How to Raise a Reader 2026
This post has been updated from my original post I wrote 10 years ago. This was one of the first posts on my blog and it still remains in my heart. As a parent and teacher, raising a reader could be some of the most important work you do with children.
As a reading teacher, a Simplicity parenting coach and a mom of two boys (now young adults!), raising kids who love to read has always been a priority for me.
My own kids were reluctant to start reading on their own and with these tips I managed to raise two prolific readers.
These tips to raise readers are in no particualr order – just do what feels right to you.
Check out my Amazon Store with great finds for even the most reluctant reader.
Raise a Reader Idea #1: Be choosy with screen time
When I first wrote this post in 2015, avoiding screentime was easy. My kids watched TV for about 30 minutes a day and that was it – no tablets, no video games, no phones – nothing.
But in 2026, screentime is a big concern for a lot of parents. My advice is simple — and might not be what some people want to hear. But here goes:
If you want kids to read books, you have to make sure there is time and space for it – which means that screens will have to be minimized. If given a choice, most kids will choose screen time over any other activity. Â Be extra choosy about what your kids do on a screen so there is plenty of time left for books! Â
Raise a Reader idea #2 : Limit extra activities
Be just as choosy as you are with screen time as you are about extracurricular activities.
It is no secret that kids are often overbooked and over scheduled, leaving them with little downtime to recharge.
Kids should have plenty of time to just hang out and get bored and then reach for a book!
Raise a Reader Idea #3: Encourage  a Love of Stories
Great readers love a good story-they get immersed in the plot, the characters, and read to find out what happens next. Kids are naturally drawn to stories and there are so many ways to fill your lives with great ones.
Listen to stories–check out audio books from the library or download them onto your computer. My kids love to listen on an iPod. Make it a habit, listen in the car, on Saturday mornings, during road trips, before bed, or during dinner. WE love Sparkle Stories, an online subscription series of amazing stories.  We also regularly listen to CD’s from the library in the car. The whole family can be involved creating great memories around stories.
Read aloud to your kids– a lot. Keep reading aloud until they will not sit and listen, which is probably when they leave for college. We make a nightly habit of it and sometimes even read at the dinner table!
Tell stories to your kids and listen when they tell you stories. I kept up the tradition my grandmother started of telling super silly stories at bedtime. There was a Broccoli family and a Panty Hose Family(can you tell that one was invented by my Grandmother?). I’d make up a silly story and they’d make one up, usually with quite the same plot each night and my kids just loved it. I don’t know why we stopped!
Raise a Reader Idea #4 : Let kids Choose the books
I have to admit that I am not a fan of everything that’s out there for kids to read. But, barring anything completely inappropriate, I let my kids read what they want.
This means there have been lots of Wimpy Kid and Minecraft books in my kids hands over the years. But I am okay with that.  As long as they are reading  and see reading as a fun, enjoyable activity,  I’m not too particular about how it happened.
Luckily as they have grown, so has their taste in books(mostly) and I make sure to sneak in some great read alouds and audio stories to expand their palate.
Remember the goal is to get them to love reading and see it as a fun, preferred activity.
Raise a Reader idea #5: Be a good role model
Modeling a behavior is very powerful!! Â Kids will do what you DO, not do what you say.
You can offer all the best reading opportunities possible, but if kids don’t see you reading, they’ll think, ” Why bother!” Kids who see their parents reading understand that reading is FUN and something many people CHOOSE to do.
Make sure your kids catch you reading a book, tell them a little bit about the book you are reading, spend time searching for a book at the library for yourself, while your kids search for theirs.
Raise a Reader Idea #6: Carve out reading time.
Schools often have daily silent reading time, so why not start something similar at home? Â Developing the habit of reading with your kids, especially if you have reluctant readers, will serve as a reminder to you and them.
Be silly and have fun with this. You can nudge your kids a bit by plopping yourself down on the sofa and opening up a book. Younger kids will love if you just start reading aloud from a fantastic new book. Older kids may want to stay in their PJS and read all morning on Sundays. Get creative and do what works for your family.
Depending on your kids, you  may have to model this for awhile before they will join in. Remember, habits usually take 30 days to form, so keep at it. Our reading time  is right after dinner(or after our after dinner walk).  We have about an hour or so to laze on the sofa or in bedrooms and just read.  We have been doing this for so long, it just happens.
