How to Build a Reading Habit in Your Child

Getting kids to love reading doesn't happen overnight, but with the right approach, it can become one of their greatest joys. Here are our favourite strategies for making books a natural part of your child's daily routine.

Start small, choose books they actually enjoy, and let them see you reading too. A consistent bedtime story routine, a cosy reading nook, and regular visits to the Parents Library collection can set the foundation for a lifelong love of books.

Why Habits Matter More Than Willpower

Reading for fun tends to fade as children grow, so building the habit early gives it the best chance to last. In Scholastic's national survey, 46% of 6–8-year-olds read books for fun five or more days a week, dropping to 32% of 9–11-year-olds and 15% of 15–17-year-olds.

The encouraging part is how much parents can influence it. In a UK version of the same survey, the things that predicted how often 6–11-year-olds read included how often they were read to before school, whether they're still being read to, and spending less time online on a smartphone.

8 Ways to Build a Reading Habit

1. Start small and build slowly

Don't aim for an hour of reading straight away. One reading organisation suggests starting with a 10-minute timer a few days a week and building stamina slowly, because consistency matters more than quantity when you're helping a child build a good relationship with books.

Try this: Attach reading to something that already happens every day, like after dinner or right before lights out.

2. Choose books they actually enjoy

Children in Scholastic's survey consistently said their favourite books were ones they picked themselves. Research on adolescents also suggests that giving students autonomy over what they read is beneficial for engagement.

  • Follow their interests. Instead of "What do you want to read?", try "What do you want to know more about?"
  • Count every format. Graphic novels, comics, joke books and audiobooks all count. Room to Read's advice is to lower the friction and raise the choice.
  • Try series. Once a child likes one book, a series gives them the next one with no decision to make.
  • Check the difficulty. If a book is too hard, motivation fades.

Our age-by-age guide to choosing books can help you match books to your child's stage.

3. Let them see you reading

Research on the home literacy environment describes parents as role models who show children that reading is a pleasure activity, and children absorb their parents' attitude towards books through what they see. Parents with a positive attitude to shared reading also tend to read more themselves. Common Sense Media's advice for teens is the same: read at home where they can see you, and talk about what you're reading.

Try this: Set aside a family reading time where everyone, including you, reads their own book for 15 minutes.

4. Build a bedtime story routine

A calm, predictable bedtime routine has benefits beyond sleep. A review of the evidence describes a consistent bedtime routine as helpful for sleep and for wider development, including language, literacy, and parent–child interaction. In a large US study following children from birth to age 5, regular language-based bedtime routines, such as reading, singing or storytelling, were linked with longer nighttime sleep and higher verbal test scores. The researchers found little evidence of a lasting benefit for behaviour or health, and this type of study shows association rather than proof.

Try this:

  • Keep the story at the same point every night, such as after teeth are brushed and screens are off.
  • Let your child choose the book. Rereading the same one five nights in a row is fine, since repetition helps young children get familiar with words and sentence patterns.
  • Keep going once they can read alone. Taking turns reading works well for older children.

5. Create a reading nook (and keep books within reach)

A special reading space can be all the encouragement a child needs to settle down with a good book. It doesn't need to be fancy: a beanbag, a blanket, a lamp and a small shelf with books facing out will do.

Access matters too. In one study of children's reading fluency, the number of books in the home predicted fluency even after accounting for parents' own reading. A meta-analysis of book giveaway programmes found that having more age-appropriate books at home encouraged more shared reading. Library visits count as part of a strong home literacy environment too.

The nook advice comes from practical parenting sources rather than a specific study, but the evidence on access to books is solid.

6. Protect reading time from screens

Scholastic's data shows that children's digital activities have risen among all age groups, and lower smartphone time was one predictor of more frequent reading. You don't need to ban screens. Give reading a protected slot, such as before bed, and keep devices out of the reading nook. Our guide to screen time for school-age kids has practical ideas.

7. Make reading social

Teens in one study valued reading the same books as friends, sharing recommendations and swapping books, and some simply liked knowing others around them were readers. For younger children, that might mean a family book swap, a library story time, or talking about the story over dinner. A comic book club was also reported to have a positive effect on reading value and self-confidence in struggling male readers, though the study was small.

8. Handle reluctance without pressure

A reluctant reader can read but won't, which is a motivation problem. A struggling reader can't yet read comfortably, which is a skill problem, and these need different support.

For reluctant readers:

  • Remove the pressure: let them pick anything, count audiobooks and comics, read alongside them without quizzing, and keep sessions short.
  • Be thoughtful about rewards. Some research suggests token rewards can undermine motivation over time.
  • Keep offering: graphic novels support comprehension and motivation, and audiobooks can support vocabulary, comprehension and enjoyment.

Talk to a teacher or reading specialist if your child has persistent difficulty decoding words, reads unusually slowly, or there's a big gap between what they understand when listening and what they can read alone.

A Simple Four-Week Starter Plan

This is a suggestion rather than a research-based programme, so adapt it to your family.

  • Week 1: Add 5–10 minutes of reading at the same time each day, ideally at bedtime.
  • Week 2: Set up a reading nook and visit the library or browse the Parents Library together.
  • Week 3: Let your child choose all the books, and read your own book alongside them.
  • Week 4: Add a weekly family reading or book-swap time, and talk about a favourite story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should my child read each day?
There's no magic number. Start with about 10 minutes and build up gradually.

Is it okay if my child only wants to reread the same book?
Yes. Repetition helps children absorb words, and it makes reading feel safe and familiar.

Do audiobooks and graphic novels count as reading?
Yes. They support vocabulary, comprehension and enjoyment, and can be a bridge to other books.

My child can read but refuses to. What now?
Lower the pressure, follow their interests, offer different formats and let them see you enjoy reading.

Should I reward my child for reading?
Occasional celebration is fine, but be careful with token rewards, which may reduce motivation over time.

Every Page Counts

You don't need a perfect routine or a full bookshelf to begin. A few minutes a day, a book your child chose, and a parent nearby with a book of their own is a great start.

Explore our collections and make regular visits to the Parents Library part of your family's reading routine.

References and Further Reading

This article is for general information. If you're concerned about your child's reading development, speak to their teacher or a healthcare professional.

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