faire: join us for a joust, mermaid’s grotto, Sherwood Forest, and more! Come to Ostrander for all the fun.
• Thursday, June 16. The Whalemobile joins us at Willis Education Center. Learn more about whales while exploring the inside of a 43′ long, life-sized, inflatable, humpback whale! Register in advance for each child age 5 and older in one of four half-hour time slots; pre-registration is required to go inside the whale.
• Monday, July 18. Prepare to be astounded by the magic and mentalism of The Alans! Jason and Stacy Alan will join us at Orange Branch Library on  for a highly interactive, themed magic show full of imaginative props, age-appropriate humor, and, of course, amazing magic!

Check the Events page for events created for the age groups and interests in your household.

Pataskala Public Library Summer Reading Program

The 2022 Summer Reading Program is June 1 and goes through July 18. There are separate programs for 3 age groups.

K-5 Oceans of Possibilities Summer Reading program
Read (or listen) to add to your reading log, and try different activities. You’ll earn beads to put on your Reading Brag Tag. The more activities you complete, the more beads you earn when you check-in at the library. 

Teen Summer Reading Program; grade 6-12
Fill out an entry form for each book, magazine, or graphic novel you read. Twenty winners will be chosen at random for great prizes including gift cards, ear buds, water bottles, and more.

Adult Summer Reading Program for adults age 18 & up
Fill out an entry form for each book, magazine, or graphic novel you read (or listen to) and you’ll be entered to win gift cards for local businesses. 

Westerville Public Library Summer Reading Program

Join the Read and Make a Splash Summer Reading Program with the Westerville Public Library. Register and log your progress between May 27 and July 31, 2022. Virtual and in-person events are held through the program. Set your own reading goal and try to reach it!

Prizes include:

Ages 0-11: Choose a book and get a free coupon for a Chicken Salad Chick kids meal.
Ages 11-17: Choose a book.
Ages 18+: Get a 1-day pool pass for Highlands Park Aquatic Center. (While supplies last.)
All ages: 1 entry in a grand prize drawing for all participants who met their goal.

Worthington Libraries Summer Reading Club

Join the Dive into Reading Summer Reading Club through July 31, 2022. Register online starting May 25 or in person at any Worthington Libraries location starting May 31, 2022!

Earn prizes based on the amount of time you spend reading and/or completing activities, including an entry into the grand prize.

Ages 5 and under must read in 15-minute increments
Ages 6 to 11 must read in 20-minute increments
Ages 12 and up must read in 30-minute increments

Everyone will receive coupons for local businesses upon signup, and a free book after the completion of the program.

Upper Arlington Public Library Summer Library Club

Oceans of Possibilities Summer Reading Club is from June 1 – July 31. Summer Reading Club is for everyone! There is no age limit. Just stop by any Upper Arlington Public Library location to pick up a reading log. For each day you read, color in an ocean animal exploring the deep sea. Once you’ve finished your sheet, visit the library to receive prizes:

For your first sheet, earn a coupon packet, sticker, and raffle entry.
For your second sheet, earn a free book, sticker, and raffle entry.
For your third sheet (and beyond!), earn a sticker and raffle entry each time.

Bexley Public Library Summer Community Read

The Summer Community Read “Oceans of Possibilities” runs from June 3 – August 7, 2022. For details on our programs visit the website. 

Bring your pirates and mermaids to our SCR kickoff party on Friday, June 3rd to enjoy “leagues” of activities, crafts, and games and a bubble parade march to The Main Event on Capital’s lawn. First mateys to sign up (while supplies last) will be awarded a special treasure – an official SCR 2022 Oceans of Possibilities t-shirt.

Track your reading in one of two ways: 
 – Track your summer reading and be entered to win raffle prizes with the new online reading tracker application, READsquared.
 – Keep track of your reading by downloading the online PDF version of the physical tracker found here.

On August 7th we’ll sail our SCR 2022 adventure into the horizon with Bill Manchester’s musical instrument petting zoo and a special musical performance by Muppet Mayhem. Your little barnacles will be movin’ and groovin’ to some of their favorite tunes!

Marysville Public Library Summer Reading Program

Summer Reading Program, Oceans of Possibilities is May 23 through July 31, 2022. Visit the Library to get a Reading Log, or download a Reading Log here. See website for featured activities and suggested reading, take and make crafts, and more. Earn prizes for your halfway mark and for completing the program!

Grandview Heights Public Library Summer Reading Club

Join the Summer Reading Club and read through May 31 – July 31, 2022, and you could win prizes for reading this summer! 

Download the Summer Reading Club app to get started, or use your computer to register. All participants who complete the program will receive the following prizes:

• GHPL T-shirt.
• Coupons to: DK Diner, Dairy Queen, Pure Imagination Chocolatier, Chocolate Café, and Star Beacon.
• “I Read at Grandview Library” bracelet.
• Blank book or book of your choice
• Entry for grand prizes

Licking County Library System Summer Library Program

The Summer Library Program Dive Deep runs from May 31 – July 23, 2022

Pick-up a Reading tracker LCL locations and log the books you read or listen to. Earn raffle tickets with your tracker for grand prizes at every tourist stop throughout your trip. Plus, receive a free book at the half-way mark and on completion!

Return your Reading Tracker by July 23 to any LCL location, or email an image of your completed tracker to; info@lickingcountylibrary.org. 

Granville Public Library Summer Reading Program

Oceans of Possibilities Summer Library Program runs from July 6 – July 31, 2022. Granville and Licking County residents are invited to sign up for the Summer Library Program in person or online.

Children’s, Teen, and Adult Summer Library programs will all be online. Earn raffle tickets for reading and attending programs.  Special events are found on the library website’s event calendar. 

School and Classroom Reading Programs

Attention teachers! There are a couple of programs that allow you to reward your students for reading! Parents – if your child’s classroom isn’t participating in these programs, make sure you let the teacher know they are available to individual classrooms.

Book It!

If you were a child of the 80’s or after, you may have participated in the Pizza Hut Book It! program as a student yourself. I still remember exactly what my Book It! pin looked like. It was purple and had spaces above a rainbow for a star sticker to be added each time I earned a reward.

The current program runs from October-March and is open to educators of students K-6 in home school, public, private and charter schools. Set a reading goal for each child in your class based on their ability. When they meet their monthly goal, you get to recognize them with a Reading Award Certificate, good for a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza®. BOOK IT! materials are always free to schools. Enrollment begins in March prior to the upcoming school year.

Chipotle Reading Rewards

Chipotle Reading Rewards is a program that awards students who complete reading challenges with FREE Chipotle kid’s meals. The month-long reading challenge is only open to each school once per school year, based on approval, and applications are prioritized for applications in which the entire school is participating.

Looking for other local options? Many fast food restaurant franchises will donate coupons for free items for classrooms if you ask!

Chuck E. Cheese’s Reading Rewards Calendar

Chuck E. Cheese offers reward calendars and behavior charts to encourage kids to reach specific goals, Track progress on these printable incentive charts by marking the days off with a pen or sticker as your kids accomplish their goals. Bring in a completed calendar or behavior chart to Chuck E. Cheese’s and receive 10 free play points as a reward.

Among many options, they offer a Reading Rewards Calendar (English and Spanish).