Category: Parent tips | Reading time: 6 min
Most parents know that reading at home matters. The research is unambiguous: children who read regularly outside school develop stronger vocabularies, better comprehension, and a love of learning that carries them through their entire education.
But knowing it matters and actually making it happen are two very different things. Between homework, sport, screens, and the general chaos of family life, finding time and energy for reading can feel like one more thing on an already long list.
The good news is that supporting your child’s reading at home doesn’t have to be a structured programme or a source of conflict. Small habits, done consistently, make an enormous difference.
Make It a Ritual, Not a Task
The most powerful thing you can do is attach reading to something your child already looks forward to. Bedtime is the obvious candidate, and there’s a reason it’s been the default for generations: children are winding down, the environment is calm, and they have your undivided attention.
But bedtime doesn’t work for every family. Maybe your child is too tired, or the bedtime routine is already fraught. That’s fine. After school snack time, Saturday morning before anyone else is up, or the ten minutes in the car before sport practice can all work just as well. The ritual matters more than the timing.
Once reading becomes “the thing we do after dinner” rather than “the thing Mum keeps asking me to do,” the resistance tends to drop away.
Read Aloud Longer Than You Think You Should
Many parents stop reading aloud to their children once they can read independently, usually somewhere around age six or seven. This is understandable but worth reconsidering.
Reading aloud does things that independent reading can’t. You can share books that are above your child’s current reading level, which expands their vocabulary and exposes them to more complex sentence structures. You model fluency, expression, and how a skilled reader makes sense of text. And perhaps most importantly, you associate books with closeness and pleasure rather than effort.
Children who are read to regularly tend to read more independently as well. The two reinforce each other rather than competing.
A useful rule of thumb: keep reading aloud to your child until they ask you to stop. Many children enjoy being read to well into primary school, and there’s no developmental reason to rush the transition.
Let Them See You Read
This one is simple and frequently underestimated. Children who see their parents read for pleasure are far more likely to read for pleasure themselves. You don’t need to make a performance of it. Just let them see you with a book, a magazine, or a newspaper. Let them see you absorbed in something. Let them see you laugh at something you’ve read, or look something up because a book mentioned it.
You are your child’s most powerful model of what an adult does with their time. If reading is part of your life, it’s more likely to become part of theirs.
Give Them Choice (Within Reason)
One of the quickest ways to kill a child’s enthusiasm for reading is to make all the choices for them. Children who feel ownership over their reading life are far more engaged than those who are handed a list.
This doesn’t mean anything goes. But within sensible limits, letting your child choose what they read sends a powerful message: reading is something you do because you want to, not something that’s done to you.
Take them to the library and let them browse. Ask the librarian for suggestions in their areas of interest. Let them pick something that looks silly or simple to you. The content matters far less than the habit.
Talk About Books, Not Just Reading Them
One of the most effective things you can do after reading with your child is simply to talk about what you’ve just read. Not in a comprehension-test way (“What was the main character’s name? Where did the story take place?”) but in a genuine, curious way.
“What did you think about what Tommy did there?” “Would you have been scared?” “Why do you think the monster acted like that?”
These conversations build comprehension skills, critical thinking, and emotional vocabulary in a way that no worksheet can replicate. They also signal to your child that what they think about books matters, which is one of the most motivating things you can do for a young reader.
Don’t Panic About Screens
This is a question almost every parent asks: are screens killing my child’s love of reading?
The honest answer is that it’s complicated. Passive screen time (watching videos, scrolling) does compete with reading time, and children who spend large amounts of time on screens tend to have shorter attention spans for sustained reading. But not all screen time is equal, and a child who reads for twenty minutes a day and watches television for an hour is still getting meaningful reading practice.
The goal isn’t to eliminate screens. It’s to make reading a non-negotiable part of the day before screen time begins. “Books before screens” is a simple household rule that many families find effective without creating a constant battle over devices.
When Reading Feels Like a Struggle
If your child finds reading genuinely difficult, the kindest thing you can do is seek support early. Reading difficulties are common, well understood, and very treatable with the right help. A conversation with your child’s teacher is always a good starting point.
In the meantime, keep reading aloud to them. Keep visiting the library. Keep surrounding them with books. The message you want them to receive is: reading is for you, even when it’s hard right now.
A Final Thought
Children who grow up in homes where reading is normal, where books are available, and where adults read themselves are enormously advantaged. Not just academically, but in terms of their capacity for empathy, their ability to handle complex ideas, and their sheer enjoyment of life.
You don’t need a system. You just need to make reading part of the furniture.
Good Books for Kids is an Australian resource for parents, teachers, and librarians looking for children’s books that genuinely connect.
