A love for reading does so much for young minds. As kids learn to read, they expand their vocabulary, build self-confidence and worth, and become more independent. The more they read, the more they learn social skills, build dreams and goals for their future, and educate themselves about the world around them. And free reading resources are an important part of this process.
The ultimate question is, how can you instill this love of reading into the kids in your life?
Whether you're a parent, older sibling, teacher, or family friend, we're going to share several free reading resources for kids that you can use with the young people in your own life.
5 Fun Online Reading Resources for the Young People in Your Life
1. Starfall
Age Range: Pre-K to 3rd grade
Price: Free, with the option to subscribe to unlock more content
You can use Starfall on their website or through the app on your phone or tablet. They have numerous free resources for all reading levels – but even their paid membership, at $35 per year, is not outrageous and unlocks an extensive library of learning content.
In their library of resources, they offer a nice mix of books, movies, songs, and games that are designed to help your child to read and grow. Your child can easily read along with Starfall, as it highlights each word as it’s being read.
2. Oxford Owl
Age Range: Pre-K to 5th grade
Price: Free with registration
I like this resource for its focus on helping parents and other caregivers. Whether you want to give your child an early start or you’re embarking on a homeschool journey, Oxford Owl is here to help you give your children the guidance they need and spark a love for learning.
With every book that Oxford Owl supplies, you will find a brief explanation of what reading skills are emphasized. This helps you to reinforce those skills even after the last page is turned. You will find lessons that range from phonetics to vocabulary to reading comprehension. And they offer a large library of books that include both fiction and non-fiction for whatever might interest your child.
Age Range: Pre-K to 3rd grade
Price: Free
PBS has a long history of education – I mean, who of us didn’t love Reading Rainbow and Wishbone, which were all created with education and reading in mind.
Well, you’ll be happy to know that PBS has kept in stride with the times. They offer over 70 games that include characters from PBS shows that they know and love, with lessons that are designed to build strong and lasting reading habits.
Age Range: Pre-K to 3rd grade
Price: Free
This great resource engages your child with fun stories that use the voices of famous actors that your child might already know. Several celebrities – including Kevin Costner, Terry Crews, and other big names – have signed onto this project and read from popular children’s books.
Every book comes with an animated video that helps to engage your child as the story unfolds.
5. ABCya!
Age Range: Pre-K to 6th grade
Price: Free, with the option to subscribe for an ad-free experience.
ABCYa is a reading program that provides fun resources for a wide range of reading levels and ages.
Explore their many resources of games and activities to find the best fit for your child’s grade, reading level, and interests. Every game and activity is designed to help your child learn through a fun and interactive experience.
And this resource isn’t limited to reading and language learning – they also offer games and resources for multiplication, music, art, and typing.
Concluding Thoughts on Finding Low-Cost and Free Online Reading Resources for Kids
Our communities are full of endless opportunities to spark your child’s love for reading and learning. You just need to take advantage of them.
For example, investigate services that your local library offers. Whether it’s a weekly storytime, crafts, singing, or something else, each event offers an opportunity to feed your child’s creativity and imagination in a meaningful way. In addition, check out your local bookstores. They might have a corner of their store specifically designed for children or an activities calendar you never knew about.
You might also look at surrounding city parks that feature summertime events. This not only offers the opportunity to learn and engage but also the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.
We hope this list helps you to find new resources that engage your children and enable a life-long love of reading and learning to take root.
And please, take the opportunity to list additional resources that you enjoy in the comments below. We hope this might become a resource for parents and caregivers everywhere to pull from.
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