There are numerous free summer reading programs in Wichita and neighboring communities, designed to help kids stay engaged and avoid the “summer slide.” Programs include a reading goal of some sort, a way to track your progress, and freebies for accomplishing summer reading goals. All of the ones we have listed here are free!
Wichita-area Summer Reading Programs
Kids in Wichita have no lack of choices for fun summer reading, and the prizes often include coupons for free food items, activities or new books.
When is the Wichita Public Library Summer Reading Program
Wichita Public Library’s summer reading program “Unearth a Story” begins May 21, 2026 and runs until July 30, 2026.
How to sign up for the Wichita Library summer reading program
Sign up at wichitalibrary.org/summerreading.
It takes just a few minutes to register each child using the Beanstack website or app. The app is available for both iPhone and Android users. To register your child, you will need to enter very basic information about your child: name, age, grade attending in the fall, school, city you live in and local library branch. If you are having trouble logging in or registering with Beanstack, feel free to call your local library branch and they can walk you through it. There are also several helpful Beanstack Quick-Start Videos on the WPL’s website.
How to track progress and earn prizes!
Once you have registered your child, you can start tracking his or her reading progress. There is also the option to print out the reading log.
Prizes will be awarded at different reading benchmarks. The more you read the more prizes you earn! Instead of picking up a print calendar at the library, participants can track their progress via an app called Beanstack (which is free).
The reading program is offered for different age groups:
- Pre Readers: Start early to help encourage your child to develop a lifelong love of reading. The Baby Bookworm program is for kids 0-5 and has age-appropriate rewards and activities, pick up a sticker sheet log to return to the library between June 25 and July 30 for prizes. You can also participate in the 1000 books before kindergarten program.
- Kids Read: For kids between kindergarten and 5th grade. Being read to – or reading to someone else – also counts. Grab a paper log with lots of ideas for goal setting to bring back between June 25 and July 30 to collect a prize pack and be entered into a grand prize drawing.
- Teens Read: For teens in grades 6th – 12th. Grab a paper log with lots of ideas for goal setting to bring back between June 25 and July 30 to collect a prize pack and be entered into a grand prize drawing.
- Adults: Summer reading isn’t just for this kids! Adults can read any 5 books or complete any 5 activities from a list made by the Library this summer to be entered into a grand prize drawing. You can use the printable reading tracker or use the Beanstack app to log your progress.
More Free Summer Reading Programs
Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Kids in first through sixth grade can earn a free book by reading any eight books and recording their favorite part in reading journals available at the store or on the website here. Bring the completed journal to a local Barnes & Noble between July 1 – August 31 and your child can choose a free book from the specially selected titles.
The Popcorner Summer Reading program (We are waiting for the details for the 2026 program to be released, check back soon!) The Popcorner Summer Reading Program earns kids ages 5-15 a free bag of gourmet buttered popcorn after reading 10 books! Pick up a summer book club form at either location and when it’s full, bring it back for a prize before the program ends on August 24!
Summer Reading Programs at Community Libraries
If you live in one of the communities near Wichita, ask your local library if they offer a summer reading program. I’ve found the ones listed below, but there may be others.
Haysville Public Library Enroll beginning mid-May for the Haysville Summer Reading Program that will go from early June to mid-July. Enrolled kids complete a list of tasks each week for prizes. This library will be using the Reader Zone app where you record your reading progress at least once a week. Check in to the library weekly to pick up your prizes for active readers.
- Each week will also have a free take-and-make craft
- Story time Tuesdays at 10:30 am in June and July
- Free kids’ movie Tuesdays at 3:00 pm with pop corn and water bottles provided
- Free performances on Wednesdays at 10:00 am
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Haysville Library.
Derby Public Library Sign-Ups begin May 26 for the Derby summer reading program, which offers programs for different age groups, from babies to teens. This library will be using Google Forms to keep track of your child’s reading log. It is usually similar to Wichita’s program, but the age groups, requirements, and prizes may be different. Last day to pick up prizes will be July 26 at 5pm.
- Weekly performers (different days of the week each week, but are at either 10 am or 2 pm)
- Paleontology Pursuit: Scavenger Hunt – A new clue will be posted every Monday
- Inaugural Dinosaur Campaign – Cast your vote for the “greatest dino of all time” at the youth Services Desk
- Register for the Planetarium event on June 15
- Splish Splash Dance Party! at Rythym and Read Park on July 7
- For younger kids: Read and Roar Storytime for ages 3-5 on Wednesdays at 10am and 11:15 am and Toddler time for ages 3 and under on Fridays at 10am
- For teens: Tuesdays from 4-5pm, teens can participate in a new themed activity such as “Prehistoric Pottery”, LED cave fires and more. Also, teens can register to be a part of a Dinosaur Painting Party on June 6 where they can learn basic acrylic painting techniques.
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Derby Library.
Andover Public Library Preregistration begins May 18, the program itself will begin May 28 and end July 31. Register online through Beanstack. The prize redemption dates are: June 10, 17, 24 and July 8, 15, 22.
- Kick off event on May 28 at 10:30 am with a Dino O’Dell performance
- Story times June 2 – July 3,1 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for different age groups
- Jammin’ Randy “Rockin’ with the DInosuars” on July 7th at 10:30am
- End of program celebration July 29 with a petting zoo from 10am to 12pm
- Art workshops include: Dazzling Dinosuars – Learn some drawing and watercolor techiniques. Happy 250th Birthday America – Create a festive artwork about our country. Hieroglyphic Fun – Discover Egyptian Hieroglyphics and create your own cartouche on paper and clay. Clay Exploration & Artifacts – Create a clay artifact with a mixture of texture tools.
