Where Can I Find a Free Children's Math Book?

Free Math Books for Children

Library Books

If you're looking for math book for your child, your first stop should be your local library. Many public libraries have an excellent selection of educational texts for children that can be checked out for free. You'll only be able to keep them for a limited time, but many libraries permit renewals for a month or more, and you can always check the book out again after you've returned it. Even if your local library doesn't have any math books for your child's grade level, your librarian may be able to help you find a math book from another library.

The drawback of using books from the library is that you and your child may not have access to supplemental materials, like workbooks, teacher guides and computer-based games and exercises. Another disadvantage is that the texts may be outdated. While math facts themselves don't change, the terminology and methods that are used to teach math evolve over time. If possible, get an overview of your state's math curriculum and compare it to the content of the book.

Local Schools

If your trip to the library leaves you without a satisfactory math book, contact your local school district or speak directly with your child's teacher. Although textbooks are usually a closely guarded resource, the school may have old or damaged textbooks that it would be willing to part with. If the school does offer you a book, be sure to ask why it's not being used anymore. If sections of the text contain outdated material, it's important to be aware of this.

Alternatives

Although finding a free, comprehensive math book is challenging, there are still lots of free children's math resources available, especially online. Before you dive in, though, it's a good idea to get a curriculum overview from your child's teacher so you know what math skills he or she needs to learn. You can also find your child's math curriculum on your state's department of education website.

Once you know what math skills your child needs to learn, use an Internet search engine to find free resources. By searching for a specific type of content, like '7th grade geometry worksheets' or 'reading passages for 4th grade,' you should be able to find a reasonably good selection of relevant content. You can also find a plethora of online tutorials for a variety of math topics.