Celebrate Mom | Mother's Day Events in Kansas City
Giveaway | Big Splash Event at Great Wolf Lodge Kansas City

2013 Summer Reading Programs in Kansas City Metro & Johnson County

Summer Reading Programs for kids in KC metro

If you're like many other Kansas City moms and dads, you've started thinking about how to keep kids reading this summer.  We're excited to bring you our 4th Annual KC Summer Reading Programs Guide!  We've compiled some great resources for you to start thinking about summer reading programs.  Many places have already begun making their program information available, and we've included details below.  Summer reading programs offer a great way to keep kids learning and reading throughout the summer as well as provide great incentives & prizes for them!  Happy reading!

Johnson County Public Library Summer Reading Program - May 20 - August 3, 2013.  Enjoy summer reading for all ages!  Pick up a reading log at any Johnson County Library location or download one online.  Earn virtual badges for reading and doing activities, record your reading time, track books you've read, win books, and MORE!

Olathe Public Library Summer Reading Program - May 22 - August 11, 2013.  This summer's reading program theme is Dig Into Reading!  We will be exploring the wonders beneath our feet—gardens, rocks, animals, fossils, caves, gnomes, and more!  The planned activities include special programs, puppet shows, storytimes, book discussion groups, free family movies, LEGO building, chess nights, crafts, a bookmark contest, Find Fido Fridays, and more.  We will once again be starting off the summer with our Summer Reading Kick-Off for the whole family.  This summer we will also be offering two big programs off-site at the Bell Cultural Events Center located on the MidAmerica Nazarene University campus.

All young readers (going into 5th grade and younger) are invited to pick up a summer reading folder at the library beginning Wednesday, May 22.  Folders will also be distributed throughout the summer and will be available at our Summer Reading Kick-Off on May 28 at Frontier Park.  Use the folder to keep track of all your summer reading.  Just for fun you may also collect colorful stickers for your folder each week throughout the summer.  Bring your folder back to the library between July 29 - August 11 to receive a free paperback book! 

Scholastic Summer Challenge - Help set a world record for summer reading!  Read, log minutes, win prizes!

iVillage & PBS Summer Reading Challenge - June 17 - July 12, 2013 - Get your kids reading this summer! Join our free 4-week program and starting June 17 you’ll get daily emails filled with:

  • Literacy-building tips from the experts at Sprout
  • Games and activities to help foster a love of reading
  • Printables and crafts to share with your kids
  • A daily chance to win great prizes

Half-Price Books 'Feed Your Brain' Summer Reading Program - Kids ages 14 and under can earn Bookworm Bucks for keeping their appetite for reading during this summer.  Download a Reading Log to keep track of books read.  Turn in your completed reading log at Half Price Books by July 7 or August 11 to receive your summer reading reward!  Do you think you’re a Top Reader this summer? We’ll award one top reader per month with a TOP READER prize, a $20 HPB Gift Card!  Join them for the Feed Your Brain kick off on June 2 at 2 pm for the Biggest Storytime of the Summer at Kansas City metro local Half Price Books locations.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Library "Dig Into" Summer Reading - June 1 - July 31, 2013.  Kids can keep track of reading all summer long and earn prizes.  Join them for the Summer Reading Kickoff Celebration on June 3, 2013.  Bring the family! Pick up your summer reading logs and enjoy face painting, refreshments, and a spectacular magic show from magician Eric Vaughn!

Kansas City Public Library Summer Reading Fun - Kids ages 12 and under can pick up a reading or sign-up online beginning June 1, 2013.  Reading logs can be used for keeping track of books read or listened to and redeemed for prizes.  Kids will earn a prize for every 3 hours of listening/reading.  Teens can also have fun with summer reading - they're invited to share personal opinions about the books they read via text, e-mail, or on a Summer Reading Review Form.  Based on the number of times they share about the books they've read, they'll earn rewards and can be entered into a drawing to win a netbook.  

Barnes & Noble's Imagination's Destination Summer Reading Program - Read and record any 8 books on a reading log and earn a FREE book! Program runs May 21, 2013 through September 3, 2013.  Barnes and Noble bookstores are located in Johnson County at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Town Center Plaza in Leawood, and in Kansas City, Missouri at the Country Club Plaza.  Other locations are at Independence Commons in Independence, Missouri and Zona Rosa in Kansas City, Missouri.

American Girl Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Program - May 1 - August 26, 2013.  Visit them online to print learning guides and reading-related activities. Then, visit them in store at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas for crafts and live events.  $1 of every printed book purchased will go to Save the Children's U.S. Literacy Program. 

Mid-Continent Public Library - May 23 - July 31, 2013.  Kids ages 5th grade and under may download a reading log online or pick one up at any MCPL branch.  Children ages 0-6 are invited to listen to 24 books in order to earn a free book.  Kids ages 6-11 may log their reading minutes and earn a free paperback for every 360 minutes read. Completed reading logs may be returned at any MCPL location between the program dates.  

Books-A-Million Summer Reading Program - Download a reading form and read any 6 books from the list between May 19 - August 17, 2013 to receive a free HOOT or CHOMP backpack (while supplies last).  Books-A-Million is located at the Legends Shopping in Kansas City, Kansas.

Shawnee Books and Toys - May 18 - August 18, 2013. Every child that completes the challenge earns a goodie bag and is entered in a drawing for 1 of 2 $25 gift certificates to Shawnee Books & Toys. Kids age 4-14 are eligible to enter.  Also plan to attend the Summer Reading Challenge event!  We will have local author Dave Witaker signing his book for middle graders "Otter & Arthur" a new spin on King Arthur as well as drawings for free books, and our Summer Reading Challenge Forms. 

Chuck E. Cheese's Reading Rewards - Children can track their reading progress by printing the Reading Rewards Chart online.  Track 2 weeks of reading each day and then bring in the completed log to participating locations.  Participants will be rewarded with 10 free tokens.   Valid at all Chuck E. Cheese locations in Olathe and Overland Park, Kansas and Independence and Kansas City, Missouri.

Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge - May 16 - Auguts 26, 2013.  Keep your kids reading all summer long with recommended lists of titles.  Join in for weekly storytime on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. throughout the summer and kids will receive a special prize for completing all the books on the reading list.  Locations are in Johnson County at Town Center Plaza in Leawood Kansas and in Missouri at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.


Want more useful info like this? Subscribe to KCMetroMoms.com »

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)