How to Get Free Stuff For Your Kids—Books, Museum Passes and More

Dolly Parton created the Imagination Library, a book gifting program available for kids ages zero to five regardless of family income, in 1995, and when she passed recently, the program was talked about quite a bit—bittersweet, but a lovely legacy nonetheless. Many Babylist parents that we polled mentioned that they received free books from the Imagination Library for their kids, with one saying, "My kids each get a free book once a month in the mail. The books are always age appropriate and they always end up becoming a new favorite!" 

All you have to do is check the availability in your area on the website and see if you can sign up. This program is currently offered in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and Australia.

Another great source of free books is PJ Library, also very popular with our Babylist community, according to our poll. This program gives free books to Jewish children and their families and is designed for families with kids ages 0 to 12 who have at least one Jewish-identifying member in their household. Not Jewish? They have free online resources for families and kids. There are two signup sections broken down into categories for kids ages zero to eight (who are sent picture books) and then kids ages eight to 12 (who can choose their own middle-school level book) each month.

In the vein of more reading, one Babylist member said her kids love getting the LEGO Magazine in the mail. Kids ages five to nine can get the LEGO Magazine delivered straight to their doorstep for free five times a year. All you have to do is make a LEGO account and sign up to receive them in the mail.

If your kids like watching programming on Netflix, whether that’s K-Pop Demon Hunters or Cocomelon, then the Netflix Family Magazine may be a fun complement. It’s filled with games, stickers, crafts, recipes and more with input from a child development expert to keep kids entertained for hours on end. 

To sign up, go to Netflixfamily.com/subscribe and fill out the information to get the issues mailed straight to your front door.

Museums for All is on a mission to make them more accessible to kids and families. Those with SNAP and/or EBT cards can receive free or reduced admission up to $5 at over 1,600 participating museums. The museums can be found across all 50 states, ​​the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands—there’s a directory on their website to help locate one closest to you. All you need to do is bring your SNAP/EBT card and a photo ID to receive $5 or less admission for up to four people per EBT card. The best part? There’s no limit to the number of museums you can visit. 

If you don't have SNAP/EBT, then it still may be worth visiting your local museum (or its website) and seeing what programs they have available. Many museums offer free admission for children under a certain age or for everyone on specific days of the month. For example, in Los Angeles, any kid in LA County can get a free membership to LACMA, which includes one free adult admission. 

Another program for free museum entry is Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families and museums across America. It offers free admission to select museums to active-duty military personnel and their families, including those in the National Guard and Reserve. 

The program runs each year from Armed Forces Day in May to Labor Day in September. The program has concluded for this year; however, you can take a look at the over 2,000 museums who participated to get an idea of where you want to visit next season.

Every Kid Outdoors was created to give older kids, specifically fourth graders, free access to national parks. The best part? It's not just for the fourth graders themselves, but also family members who want to come along. All you need to do is log onto the website and have your fourth grader complete their adventure diary. Once complete, you can print a pass for access to the park (just bring it with you). The program is also open to educators so they can take students to get out into nature during the school year. 

The Smithsonian offers free virtual Head Start programs (and in-person offerings in Washington D.C.) for kids throughout the year. These offerings give kids access to age-appropriate programming on topics like colors and foods and live virtual field trips to the National Zoo, for instance. Some programming offered includes "Food with Friends," "Things on the Move," "Playing Together" and "Communication in Action."  Parents can sign up their kids on the Smithsonian website. 

The age range for these programs varies on the topic, with some programs geared towards young children ages 0-5, up to grades K-5. The recommended age range is listed on the registration form so you can tell whether it’s a good fit for your child. 

The National Diaper Bank Network is a nonprofit organization sponsored by Huggies which helps connect parents with agencies in their area who may be able to provide free diapers. Parents can call 2-1-1 to find out a list of locations or can check out the directory. There are no eligibility requirements listed on the website, so you’ll need to get in touch with the agencies in your area to find out if they have a form to fill out, or if you need similar documentation.