I tried to compile a list of local things to do for free or cheap for the summer.

Summer Reading Info:

Local Public Library – This is always a family favorite in our house with lots of great freebies!  (Clackamas & Washington County start June 1st.

Barnes & Noble  – Read 8 Books, log them in your journal, and receive a free book

Half Price Books – Read 300 minutes in a month and receive a $5 gift certificate to Half Price Books.

iVillage – Four week reading challenge with free games, printables, and chances to win prizes.

Scholastic – Log the minutes your child reads online and they have a chance to win prizes.

Sylvan Learning – Find a book to read from their site and then take an online quiz to earn points to use toward prizes.

BJU Press – Complete required reading goals and earn free prizes while supplies last.  You will also be entered in prize drawings.

TD Bank – Earn $10 in a new or existing Young Saver’s account when you read 10 books and take it to your local TD Bank.

Pizza Hut – Book It has a summer reading challenge, but it doesn’t look like they’ve released the details at this time.  Sign up for email updates here.

Chuck E. Cheese’s – Read consecutively for two weeks and earn 10 free tokens.  (Download the Reading Rewards calendar.)

PB Kids – Kids earn a free prize after reading all the books on a pre-selected reading list.

Exodus Books

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”—Groucho Marx

Every year, half a bajillion local libraries offer incentive-based programs designed to get kids reading during the summer. While the aim is a good one, we’ve been consistently frustrated with the quality of literature and the general lack of direction. Instead of complaining about those, however, we’re proud to announce we’ve created our own recommended reading list for grades 1-12, complete with great books and a program offering prizes to kids who participate.

The Outside a Dog Book List offers approximately 50 titles for each grade. Our list doesn’t promote a liberal agenda, cater to the lowest common denominator, or present books designed to make anyone look smart. A lot of the books are classics, but just as many are Exodus Books staff favorites, designed to open the wide doors of reading to kids turned off by more standard fare. We think many of these books are a great place to kindle a love of reading, but we certainly don’t want anyone thinking these are the only books to read. The only books to read are ones you buy at Exodus Books (just kidding).

Contest Dates:

June 1–August 31, 2013.

Who Can Do It?

Any student grades 1-12. Younger students may also enroll, but the booklist starts at first grade. You DO NOT NEED TO BE LOCAL. You can download the booklist via pdf, and you can email us your completed book logs. Only local customers will get the bound booklist unless you want to pay for shipping.

Cost:

$5 per participant. Download a copy of Outside a Dog (PDF) and a book log for each student (feel free to print more). Registered participants will get 20% off the retail price of new books from the booklist from June 1 – August 31. If you choose to sign up online, please include each child’s name and grade in the order comments. If you have more questions, please give us a call at 503-655-1951.

Basic Rules:

– Read at least three books from Outside a Dog (grade level or above). Each participant who does that will receive one $5 gift certificate to Exodus and one entry into the grand prize drawing (prize TBD).

– High school students need to choose one fiction book and one non-fiction, the third book is their choice.

– Parents need to verify that the books were indeed read.

– We will provide a book log to record titles read, authors, book rating, and place for parents to initial. Keep track and turn this in to Exodus before August 31.

– Keep reading, and you’ll have more chances to win. Each book read beyond the first three nets you an additional entry to the grand prize drawing. These books must be selected from Outside a Dog or anywhere on our website, provided they are recommended for the student’s grade level or above.

Prizes:

We’re still figuring out actual prizes, but we have determined how they will be awarded. If you would like to contribute prizes or help sponsor gift certificates, please give us a call.

– Everyone who reads 3 books from their grade level booklist (or above) will receive a $5 gift certificate to Exodus.

– All kids in grades 1-6 who read 25 books will get a second prize.

– For grades 1-6, there will be one grand prize for most books read.

– Kids in grades 7-12 who read 5000 pages will get a second prize.

– For grades 7-12, there will be one grand prize for most pages read.

– Finally, there will be one grand prize random drawing taken from all participants who have read three books or more from Outside a Dog or our website. The prize drawing will be on the second Friday of September.

VBS

Clackamas Bible Church VBS-Ellie’s church

June 24^th-28^th, 9-Noon

Calvary Chapel VBS (Tanta’s Church)

July 22-26^th, 9-Noon

GFBC Soccer Camp

July 29-Aug 2^nd, 5:30-8:30pm

http://children.gfbcfamily.org/Rock_Solid_Kids/High_Power_Info.html

Summer Lunch Program

Jennings Lodge Elementary

http://www.summerfoodoregon.org/site/jennings-lodge-elem-0

Regal Summer Movies