youth

Each January, we challenge the community to read toward a minute goal for our library so kids can win prizes with a fun bingo twist!

2025 Winter Reading Challenge.png

Wednesday, January 1, 2025 (all day) to Friday, January 31, 2025 (all day)

Welcome to the eighth annual Winter Reading Challenge! We join hundreds of other schools and libraries across the United States as participants in this exciting event. We challenge youth ages 0-17 to read at least 200,025 minutes during the month of January and track that time in Beanstack...BINGO style! Share your progress on social media using #WinterRead2025!

Bingo!

To participate visit the library to get a bingo card, sign up or login to Beanstack, or print the bingo card below. Simply keep track of your minutes read, participate in fun reading activities, and share reviews of books you have read. Once you get a bingo (5 in a row, column, or diagonal) show the bingo card at the library Kid's Desk to be entered into drawings for prizes from local businesses and to play a game to earn a small gift. Limit one bingo per person per week. The program will run from January 1-31, 2025, that's 4 bingo prize opportunities! Not enough? If you can fill out your whole bingo card you'll get an extra prize!

2025 Winter Reading Challenge Bingo Card - English

2025 Winter Reading Challenge Bingo Card - Spanish

Sign up or login to Beanstack

Local Prizes

We will host four weekly drawings throughout the month of January. If you have been logging your reading in Beanstack, you are already entered to win great raffle prizes from our local business sponsors. If you are using the printed bingo card, please bring your card into the library Kid's Desk to be entered. A huge thank you to our local sponsors for their support of our exciting winter reading goals!

Dates of 2024 Local Prize Drawings

  • Drawing # 1: Friday, January 10
  • Drawing # 2: Friday, January 17
  • Drawing # 3: Friday, January 24
  • Drawing #4: Friday, January 31

Happy reading, Steamboat Springs!

FAQ

This is only our third year trying the bingo format, so we have answered a few questions below that we think might come up!

What is a Bingo?

As you complete a stated goal on the bingo, you can mark that square off. You win a bingo when you have marked off five squares in a row either down, across, or diagonal. You can do this up to four times, one bingo per week per person. You can also get a blackout and get an extra chance at a game and gift.

Can we get a bingo more than once?

Yup, but you can only get entered into a drawing and get your small gift once per week. The last week of the program those with blackouts will get to do one extra game, 5 times total. 

Can I wait to get all my prizes at the end?

Sure! If you haven't come in to get any of your bingo prizes yet, you can do so before the deadline 1/31/25. But remember, our prize drawings are every week so you might miss out if you don't bring your bingos in as you get them! You will automatically be entered into the drawings by participating online at steamboatlibrary.beanstack.org each week.

Can I get an extra drawing entry and play for a gift if I blackout my card?

Yes! If you complete the whole bingo card you will get an extra chance to play a game and get a gift!

Can I mark off more than one box on my bingo card?

In some circumstances, yes! For example, if you read 1 hour of a graphic novel in a blanket fort you can mark off all three of those boxes on your bingo card! We are impressed by your efficiency! But if you read 1 hour, you can only mark a single "Read 1 hour" box on your bingo card, then mark another box after you have finished reading for another hour. We are librarians after all, we really love when you read!

Do you need proof of my reading, activities, or book reviews?

Nope! This program is run on the honor system, so if you say you did it then we believe you! That said, we would love to see some fun photos or hear some of your rave reviews either at the BWML Kid's Desk or on social media #WinterRead2025.

What local businesses could I win prizes from during each drawing?

We're glad you asked! Our generous sponsors include Off the Beaten Path, Steamboat Climbing Collective, Snow Bowl, Howelson Ice Arena, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Strings and Wildhorse Cinema! A big thank you to our sponsors for helping encourage us to read this winter!

When are the drawings?

We will do drawings on four Thursdays: January 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st.

What do I do if I lose my bingo card?

No worries, we know these things happen. Come in to the library and we will give you a new one, which you can fill out using your memory of which squares you already completed.

I prefer Beanstack, can I do all this online?

Yes please! We would love your help saving trees so if you would like to do all this using our online challenge portal go to steamboatlibrary.beanstack.org and sign up for the Winter Reading 2025: Be a Reading Machine! Our library could win prizes if we reach our reading goal using this online platform, plus we love the convenience. It works the same as our paper bingo as well so you could do both at the same time to help keep track of your reading.