How to Get Free Books for Kids

What better way to give to a child than to give them the gift of reading? In today's uncertain economy, however, the search for freebies is a must. Parents, especially, must come up with unique ways of obtaining reading materials for their children. Fear not, because there are numerous resources available for finding free books, and they're easier than an expensive trip to the local bookstore.

Things You'll Need

  • Books
  • Library card
  • Computer

Instructions

    • 1

      Check the local library. One of the best sources for free books is your local library. Children can check out several books at a time and keep them for a week or two before bringing them back to exchange for more books. Renewing the books for a longer period of time is just as easy. Occasionally, libraries offer "free books," in which older books are pulled from the library shelves and put on display at the front entrance for any eager takers. Most libraries even host book fairs every few months, where if the books aren't free, they can cost as little as 10 cents each.

    • 2

      Book exchanges. This is a great way to collect a nice selection of free kids' books, and help the environment by recycling. Parents can organize a small book exchange among several families in the neighborhood. Invite families to meet at a park or someone's house, and specify a specific number of their used books each family should bring (five to 10 would be ideal, for every reading level). Then, put all the books in a pile and let the children select which books to keep. If any books remain, they can be used for future book exchanges or donated to a local school, daycare or library.

    • 3

      Book downloads and ebooks. These are becoming more popular and easier to access on the Internet. Numerous sites offer a variety of books for download or to read online. Simply type in "Free Online Children's Books" in the search bar, or for the best of the best, check out these great websites: Free Books for Kids (talewins.com/Browzer/kids.htm); Get Free eBooks (getfreeebooks.com/?cat=21); Magic Keys (magickeys.com/books/); and Free eBooks (free-ebooks.net/?category=Youth).

    • 4

      Dolly Parton. Yes, you read correctly. Dolly Parton gives away free books. The Dollywood Foundation created a wonderful program called The Imagination Library. It is designed to encourage early reading. With the program, every age-appropriate child (5 and under) can receive one free book a month. To enroll, simply visit the site at dollysimaginationlibrary.com/firsttime.php and fill out the required information to enroll your child or children. Enrollment is easy and your child will look forward to receiving a new book each month. In addition, government-sponsored programs, such as FEMA (fema.gov/kids/freebks.htm), also provide free reading materials to help educate children and encourage literacy.

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