Free Children’s Books From Big W

We all know that it is important for children to be reading regularly – but accessibility to books is also very important, and something that Big W, one of Australia’s leading book retailers, is committed to improving through their Free Books for Kids program.

A first for the retailer, the Free Books for Kids program will see 12 different beloved children’s titles and 3.7 million books given away across a 12-week period, commencing as of Thursday the 21^st of February. The selected titles are perfect for reading out loud, and will appeal to children between the ages of 6 months – 6 years old.

The program was inspired by the mounting evidence to support that regular reading significantly improves childhood literacy. Meredith Drake, Big W’s Category Manager for books, and passionate advocate for reading to kids, says: “The connection between access to books and the child’s future success and wellbeing is very well established. Research indicates that just 10 minutes of reading time a day can expose a young child to over 600,000 words in just one year, positively impacting childhood literacy.”

The program, whilst designed to improve accessibility to books, is also aimed towards parents, encouraging them to read with their children. A recent report by Scholastic Australia revealed that 86% of Australian kids enjoy being read to at home, mainly because it is quality time they get to spend with their parents. “Story time is an incredibly powerful and precious moment for families, and we hope that our Free Books for Kids program will encourage more families to enjoy reading together, more often,” says Meredith.

Through the program, a new title will be given away each week for 12 weeks. The first title will be the much-loved ‘Hush Little Possum’, followed by ‘10 Silly Wombats’, and ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It’. Head to your local BIG W store today to claim a free book for your child, no purchase required!

Read more about the program here

For more children’s reading tips, guides, and advice, you can read the following Better Reading articles:

What Your Child Learns Around The Dinner Table…

Books Grow Brains

A New Year’s Resolution For Parents

Happy reading!