Free Books for Babies: Bookstart Baby and Bookbug Bags Explained

One of the nicest surprises for new parents is that the first books for a baby can arrive free of charge. Two national charity programmes give every family a starter set: Bookstart Baby in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Bookbug in Scotland. This guide explains what each one contains, when it arrives and how to chase it up if it does not, so the nursery bookshelf can start with some pleasant extras.

Bookstart Baby: England, Wales and Northern Ireland

BookTrust, the children’s reading charity, says every child aged 0 to 12 months in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is eligible for a free Bookstart Baby pack, with a bilingual pack offered in Wales. Before the baby’s first birthday, a health visitor, registrar or other health professional will hand over the pack, which BookTrust describes as full of ideas for sharing stories and rhymes (BookTrust, “Bookstart Baby for parents and carers”).

BookTrust’s programme page explains that the packs are provided through health visitors, libraries, registrars and other partners working in the early years. In each local authority in England and Wales the programme is coordinated by a local Bookstart Coordinator. In Northern Ireland it is delivered through the health visiting service, and the page suggests contacting a local health visitor for details (BookTrust, “Bookstart Baby”).

What is in the Bookstart Baby pack

According to BookTrust, the pack includes a book, a finger puppet and tips for sharing stories with babies. In Northern Ireland and Wales it also includes a library leaflet. The book title may vary. In England and Wales only, additional books are available in other languages for families who speak English as an additional language, and guidance for parents can be downloaded in 20 languages.

Bookbug Bags: Scotland

Scottish Book Trust runs a similar scheme with more stages. Every child in Scotland receives four free Bookbug Bags between birth and age five, and the bags are meant to help little ones develop an early love of stories, songs and rhymes. Bookbug Baby Bags are gifted at 3 to 5 weeks, Toddler Bags at 13 to 15 months, Explorer Bags at age 3 or 4, and a Primary 1 Family Bag in Primary 1 (Scottish Book Trust, “About the Bookbug Bags”).

Several details from Scottish Book Trust are worth knowing:

• Nothing needs to be signed up for. The bags are gifted to all children in Scotland.
• All the bags are available in Gaelic on request, and tactile books are available on request for children with additional support needs.
• The Trust notes that older versions of the bags remain in circulation while stocks last, so families may not receive the latest one.
• Its safety note says the bags are not suitable for babies or young children to use unattended.
• A child should receive a bag from their health visitor, early years setting or school, depending on age. Anyone who has missed one can contact their local Bookbug Co-ordinator.

Inside a Bookbug Baby Bag

The 2025 Bookbug Baby Bag contains three board books, a song and rhyme book, activity cards with simple things to do together, and a welcome leaflet. Scottish Book Trust says that if a bag has not arrived, families can ask their health visitor, local library or the Bookbug Co-ordinator in their local authority (Scottish Book Trust, “What’s inside the 2025 Bookbug Baby Bag?”). The contents change from year to year, since the books are chosen by a panel of early years experts.

Why the charities encourage early sharing

BookTrust says that rhyming, reading and sharing stories with a baby can help with bonding, support language development and build a bedtime routine. It suggests finding somewhere quiet away from noise, television and mobile phones, taking time to look at and talk about the pictures, and not worrying if the baby chews the books at first. Its parent guide to reading with a baby is available in 25 languages. Scottish Book Trust makes a similar case, saying sharing stories, songs and rhymes supports development, language and social skills and builds bonds.

BookTrust also reports on a survey of 623 families who received Bookstart Baby in 2024 to 2025. Of those families, 78% agreed or strongly agreed that the pack prompted them to read and share stories more with their child, and 68% said it prompted them to set up a reading routine at home. These are families’ own reports, not a measured outcome, but they show how parents themselves rated the scheme (BookTrust, “Bookstart Baby”).

Making the most of the free pack

• Ask if it has not arrived. In England and Wales, contact the local Bookstart Coordinator through the BookTrust pages. In Scotland, ask the health visitor, library or Bookbug Co-ordinator.
• Keep the first books within reach. Board books that can be chewed and handled are part of the design, and BookTrust says chewing is fine.
• Build on it. Our guide to building a nursery reading routine covers choosing books and setting up a reading corner.
• Use the extras. Song and rhyme books and activity cards are ready-made ideas for a few quiet minutes together.

The bottom line

Every baby in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is eligible for a free Bookstart Baby pack from BookTrust, containing a book, a finger puppet and sharing tips, handed out through health visitors, libraries and registrars. In Scotland, Scottish Book Trust gifts four Bookbug Bags between birth and age five, starting with a Baby Bag at 3 to 5 weeks. Nothing needs to be bought or signed up for, and a missing pack can be chased through the local coordinator.

Sources

• BookTrust, “Bookstart Baby for parents and carers”
• BookTrust, “Bookstart Baby”
• Scottish Book Trust, “About the Bookbug Bags”
• Scottish Book Trust, “What’s inside the 2025 Bookbug Baby Bag?”