Beyond the Book: Surprising Ways to Fuel Your Child’s Love for Reading

As parents, we are often told that reading is ‘the air we breathe’ in education, the fundamental element that unlocks every other subject. Yet, for many of us, the reality feels less like breathing and more like a battle. We worry when our children choose a screen over a paperback, or when they seem to be quietly ‘opting out’ of reading altogether.

This is not just a hunch; it is a documented trend. Recent data from the National Literacy Trust shows that reading enjoyment is at its lowest level since records began. Even more concerning, the 2024–25 figures show that daily reading has dropped to fewer than one in five children. If you feel like you are swimming against the tide, you are not alone. However, by shifting our approach from ‘instruction’ to ‘connection,’ we can transform reading from a domestic chore into a shared joy. Here are four research-backed strategies to help your child find their way back to the page.

Takeaway 1: It’s Not Just About ‘Books’ (The Quality over Quantity Rule)

One of the quickest ways to kill a child’s interest in reading is to imply that only certain types of texts count. We need to lower the pressure: literacy is happening everywhere. When we expand our definition of reading to include ‘texts that tempt’ magazines, graphic novels, comics, or even scrolling through football transfer stories, we validate our children’s existing interests as legitimate literacy acts.

Following a cookie recipe is a high-value reading activity because it requires precise decoding and yields a tasty, tangible reward. Whether it is a game manual, a cereal box, or a set of LEGO instructions, the focus should be on engagement, not the format.

"Concentrate on reading quality, it is not all about reading lots."

By embracing varied texts, we make reading a natural, low-stress part of daily life rather than a timed session that feels like an extension of an already busy school day.

Takeaway 2: Put Them in the Driving Seat (The Power of Structured Choice)

We know that children crave autonomy, but simply ‘letting them choose whatever’ can be overwhelming. From a developmental perspective, struggling readers often retreat to ‘safe,’ repetitive material to avoid the cognitive strain of new challenges. To move them forward, we use ‘Structured Choice.’

In a successful study at a North London secondary school, Lead Practitioner Anna Szpakowska found that instead of an open vote, offering a choice of three carefully curated, age-appropriate, and challenging books led to a significant spike in enjoyment. This method reduces ‘decision fatigue’ and allows for deeper cognitive engagement. You might replicate this at home using the ‘Rule of Three’ with specific interest binaries:

• Scary vs. Funny: Would you rather have a ghost story or a comedy?

• Action-packed vs. Feelings: Are we looking for a fast-paced adventure or something that makes us think about people?

• Real-life vs. Fantasy: A story about someone like you, or a world with magic?

This structured approach ensures they remain in the driver’s seat while you provide the guardrails of quality and challenge.

Takeaway 3: The ‘Million Word Gap’ and the Power of Shared Talk

The impact of daily reading is most starkly seen in the vocabulary data. A 2019 study by Logan et al. illustrates a staggering divide: children who are never read to hear only about 4,662 words by age five. In contrast, children read to daily hear 296,660 words. Most incredibly, those who read five books a day encounter 1,483,300 words. This is the true ‘Million Word Gap.’

However, closing this gap is not just about your child’s eyes hitting the page; it is about the conversation that happens around it. Shared reading is about ‘reading with,’ not just ‘reading to.’ Use 5Ws questions (Who? What? When? Where? Why?) to bridge the text to their life. Asking, "Why do you think the character made that choice?" or "What would you do in that situation?" turns passive listening into active brain-building.

Takeaway 4: Reading is a Social Act, Not a Solitary One

We often picture reading as a silent, lonely activity, but it thrives in social spaces. To foster a lasting habit, we can look to the "LIST" framework developed by the Open University: Learner-led, Informal, Social, and Texts that Tempt.

Reading should spill over into your family’s social life. This might mean sharing a story with a grandparent over a video call or laughing about a plot point while making dinner. The Open University research emphasizes the importance of ‘Reading Teachers’, adults who model their own reading identity. In our new Drop Everything and Read sessions, tutors are expected to read along with their tutees. When your child sees you reading for your own pleasure and talking about it, they stop seeing reading as ‘something teachers make us do’ and start seeing it as something adults choose to do.

A Final Thought for the Journey

As a teacher and a fellow parent, I know all too well that life is busy. You do not have to do all of this every day for it to work. Sometimes, validating your child’s reading identity simply means acknowledging that their time spent reading game manuals or digital comics is valuable literacy work.

This coming week, I invite you to wonder: next time I see my child ‘reading’ something unconventional, how can I join that journey rather than redirecting it? What was the last story that actually made us laugh as a family? Reading is more than a skill; it is a human connection.

- Mr David Clarke, Deputy Head (Academic)