Read this summer — for the fun of it

While your kids may be looking forward to a long vacation, keeping their minds engaged while they're out of school is important to stopping summer learning loss. Luckily local libraries are here to help. Annual summer reading programs provide incentives for children of all ages to pick up a book while learning more about all the other programs the community centers have to offer. Here's a sampling of offerings; be sure to check your local library.

Schaumburg Township District Library, June 1-Aug. 15

Schaumburg's new “From Seed to Bloom” program lets participants of all ages earn badges and prizes by reading books and participating in a variety of primarily nature-themed activities ranging from visiting Spring Valley Nature Center to drawing pictures of flowers to post on the library's community wall.

“I think there's a lot of research now that shows that kids learn from play and experimenting just as much as they do with reading,” Schaumburg Township District Library program and outreach coordinator Kate Niehoff said. “While our No. 1 goal is to prevent summer slide with kids, we also want to make it enjoyable for the families.”

Arlington Heights Memorial Library, June 6-Aug. 13

This year's superhero-themed program is extremely flexible, letting kids ages 5-12 set their own reading goals to win a bag of coupons and a free book.

“They're the best ones to decide their abilities,” said Lynne Priest, Kids' World librarian for the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. “We found that a lot of kids were asking for either a second log to participate or saying ‘This is too easy, I'm finishing it way too soon.' But at the same time you have to keep in the mind the children where it takes a real concerted effort to finish. It's nice to be able to make sure the program is more geared toward the individual.”

Meanwhile teens can choose to complete five challenges each representing a different superpower: reviewing a book, movie or CD, attending a library program, creating something in the DIY space, entering a teen film festival, or volunteering. They can do each one or just do one five times to receive a Chipotle gift card and entry in a drawing awarding a pair of tickets to iFly. Progress will be tracked in the form of a comic panel, with the narrative partially determined by what challenges the most teens are completing.

Naperville Public Library, June 1-Aug. 15

Kids in preschool through fifth grade set their own daily reading goals in number of pages, chapters or minutes and if they meet their goal at least 12 times during a two-week period they can come to the library to pick up an award and receive an entry in a grand-prize drawing. Teens in grades 6-12 earn a prize for reading three, six or nine books and can keep reading after for more entries in the end-of-summer drawing.

Des Plaines Public Library, June 4-July 31 (grades 6-12 through Aug. 27)

Kids from birth to fifth grade can join the youth reading program, where they receive a log where they can circle 30-minute increments of reading or being read to, with the goal of completing 16 hours during the summer. Participants receive a wristband or sweatband for starting, a book of their choice from a selection including comics, picture books and books for older readers when they've gotten to the halfway mark, and a T-shirt for finishing. They can also get their log checked at the library each week for a chance to spin a prize wheel.

“The goal is to get them visiting the library at least once a week during the summer,” said Des Plaines Public Library youth services librarian Cheryl Gladfelter.

Teens get their own reading log with the goal of reading four books or for 20 hours and receive a $5 gift card for Forever Yogurt of Starbucks for completing it. They also can enter into a drawing awarding a prize packages with themes including anime, sports, books and gaming by turning in a card with four stamps earned by completing a reading log or attending activities at the library like the summer Maker Camp.

“The idea is to be welcoming to everybody,” said Des Plaines Public Library teen librarian Joanie Sebastian. “You can use the library for lots of different things. Not everyone is a big reader.”

Palatine Public Library District, June 1 to Aug. 15

The Read for the Win program has different goals depending on reader age: 30 books for kids in second grade or younger, 10 books for grades 3-6 and five books for grades 7-12. Everyone who signs up gets a scratch-off card with a chance to win a free 8-inch Sarpino's pizza and participants who complete the challenge receive a T-shirt or tote bag. If you've got multiple kids and two or more of them complete the program, they'll also earn a movie theater gift card. The library hosts a kickoff party from noon-3 p.m. June 4 featuring Bingo games, face painting, a craft station, a photo booth and a chance to win pool passes from the Palatine Park District.

Wheaton Public Library, June 1 to Aug. 13

This year, the Wheaton Public Library broke its youth reading program into three groups: kids ages 2 and under who have a goal of six hours of reading, kids ages 3-5 who have a goal of nine, and kids in kindergarten through fifth grade who are encouraged to read for 15 hours. Meeting your goals gets you a free book at the Scholastic Book Fair and coupons from Kimmer's Ice Cream and the Wheaton Park District's mini-golf course.

“We have a big focus on early literacy here,” said Eileen Crowley, head of young adult services at the Wheaton Public Library. “The 3- to 5-year-olds were kind of lumped in with the very little babies and they're a unique group that's ready to do the early literacy stuff. Reading on their own, listening to someone read, reading out loud to someone else, all of that counts.”

Teens in grades 6-12 have a goal of reading for 50 hours, logging their hours online to earn coupons for mini-golf, Dunkin' Donuts, Enchanted Castle and entry in drawings awarding bigger prizes including an hour at Sky High Sports Trampoline Park, passes for Vertical Endeavors and Beats Solo HD headphones. Writing online book reviews also earns extra drawing entries.