How to get children reading again
Children are more likely to read if they feel connected to books and have choices
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Childhood reading has declined in recent years. In the UK, for example, the number of children and young people who say they enjoy reading in their spare time has fallen by 36% over the last two decades, according to the National Literacy Trust. And only 20% of the 8- to 18-year-olds surveyed said they read daily in their free time, half as many as two decades ago. There are similar trends in the US.
This decline could impact children’s language development, as reading books improves language skills. “The more children read, the more opportunities they have to improve their reading, writing, and language abilities,” says Sarah McGeown, professor of literacy at the University of Edinburgh. Reading expands vocabulary and comprehension skills, and can even improve emotional wellbeing as children are exposed to rich emotional experiences and develop emotional connections to the characters in the books they read.
This trend has potential long-term impacts because poor readers in childhood also tend to be poor readers as adults. Childhood literacy is associated with better health in adulthood. It promotes health literacy and helps build resilience, as reading can enhance a child’s socioemotional skills.
“It promotes health literacy and helps build resilience, as reading can enhance a child’s socioemotional skills.”
Why are children reading less?
There are likely several overlapping factors. Childhood poverty is increasing, and children living in poverty or in stressful or unstable environments tend to have less access to resources – books, time, quiet space – for recreational reading. School absence is also on the rise, which affects a child’s learning. Moreover, children today are growing up in a screen-saturated world. They may struggle with what McGeown calls a lack of ‘reading stamina’, having difficulty focusing on longer texts because they are used to engaging in short activities on a screen.
McGeown has found that reading ability is not the only factor that encourages reading. Children need to feel motivated to read in the first place, and engaged with what they are reading. “Children’s reading attitudes and their motivation were actually driving their reading performance and skills too,” says McGeown. In many schools, reading instruction focuses largely on teaching phonics and comprehension strategies. While these are important, McGeown says adults also need to “nurture a love and interest in books, words, and stories”.
How to motivate children to read
When children enjoy reading, they may want to read more, McGeown points out. She and her colleagues share research-based principles that can encourage children to become more engaged with reading:
First, children need books that are not only at the right difficulty level, but also reflect their personal interests, identities, and preferences. “If they see their own lives or experiences reflected in what they read, it can support self-awareness, a positive sense of self, and a sense of belonging,” McGeown says.
They also need to develop the ability to choose books that they will enjoy. “If we teach children about the range of different books available to them, and give them the knowledge, skills, and strategies to choose books, they’re much more likely to find a book that they’re going to enjoy,” says McGeown. Strategies might be as simple as asking an adult to suggest age-appropriate books or asking friends for recommendations.
In one study, a 15-year-old recalls how much she used to hate reading before a friend inspired her to try a new book. “She made me read one book and then I just really liked it, so I kept reading and then I read the whole series,” she says.
“Children need to feel motivated to read in the first place, and engaged with what they are reading.”
Adults might introduce children to comics, graphic novels, audiobooks, and non-fiction, all of which have value. These kinds of books can be more accessible, especially for children who have attention difficulties or lack confidence.
Children also need time to read, and a calm environment without distractions. And finally, reading does not have to be solitary, McGeown says. Reading aloud can help build children’s confidence and fluency, which is key for comprehension. Adults can define unfamiliar words and explain sections that children are struggling to understand.
Positive reading experiences clearly matter. Enjoying reading reinforces the desire to read more. Repeated negative experiences, for example when children read books that they don’t enjoy or that are too challenging, can lead them to conclude that “books and reading aren’t for me,” says McGeown. When reading is meaningful, children are more likely to develop a love of reading, which will benefit them now and in the future.
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