Artie the crab with a painter's palette

Summer Reading June 14 - August 31

Montgomery County Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Challenge offers kids and teens a chance to fill their summer with great books and fun activities. This year, we are partnering with Levine Music, Olney Theatre Center, and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County to help make the Arts more accessible to youth in Montgomery County.

Participating is easy:

  • Sign up (or log in) online or at your local library starting May 15. Begin logging your activities and pick up your free book starting June 14.
  • Adults must sign up for an account before signing up a child.
  • Children ages 0-12 earn e-badges to complete the program.
  • The last day to pick up Washington Nationals vouchers is August 31. All other giveaways must be picked up by September 5.
  • (Optional) Print a Youth (PDF) gameboard at home or pick one up at your local library.
  • Take our survey in English or Spanish when you've finished the program. Your voice counts!

Children 0-12 can earn e-badges throughout the summer and be:

Remember, MCPL also has Summer Reading Programs for Teens and Adults!
Teen Summer Reading Adult Summer Reading

Youth Gameboards (0-12)

Complete gameboard to earn three e-badges and help make the Arts more accessible to youth in Montgomery County.

  • English (PDF)
  • Spanish (PDF)
  • Amharic (PDF)
  • Chinese (PDF)
  • French (PDF)
  • Korean (PDF)
  • Vietnamese

Gameboard Activities (0-5)

Complete 12 of these gameboard activities throughout the summer to earn three e-badges and incentives along the way. Repeating activities counts too!

These activities are starting points for learning and exploration; feel free to get creative with them! Need ideas on how to adjust the challenges for your family? Ask a librarian.

  1. Read for 30 minutes
  2. Attend a storytime
  3. Attend a Summer Reading program
  4. Fingerpaint
  5. Play with modeling clay
  6. Sing a song
  7. Throw a dance party
  8. Make up a song about your name
  9. Play musical chairs
  10. Play dress-up
  11. Make up a story
  12. Build with blocks
  13. Talk about what you see in a picture book
  14. Play with puppets or stuffed animals
  15. Do a fingerplay, like Itsy Bitsy Spider or Open Shut Them
  16. Make a crown out of things you find in nature

Gameboard Activities (6-12)

Complete 12 of these gameboard activities throughout the summer to earn three e-badges and incentives along the way. Repeating activities count too!

These activities are starting points for learning and exploration; feel free to get creative with them! Need ideas on how to adjust the challenges for your family? Ask a librarian.

  1. Read for 30 minutes
  2. Attend a Summer Reading program
  3. Create your own story
  4. Read a play
  5. Take a picture of your favorite place and tell us what makes it special
  6. Draw a self portrait
  7. Create your own biography
  8. Illustrate a comic strip
  9. Create something with clay
  10. Create your own instrument
  11. Create an original song or poem
  12. Design a shadow box
  13. Make a collage
  14. Play charades
  15. Create a playlist for your favorite book or character
  16. Dance to your favorite song

Videos

Check out our 2025 Summer Reading Challenge YouTube playlist for more videos about the program!

Summer Reading Mascot - Artie

Artie

Take our mascot, Artie (PDF), along on all your summer adventures -- a walk around the neighborhood, on vacation, and anywhere else you go.

Take photos of you and Artie having fun together, and tag #MCPLreads on social media to post pictures of Artie’s summer fun!

MCPL's Summer Reading Partners

MCPL and the Washington Nationals are teaming up to encourage reading! The Washington Nationals will give MCPL Summer Reading Challenge participants who earn Badge 2 a voucher for two to attend a regular season game for free. Vouchers are available while supplies last.

MCPL is working with Levine Music, the Olney Theatre Center, and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County to celebrate the Arts in our community this summer! By participating in the Summer Reading Challenge, you will help make the Arts more accessible to youth in Montgomery County

MCPL and the Friends of the Library Montgomery County are working together to provide a summer full of fun at our libraries! The FOLMC will give MCPL Summer Reading Challenge participants who earn Badge 3 a voucher for a free book from one of two FOLMC bookstore locations. Vouchers are available while supplies last.