- Teens: Cool Art with Math and Science Workshops with a different lesson each week like optical illusions, tessellation, origami and structures.
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Andover Library.
Park City Public Library The program features special activities and performances from June 1 through July 31. For kids 0-12 years old: Every 60 mins of reading earns you a prize badge that you redeem for a book or a CHANCE at a big prize. For Teens 13+ and adults: For every book you read and mark as complete on your BINGO board, you’ll earn a ticket towards a raffle basket. Get a BINGO, and you’ll earn a $5 Certificate for the Friends’ Books and pick out a prize book! Complete the entire board for a blackout, and you’ll earn bonus tickets!
- June 2nd at 2:30pm – Dinosaur Dimensions
- June 9th at 2:30pm – Dinosaur O’Dell
- June 16th at 10:30am – Touch-a-Truck
- June 23rd at 5pm – Didgeridoo Down Under
- June 30th at 2:30pm – Wichita Symphony
- July 7th at 2:30pm – Ad Astra Planetarium** (Must register to reserve a spot)
- July 14th at 2:30pm – Marty the Magician
- Register for the Tiny Art contest between June 1 and July 1
- Summer movies on Fridays at 3pm (excluding June 19 and July 3)
- Events such as Scavenger Hunts, reading to therapy dogs, Pasta Paleontology craft, rock painting, diy dino eggs, USA’s birthday bash, Dino costumes and more.
- End of Summer Reading fair July 24th from 11am-12:30pm: Celebrate the end of summer reading with face painting, balloon animals, and more.
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Park City Library.
Newton Public Library. (This information is from the 2025 program, check back soon for updates!) From June 1 to July 26, this library invites children to read (or be read to) 20 minutes a day for 5 days a week. Completion of the Youth Reading Challenge will earn your family a free pass to the End-of-the-Summer Pool Party on Saturday, July 26, along with other prizes. Pick up your reading log at the library. Teens have a daily goal : To read at least 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for a total of 800 minutes or more by the end of the summer which can be logged on the Reader Zone app.
- “Dinosaur Chalk Fest!” : Children ages 2-10 and their caregivers can meet at Athletic Park (near W. 5th Street and Park Place) for a story walk (based on Chalk! by Bill Thomas), sidewalk chalk art, a dinosaur rock dig, and an activity corner for the littlest ones. It’s sure to be messy, so the Newton Fire Department will arrive at 11:00 AM to open a hydrant and rinse everyone off.
- Register for activities for school aged children K-4, each week is a new event plus there is a lego club with new challenges to complete weekly
- Each week has family activities that you don’t have to register for such as “family concerts, mad science, and experiments”How Fossils are Made”, “Super Soil” (with edible examples!), Dino O’dell show, “Pasta-roni Paleontology Art”, “The Field Station: Dinosaur Colors”, “Make-Your-Own Dinosaur Stuffies” and more. Please be sure to check with their website on how to register for events as many of them require it.
- Free weekly story times
- Teens : On June 1, from 2pm – 5:30pm, teens can participate in dinosaur trivia and watch Night at the Museum while snacking on popcorn.
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Newton Library.
Mulvane Public Library This is a special year for the Mulvane Public Library since they are celebrating their 10 year building anniversary. Join in for the SUmmer Reading Kick-off Party and 10 Year Building Anniversary Party from 6-8pm on May 15 You will be able to register for the summer reading challenge and receive your free tote bag and youth pool pass. There will be food trucks, fun games, live music, prize drawings, bounce houses, and popsicles for all. For teens and adults, they are doing henna tattoos as well.
- Each week, readers are encouraged to track the time spent reading to earn prizes. For ages 0-11 the goal is 60mins a week. For teens, the goal is 2 hours a week. For adults, the goal is 3 hours a week.
- You can start using the READsquared app to log your hours spent reading starting May 22, and pick up your first prize starting May 26.
- Every Wednesday, they offer a 9:30am or 11:00am time slot for performances and programs fit for the whole family. These include: Handpan Dan, Happy Face – DIno Games, Magic & Balloon Twisting and more.
See more details here about the Summer Reading activities at the Mulvane Library.
Related: Ultimate List of Free Story Times in Wichita
Free summer reading resources
These aren’t reading programs, but they are great free reading resources for kids:
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Parents of children 5 and younger who live in eligible ZIP codes can sign up to receive a free, high-quality book each month.
- Storyline Online Members of the Screen Actors Guild read popular children’s books.
- American Library Association Teen Book Finder App Free iOS or Android app helps you find books that have won awards from the Young Adult Library Services Association.
- Scholastic Book Wizard This is a great online tool designed for teachers, but parents can use it to find new titles for their kids to read. Enter the title of a book your child or teen loves and find other books similar to it. You can also search for books according to grade level, Lexile score or Developmental Reading Assessment. It’s the next-best thing to a librarian. Scholastic also does also have a simplified book list for parents to find recommended books by age.
- Free printable summer reading lists are offered by grade level from the American Library Association. A separate set of lists, Summertime Favorites, features books having “lasting value.” Since many of the books on the Summertime Favorites lists are classics, some might be out of copyright and available for free at Amazon.
Past Summer Reading Programs:
Chuck E. Cheese Reading Rewards seems to be defunct. Kids would record their reading every day for two weeks, then bring in the reading record to redeem 10 free tokens. (A food purchase was also required.) The reading record used to be on the Chuck E. Cheese website, but we weren’t able to find it this year.
2 Responses
The Popcorner is doing a reading program for free popcorn!
Awesome!!! Thanks for telling us about it, Tiffany.