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Summer Reading Programs in the Greater Peoria Area 2025

Programs and other ways to help encourage reading this summer 📚

By Julia Briggs, Macaroni KID Peoria June 4, 2024

Summer is almost here!  Which means it is time for summer reading programs! Libraries all over the area offer reading reward programs for kids and adults in some areas. All you need is a library card – which is FREE!

⭐Check out some of these local summer reading programs near you! Click on the library to get all of the information for each program. 

The largest library system in the area is Peoria Public Library, with 5 locations.


Local Summer Reading Programs
Click on your local library to register and participate. 


































Looking for other ways to read this summer? Click the image below for our big list of all the FREE summer reading programs that are available nationally!




Ways To Encourage Reading in Your Home This Summer:

1. Create a reading environment. 

Keep books visible. Have them in baskets and on shelves around the house where kids can easily see and get to them. 

2. Make it cozy or fun! 

Make a cozy reading nook in a comfy chair, pillows on the floor, or even a hanging swing! Or make it fun with a reading fort! 

3. Keep a Variety.

Have different things handy to read not just regular books. Things your kids might enjoy are comics, magazines, audiobooks, etc.

4. Visit the Library often.

Libraries have so much to offer! They have Storytime and so, so much more.  Check out your library and see what kinds of activities and events they have. 

5. Set aside dedicated reading time.

This could be a time when everyone (mom and dad included) pick up their book, or whatever they are reading, and read together for 20-30 minutes. It's good for family bonding and good for the kids to see their parents being reading role models. 

6. Read aloud to your kids.

From the time our kids are little we are constantly reading to them. We read loads of picture books. Now that they are getting older we try to pick at least one chapter book read aloud a month. Sometimes mom reads, sometimes dad, sometimes the kids, and sometimes we all just take turns. reading aloud and getting lost in a story is such a wonderful way to spend family time. Something we have loved over the years is picking a book that is also a movie and doing a sort of family book club where we read the book together then watch the movie complete with themed snacks!

7. Help them to find books that interest them

It's important for kids to be able to have freedom in their book choices. As long as the choice falls within a reasonable boundary for our unique families. If we can encourage them to read books they actually enjoy the reading won't feel like a chore or something they have to do. 

8. Check out our Pinterest Board for more reading inspiration! 

These are just a few of the many ways to help foster a love for reading in your home. Here's to helping our kids to become lifelong learners and people who love to read! 




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