Many of the students I have met over the years haven’t been motivated to participate in summer reading programs because they aren’t excited about the prizes being offered. Many summer reading programs hosted at libraries offer copies of books as prizes, which are inaccessible to participants with print disabilities who are unable to read the books since they are in an inaccessible format. Even though these students love reading and enjoy meeting reading goals, they don’t feel like these prizes celebrate their progress in a meaningful way. However, there are many unique summer reading prizes that can be enjoyed by participants with print disabilities that celebrate reading and community involvement without revolving around physical text. Here is a list of low-cost and unique summer reading prizes for print disabilities that can be enjoyed year-round and celebrate different reading experiences.
Spend time with therapy dogs
Therapy dog reading programs are a popular event at many libraries that provide participants with the opportunity to read alongside trained therapy dogs. Participants are welcome to bring their own books in a format that works for them, or even write their own stories and read them to the dogs. An invite-only therapy dog reading event would provide participants with the opportunity to read to even more dogs, or interact with dog breeds they may not have encountered before. Time with therapy dogs could also be incorporated as a low-sensory event at a summer fair, as part of a story time themed around dogs, or a school visit.
Related links
- Therapy Dog Reading Programs and Low Vision
- Websites That Teach Kids About Low Vision and Assistive Technology
Option for free audiobooks
I’ve encountered a few summer reading programs that provide copies of physical books as prizes for participants who meet specific reading goals. However, participants with print disabilities often cannot read books in standard print because of the font size, style, text spacing, or other characteristics that can impact how they access text. Instead of just focusing on physical books, consider providing an option for downloading free audiobooks to celebrate meeting reading goals, or provide information on how to locate titles in an accessible format from another source (such as the state library for the blind).
Related links
Museum pass with audio tour or touch tour
Experiences are another popular prize for summer reading programs, which can include free or discounted admission/passes to a local museum or park. A fun way to extend this experience for participants with print disabilities (especially those who have visual impairments) is to highlight available accessibility options such as an audio tour for listening to descriptions of items, a touch tour for interacting with items under museum supervision, or sharing resources available for visitors with disabilities in general.
Related links
- Tips For Visiting Art Museums With Low Vision
- How To Make Virtual Museums Accessible For Visual Impairments
Tickets to a game
Another example of an experience prize for summer reading programs is tickets to local sporting events. The library near my college offered tickets to basketball games as a prize for summer reading, while my friend’s library provided ticket vouchers to go watch a baseball game hosted by a major sports team.
For participants that have visual impairments, it can be helpful to listen to a live radio broadcast (using a personal radio, phone, or other device) during the game that can provide additional visual descriptions for what is going on. Many teams or athletic departments will advertise an official radio or streaming partner that is covering the game. Alternatively, they may also enjoy the other fun elements of being at a sporting event, like listening to the pep band!
Related links
- College Game Day and Sporting Events: College O&M
- Watching MLB Baseball Games With Low Vision
- How I Play In GMU Green Machine/Pep Band With Low Vision
Add a list of book recommendations
After reading several different books all summer, reading program participants often have a few clear favorites that they would want to recommend to others. Another fun prize would be to create a bulletin board or other wall decoration with a list of book recommendations from participants, or to create a curated list online where participants can share their favorite books that they read during the summer.
Alternatively, another option could be to allow participants to create their own book display based around a theme or their favorite titles from the summer. This worked really well for a student I was working with who was working towards a specific reading goal, and their prize was decorating/curating a special display in their school library with titles they could recommend to other students. This provided the student with the opportunity to discuss books with others, as well as a fun way for them to highlight their interests.
Related links
- How To Create Accessible Summer Reading Lists For Print Disabilities
- Creating Accessible Bulletin Boards For College Dorms
- Free Digital Bookmarking Tools For Low Vision
Special tour of the library
One of my favorite memories from my elementary school library was a special tour that the librarians would give for students who completed a reading challenge. Having the opportunity to walk through the library after hours, ask questions, and learn more about different programs and the way books are organized was a lot of fun, and would make a great summer reading prize. Even though I couldn’t read many of the books due to their small print size, the librarians still shared fun facts about how books are chosen for the library, books they would recommend, and provided the option to explore the library independently within a small group setting.
Related links
- Accessible Classroom Library Ideas For Print Disabilities
- Awesome On-Campus College Library Resources
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
Choose a book for story time
Similar to the book display idea mentioned in another section, provide summer reading participants with the option to choose a book for a story time event offered by the library, and share why they chose it or enjoyed it. Alternatively, a story time video could be posted on the library’s social media and include a shout-out with the (first) name of the participant who suggested it. It’s fun to share a favorite book with others, and this would be another way for participants to talk about a book with others.
Another idea would be to provide an older participant with the option to read their favorite book to younger participants in a story time event. When one of my friends and I were part of a story time event, they held the book to the audience and turned the pages while I read from a large print script next to them with props.
Related links
- How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
- TumbleBooks: Audio Narrated Picture Books For Low Vision
Exclusive or custom library card design
I use my library card to check out digital content all the time and having an exclusive or custom library card design is a cool reminder of my participation in the summer reading program. Having a card design that stands out also makes it easier for me to locate it amongst other cards. One of my friends received a library card from their summer reading program that also incorporated tactile design elements that they could feel, while another friend received a special library card with tactile braille, which was really cool!
Related links
- My Favorite Digital Library Resources For Low Vision
- Online College Library Resources For Digital Access
More ideas for unique summer reading prizes for print disabilities
- Looking for ways to find accessible copies of picture books? I list a few resources in How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
- eReaders are a fun “grand prize” that can provide several options for readers with print disabilities. I share more resources on choosing an eReader in Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: eReaders
- For participants who use sign language, hosting an ASL-interpreted story time could provide a valuable inclusion opportunity as well as introduce other kids to sign language and how it is used.
Published May 13, 2024. Updated January 2025