How to get your child to love reading: 10 practical tips

To get your child to love reading, make it feel like a treat rather than a chore: start early, read together every day, let your child choose what to read, and never force it. Forcing a reluctant reader almost always backfires, while warmth and choice build a lasting positive association with books. It's worth the effort, because children who love reading perform better at school, develop stronger empathy, and have richer imaginations. Here are ten proven strategies that work for children from birth to age 12.

1. Start early

You cannot start too young. Even newborns benefit from hearing a parent's voice reading aloud. The rhythm and melody of spoken language builds neural pathways long before a baby understands the words. Board books with high-contrast images are perfect for the first few months, moving to simple picture books as your child grows.

The goal at this stage isn't comprehension. It's association. You want your child to connect books with warmth, comfort, and your undivided attention. That association, formed early, carries through their entire childhood.

2. Let them choose

One of the fastest ways to kill a child's interest in reading is to constantly choose their books for them. Even toddlers have preferences. Let them pick from a small selection, and respect their choice even if they want the same book for the fifteenth time. Repetition is how young children learn, and choosing their own material gives them a sense of ownership over the reading experience.

For older children, this means letting them read what interests them, even if it's comics, joke books, or books you consider "too easy." A child reading something they enjoy is always better than a child avoiding something they should read.

3. Make it part of the routine

Reading works best when it's not an event but a habit. Build it into your daily schedule at a consistent time. Bedtime is the most natural fit for many families, but any regular slot works: after lunch, during the afternoon quiet time, or first thing on weekend mornings.

The consistency matters more than the duration. Ten minutes of daily reading will build a stronger habit than an hour once a week. Over the course of a year, those daily ten minutes add up to more than 60 hours of reading.

4. Read aloud together

Reading aloud is not just for babies and toddlers. Children of all ages benefit from hearing stories read aloud, and it remains one of the best ways to share the experience of reading. When you read aloud, you model fluency, expression, and enthusiasm. You can pause to discuss the story, ask questions, and make predictions together.

For older children who can read independently, alternate paragraphs or chapters. This keeps the social element of reading alive while building their confidence. Even children aged 10 and above enjoy being read to, especially with exciting or complex stories.

5. Make it personal

Children are far more engaged when a story connects to their own life. Stories that feature their interests, their favourite animals, or places they've visited feel more relevant and exciting. Taking this a step further, stories that feature your child as the main character create a powerful sense of connection.

This is where personalised story apps can make a real difference. Your Story Time generates each story from scratch around your child's name, age, appearance and interests, so every tale feels uniquely theirs rather than a template with a name swapped in. Children who see themselves in stories are significantly more likely to ask for another one.

6. Keep books everywhere

Make books a visible, accessible part of your home. Keep them in the car, in the kitchen, by the sofa, and in your child's bedroom. When books are within arm's reach, children are more likely to pick one up during idle moments. A basket of books in the living room gets more use than a tidy shelf in a playroom your child rarely visits.

Rotate the selection regularly to keep things fresh. Library visits are brilliant for this, as your child gets to choose new books every few weeks without the cost of buying them.

7. Be a reading role model

Children imitate what they see. If your child sees you reading for pleasure, whether it's a novel, a magazine, or an article on your phone, they absorb the message that reading is a normal, enjoyable part of adult life. Talk about what you're reading. Share interesting facts or funny passages. Let them see that reading brings you joy.

Conversely, if the only reading your child ever sees you do is scanning work emails, they may not develop the same positive association. Make a point of reading for pleasure in front of your children, even if it's just for a few minutes a day.

8. Don't force it

This is perhaps the most important tip on this list. Forcing a reluctant child to sit and read almost always backfires. It transforms reading from a potential pleasure into a punishment. If your child resists, step back and try a different approach. Change the material, change the time of day, or try audio stories instead.

Some children are late bloomers when it comes to reading enjoyment. That's perfectly normal. The goal is to keep the door open by maintaining a positive, pressure-free environment around books and stories. A child who doesn't love reading at five may become an avid reader at eight if they haven't been put off by early pressure.

9. Celebrate milestones

Acknowledge your child's reading achievements, however small. Finishing a first chapter book, reading every day for a week, or discovering a new favourite author are all worth celebrating. This doesn't mean expensive rewards. A simple "I'm so proud of you for finishing that book" or a special trip to the bookshop goes a long way.

Reading trackers and streaks can help make progress visible. Many children are motivated by seeing their achievements represented visually, whether on a chart on the fridge or in an app that tracks their reading days.

10. Use technology purposefully

Technology is not the enemy of reading. Used well, it can be a powerful ally. E-readers, audiobooks, and story apps can all complement physical books and reach children who might not respond to traditional formats.

The key is choosing technology that promotes genuine reading rather than passive consumption. Apps like Your Story Time turn screen time into story time by creating unique, personalised tales that children actively engage with. Audio narration means even pre-readers can enjoy stories independently, building comprehension and vocabulary while parents get a few minutes to themselves.

Set clear boundaries around technology use, but don't dismiss it entirely. A child listening to an audiobook on a car journey is still reading, just in a different format.

The bottom line

Raising a child who loves reading is less about finding the "right" book and more about creating the right conditions. Start early, be consistent, let your child lead, and keep the experience positive. Reading should feel like an adventure, not an assignment.

If you'd like to make story time more personal and engaging, try Your Story Time free and see how a story built around your child can spark a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.