We love our kids, but parenting through a pandemic can be challenging and stressful. Social distancing and virtual classes means a lot more together time at home.
Ten-year-old Lil and 7-year-old Ceci live in Seattle. Their school is closed during the COVID-19 outbreak, and their parents are both working from home. With all their new free time, Ceci has really upped her coloring game, and Lil has honed her basketball skills. But the girls admit they still get restless, and tensions can run high. "I miss having alone time without my sister because we always get in fights," said Ceci. She even confessed the novelty of not having to go to school is starting to wear off. "I miss talking about jokes and learning like we do at school."
Two girls seen from overhead sitting on a chair and reading a book on a tablet.Ceci and Lil reading together. To help kids get through the changes caused by the pandemic, Amazon customers in the U.S. now have access to a collection of free digital books.
To help parents keep kids entertained and inspire learning, Amazon has opened its family-centric programming to all customers, no Amazon Prime subscription needed. The girls' family and other customers around the world can find respite in a wide variety of books, apps, and shows—all for free.
Prime Video
Parents can access a growing selection of kids and family content that's free to watch on Prime Video. Titles include the Amazon Original series Just Add Magic, Pete the Cat, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, and more, as well as licensed content like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Odd Squad, Peep and the Big Wide World, Arthur, and several other big names.
Free movies include The Smurfs and Scooby Doo, two of Ceci's favorites. "The Smurfs and Scooby Doo make me laugh—especially when Scooby says 'Ruh-roh!'"
Family movie night at their home means watching the girls' favorite fantasy series Just Add Magic and its recent spinoff Just Add Magic: Mystery City, both of which are based on a book by Cindy Callaghan. "The girls in the show find a magic cookbook and make spells," said Ceci. "The town has a curse on it and it's cool to see the girls use the magic to fix things."
Other free titles include The Snowy Day based on Ezra Jack Keats' beloved 1962 children's picture book of the same name, which features the voice talents of Laurence Fishburne, Regina King, and Angela Bassett; Costume Quest, which is based on a video game; and the science fiction inspired series Lost in Oz, based on L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz book series.
To access the free kids and family content on Prime Video, families don’t need a Prime membership, just an Amazon account, which is free and can easily be set up on amazon.com. You can find the full selection of titles available for free in the U.S. here.

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Audible
With Audible, families everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, on a desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet.
"I like Audible because my sister and I can listen to it with our parents, and if we're listening to it, we don't argue as much, and I can color at the same time," said Ceci. She looks forward to checking out free titles like This is a Family Show! and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Girls sit at a dining room table and use colored pencils to draw.Lil and Ceci draw while listening to stories.
Explore the collection, select a title, and start listening here.
Books and Kindle content
Families will now have access to a collection of free digital books to enjoy at home. Whether looking for a family fun read, a beloved classic, or a new thriller, Amazon customers in the U.S. can discover their next great read here.
For laughs, crafts, and baking fun, families can join the girls' family in enjoying Paper Crafts for Kids, Illustrated Would You Rather?, and Food Network Magazine's The Big, Fun Kids' Cookbook Sampler. When the family wants to read together, classic literature like Emma, Anne of Green Gables, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are books everyone can enjoy.
Learn more about all the ways Amazon is helping customers stay informed, connected, and entertained.