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Encourage your kids to read with our fun library scavenger hunt

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Public and school libraries are great places for finding new books to read, without costing you a cent. But being surrounded by so many books can be a daunting experience if you have no idea where to start.

Next time you go to the library, take along one of our "library scavenger hunts" and let your kids find as many books on the list as possible. (But keep in mind that most libraries only allow you to borrow up to five books at a time.) You can even turn it into a race to see which of your children completes their list first.

You can easily adapt the scavenger hunt to suit your child's age, reading level, interests and personal situation. For example, if you have two daughters, let them find a book about two sisters instead of about a brother and a sister. Or if they've already read a book about a dragon, rather let them find one about a whale or a mouse. 

For more inspiration on which books to read, see our list or primary school reads.

Library scavenger hunt #1: For toddlers and preschoolers

Find:

  • A book about a dragon.
  • A book with a yellow cover.
  • A book with a monkey on the cover.
  • A book about a birthday.
  • A lift-the-flap book.

Library scavenger hunt #2: For young children (early primary school)

Find:

  • A book about an animal that doesn't really exist.
  • A book about a brother and a sister. 
  • A book about owls.
  • A book in which somebody plays a musical instrument. 
  • A book about something that happened a very long time ago.
  • A book about books (or libraries)!

Library scavenger hunt #3: For pre- or young teens

Find:

  • A book set in the future.
  • A book written more than 50 years ago.
  • A book written by somebody whose first name starts with the same letter as yours.
  • A book about somebody who has to solve a mystery.
  • A book about space.
  • The first book in a series.
  • A book about or set in Asia.
  • A book that shows you how to make something.
  • A book about a famous person.
  • A book based on stories from African, Greek or Norse mythology.

Don't forget to look in the non-fiction section!

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