You will love the time to sit and read with your kids or catch up on whatever book you are into at the moment.
Raise a Reader Idea #7: Give kids a Book allowance
Letting kids take ownership of their reading is important. Visits to the library are fantastic, but there is something special about owning your own book. Books can be pricey, though and you can plow through your budget very quickly. I started giving my kids an allowance for books awhile ago. They get 5 dollars a month and we shop at Goodwill or the library book sale room. The low dollar amount forces them to be choosy. They are learning to budget and often explore new authors and get some great vintage books, too!
Raise a Reader Idea #7: make it comfy!
Make sure there a few inviting spaces around your house that just beckon your kids to sit with a book.  Set the stage by making sure you have a comfy chair or two, floor pillows,and good task lights. Place baskets of books close by or strew some good books on a nearby table.
If you build it and they will come!
Beds are naturally comfy and a perfect place to chill and read. Make sure your kids have a bedside lamp or a small book light to make nighttime reading easy.
 Raise a Reader Idea #8: Keep a “To Read” list
My dream is to have a big wipe board in a prominent place where everyone in the family writes down the books that they want to read…what a great way to get your family talking about books and authors. I do keep an ever growing list on Amazon by adding books to my cart as I hear about them.
I regularly consult several sources-Honey For a Child’s Heart, The Read-Aloud Revival, my pinterest board, and our local library. Â I never force books on my kids–but I may choose them for a read aloud or just casually place them in one of our many book baskets.
Raise a Reader Idea #9: Visit different libraries.
 Its always fun to take a little trip to a nearby town and visit their library. Find out which ones are in your local library’s network and you can even check out books.  But, even if you can’t checkout books, it’s always fun to take a look around. Hang out their kids section–maybe they have an extra cozy area to read or a big fish tank to look at. Â
These visits are perfect for a rainy day or when you need a little new inspiration.
Raise a Reader Idea #10: DO NOT incentivize  reading
I am NOT, nor ever have I been an advocate of bribery of any sort when it comes to reading.Â
Giving prizes for the number of books read, sends the message that reading is not that fun and you need to be bribed to pick up a book.
 I want my kids to read because they enjoy reading, not because they are hoping to get a prize. Alfie Kohn(his book is a must read) cites numerous studies that reveal that kids are turned off and  do less of the activity when they are being rewarded.  After all, reading, itself, is the reward.
Raise a Reader Idea #11: Offer a Variety
Offering a variety of reading material can keep things fresh–especially for reluctant readers. There are lots of options out there beyond the chapter book. We love vintage comic books, word puzzle books, magazines, reference books, cook books, picture books, and graphic novels.
Check out: Cricket magazine, Lonely Planet activity books, Archie Comics.Â
Raise a Reader idea #12: Get Hooked On An Author!
When I was teaching in Chicago, my students did not have the luxury of having lots of books at home. At age 7, they had not been bit by the reading bug, so I had my work cut out for me. I still remember when Tim Shanahan came to my school to give a talk on the benefits of getting kids hooked on an author.
I chose Shel Siverstein for my 2nd graders and boy, did it work. In fact it made my job EASY. We read Shel’s books over the course of a month, talked about them, drew pictures about them, wrote about them. and Poof!, I had a classroom full of kids who loved reading. The idea is simple. If kids love one book by an author, they will most likely love ALL of the books by that author.
Look for authors with multiple books so kids can work their way thru them all. Â Series are all the rage right now, so it should be easy to find one that appeals to your reader. We love Mercy Watson, Piggy and Gerals, Hank the Cow Dog, Magic Tree House, Magic School Bus, , Geronimo Stilton, Humphrey, and TinTin, to name a few!!
Raise a Reader idea #13 Talk about books
This may seem little forced at first, but give it a try. Tell your kids about what you are reading. Share your favorite childhood book with them. Ask them about what they are reading.
Sarah MacKenzie, from the Read Aloud Revival, has a great list of questions that can be used for any book. Hang out at Barnes and Noble and peruse the racks of books. Pick up books at the library you’d think they’d like. Suggest books for their list(see above). The more you talk about books, the easier it will become.
Wait! The list is done? I still need more ideas!
More to read on reading: My oldest son is a great reader thru and thru. Reading is one of his preferred activities and when we are home (or in the car), you will most likely find him lost in a book. Check out all of the things we can learn from observing a great reader.
