Simple ways to grow a love of reading at home

Parents

23 February 2026

Image: A primary school-age girl reading a book at a table.

Kelly Ashley and Professor Teresa Cremin , The Open University

For many families, reading can quietly turn into a source of pressure. Are they reading enough? Are they reading the right things? Should I be doing more?

But developing a love of reading doesn’t come from doing everything ‘right’ or following a perfect plan at home. It grows through making connections. Small, shared moments as you read together and chat about the text, help reading feel enjoyable, personal and meaningful.

This is the heart of reading for pleasure and it’s something that grows naturally at home.

Reading begins with connection

When children feel that their choices are noticed and valued, something powerful happens. Reading becomes theirs. It becomes a way to relax, explore interests, escape and even to make sense of the world.

Reading for pleasure can look different in different places. At home, it might be:

A few pages of a storybook or a poem shared together before bed
A magazine explored on the sofa
An audiobook enjoyed on a car journey
Chatting about an interesting fact or idea while making tea

All of these shared moments count.

Tempt, share, support

When it comes to helping your child develop a love of reading at home, three simple ideas can really help.

Tempt

Children are more likely to read when what’s on offer feels right for them. That means recognising and honouring their choices – even when those choices wouldn’t be our own. Comics, graphic novels, football magazines, joke books, manuals, maps and menus all count. They help children grow as confident readers.

Reading together matters at every age. Sharing a story aloud, a poem, an article or even the back of a cereal packet helps children see reading as something to enjoy together. Letting children see what you read – a novel, a recipe, a newspaper headline – shows that reading is part of your family’s everyday life.

Support

Support doesn’t mean focusing on mistakes. It’s about listening, affirming and offering positive experiences in which your child is successful. You could take turns to read a line or paragraph each, reducing the load and chatting about the memories or feelings the material triggers. This can help reading feel relaxed and positive.

Reading doesn’t stop at books

Reading is about far more than experiencing novels, although they offer depth and sustained time together. It is part of everyday life and holidays, too. Reading maps on a trip, noticing signs and place names, diving into magazines in the car and discovering stories at local bookshops all matter.

Libraries offer rich support for families. Regular visits, borrowing e‑books or audiobooks for free, joining reading challenges or swapping books with friends and siblings can all help make reading feel social and enjoyable.

Everyday moments matter

You don’t need to be an expert in children’s books to help your child become a reader. What matters most are the messages children pick up about reading. It’s enjoyable, meaningful and worth making time for. When children see adults reading and talking about what they are enjoying day to day, they start to see being a reader as something normal and enticing – that they can grow into themselves.

Looking for more inspiration?

As the National Year of Reading 2026 invites families to Go all in on reading, the open University’s Reading for Pleasure team continues to share free, research-informed ideas to support reading at home. Do check them out!

Going all in doesn’t mean doing more or doing things perfectly. It means noticing the everyday moments that already matter.

You can also join Parentkind for a free parent webinar on 3rd March 2026 for more tips and support. Register your interest here.