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Reading together with your kids is a fun and fabulous bonding activity. Not only does it help get the little ones ready for bedtime, but it also helps them to pick up reading skills and develop their creativity! However, if you’re tired of dealing with a pile of books that will eventually collect dust and whatnot, opt for the next best thing, online books! Digital online books are a great alternative that provides the same amount of interactive learning without needing to store physical copies in your home. Here are the top websites you can head to for storybooks that will engage kids for hours on end.
One of the leading digital reading platforms, Epic! has books for kids aged 12 and below. Although their platform runs on a subscription, they also have a free version which allows 2 hours of weekly free reading that resets every Monday. This can help you ensure your kiddo gets some reading done every week! It also grants access to both fiction and non-fiction stories.
Epic!, www.getepic.com
With cartoon graphics, Adapted Mind is a fun website to get kids into the habit of reading. They offer one month of free trial, and provide reading stories categorized to 6 different age groups and grades so their learning journey will be slow but steady. Each grade will also focus on spelling, vocabulary words and comprehension questions that will get progressively more challenging.
Adapted Mind, www.adaptedmind.com/reading.php
Featuring thousands of free books available for download on their website, Monkey Pen will offer hours upon hours of educational fun. Not only do the online books contain illustrations to give kids visual imagery together with the exciting stories, but they’re also labelled according to what age groups they’re suited for. With titles like “ The Way Of The Woods” and “Are We There Yet?”, every book is a new adventure.
Monkey Pen, monkeypen.com
Freechildrenstories’ website has plenty in store for kids of all ages, from 3 years old all the way up to 10 years old. Older kids can also explore the Middle Grade Novels, which has a higher word count and a advanced level of vocabulary to hone their English skills. Parents will also be relieved to know that no sign-up of an account or downloads are needed, since everything is available on the site itself.
Freechildrenstories, www.freechildrenstories.com
From non-fiction books about animals to coloring books that will give children a canvas for creativity, there are so many choices to pick from. Parents and kids can read the books online together, or download the PDF version so they can print them out to make a physical copy! Their website is also a breeze to navigate, with tabs classified to terms like Publisher, Author and Age Group. There are even foreign language books in French, Spanish and more.
Free Kids Books, freekidsbooks.org
All you need to do is sign up for a free account on Magic Blox and you’re all set! You’ll be guaranteed quality stories and books in their digital library, with every book carefully reviewed before being available online – there are even user reviews you can read with ratings of up to 5 stars to help make your selection. There are new additions weekly so your kiddo will never get bored too.
Magic Blox, magicblox.com
With the current COVID-19 situation, Oxford Owl is stepping up to add hundreds more eBooks to their online library for free. Kids will have access to plenty of titles recommended for ages 3 to 11, with favorites like The Frog Prince and Winnie’s Bubble Trouble. Their books are best viewed on a desktop computer, tablet or laptop - so parents take note!
Oxford Owl, home.oxfordowl.co.uk
The Open Library isn’t just for kids, but for any age. If you’re looking for new titles for your little one, they have over 20,000 including classics like Roald Dahl, The Princess Diaries series and even cartoon comics. Not all books are available to be downloaded permanently however. Some books can only be checked out for two weeks before they have to be returned – just like an actual library!
Open Library, openlibrary.org
If you’re too busy whipping up dinner or attending to other responsibilities at home and can’t read to your kid, let celebrities do it for you! A list stars like Oprah Winfrey and Chris Pine will read kids books on Storyline Online’s channel, with plenty of titles available to keep them entertained. The platform is so successful that it has over 100 million views each year and bagged multiple international awards.
Storyline Online, www.storylineonline.net
Not only does Storyplace have cute animations, but they also have activities within their online books to train kids’ observation skills on top of reading skills. They also provide a reading calendar with virtual storytelling where you and your tot can register and tune in to a reading live stream from your home. There are sessions almost everyday for a fun family time together!
Storyplace, www.storyplace.org
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