Instilling a Love of Reading from an Early Age

4 October 2025

Let’s talk about something many parents dream of: raising a child who’s totally obsessed with books. Imagine your little one curled up with a book instead of glued to a tablet or bouncing off the walls. Sounds a bit dreamy, right? But the truth is, instilling a love of reading from an early age is one of the most powerful gifts you can give your child—and it’s totally doable even in this age of screens and short attention spans.

Why Is Reading So Important for Kids?

Before we dive into the how, let’s take a quick second to understand the why.

Reading isn’t just about decoding letters on a page, it’s about building imagination, sparking creativity, encouraging empathy, and boosting brain power. Kids who read regularly tend to do better in school, communicate more clearly, and even develop better emotional intelligence.

It's not just academic. Reading is freedom—freedom to imagine different worlds, try on different lives, and ask all the big “what ifs” about the world. It’s like a passport to endless adventures—and what kid doesn’t want that?

The Earlier, The Better

You might be wondering, “Is it really necessary to start that young?” The answer—absolutely yes.

The earlier you start, the deeper the roots of the habit. Babies and toddlers might not understand every word, but they latch onto the rhythm of your voice, the pictures, the colors, and the warmth of cuddling up with you during story time. It’s these repeated emotional experiences that start building a positive association with books.

Reading Starts Before They Can Read

Even newborns benefit when you read to them. Seriously. Your voice alone soothes them and builds early language skills. At this stage, it’s not about the story—it’s about connection. And the more you read, the more words your baby hears. By the time they’re ready to talk, their vocabulary is already booming.

Make Reading a Daily Habit

Think of reading like brushing teeth. It's not a once-in-a-while thing; it needs to be part of your family’s daily rhythm. Even ten minutes a day makes a huge difference over time.

Create a Reading Routine

Start small and build. Bedtime stories are a classic for a reason—they help kids wind down and associate reading with comfort. But why stop there? Read during breakfast, bring books to the park, or throw one in your bag for waiting rooms.

Don’t Skip Weekends

Weekends can be chaotic but don’t let the routine fly out the window. Keep your reading time consistent—even if that means reading a silly book while they’re squirming in their pajamas on a lazy Sunday morning.

Build a Kid-Friendly Reading Environment

Kids are way more likely to read if they’re surrounded by books and if those books are theirs to touch, explore, and love (sometimes a little too roughly, if we’re honest).

Set Up a Cozy Reading Nook

It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. Just a beanbag, a basket full of books, and a soft light can make a magical little corner where stories come to life.

Make Books Accessible

Place books at their eye level. Board books, picture books, cloth books—whatever works. Let them flip through pages, chew on covers (yes, that’s a phase), and make a mess. That’s how they fall in love with books.

Let Them Choose Their Own Books

Here’s a parenting truthbomb: forcing book choices almost never works. Encourage your child to pick their own books—even if it’s the same bedtime story four nights in a row or a book about trucks that you secretly can't stand.

Say Yes, Even to the Silly Books

Graphic novels? Yes. Joke books? Totally fine. Comic books about cats that fart in space? Sure, why not. Reading is reading, and what matters is the habit, not the genre.

Visit Libraries and Bookstores Often

Let them roam, touch, flip through pages, and pull books off the shelves. Libraries are magical places filled with possibility—and they’re free. Don’t underestimate the excitement of owning a library card.

Be a Reading Role Model

If your kids never see you read, it sends a message—“reading is for kids, not grownups.” But if they see you flipping through a novel, browsing a magazine, or even reading the back of a cereal box, they’re way more likely to copy you.

Read Together

Make it a family affair. Start a Saturday morning family reading time where everyone picks a book and cozies up together—even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

Talk About Books

“What was your favorite part?” “What do you think happens next?” “Does this character remind you of anyone?” Get those little gears turning. When reading becomes interactive, it’s more memorable and fun.

Turn Reading into a Game

Let’s be honest—sometimes kids need a little incentive. That doesn’t mean bribing them with candy every time they read a page. Instead, make reading playful.

Use Voices and Sounds

Transform your voice into a dragon, a witch, or a silly goose. Make animal sounds. Use whispering for dramatic effect. Dramatizing the story makes it so much more fun—and memorable.

Create a Reading Chart

Set mini goals. “Five books this week!” Stickers or stars for every book finished can be super motivating. Bonus points for letting your child color in their own chart.

Integrate Reading with Real-Life Adventures

Books aren’t just for bedtime. Tie stories into real-world experiences to make them stick.

- Reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Go find caterpillars in the yard.
- Just finished a book about dinosaurs? Plan a trip to the museum.
- Read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and then, well, go bake some cookies!

The more real you make the reading experience, the more meaningful it becomes.

Embrace the Power of Repetition

Yes, it can be mind-numbing to read the same book for the hundredth time, but this is actually a good sign. Repetition builds familiarity, which builds confidence—and confident little readers are happy little readers.

Kids notice new things every time they read a book again. That red balloon they didn’t see before, a strange face in the crowd, maybe even a plot twist they missed the first 89 times. So smile, read, and enjoy the ride—even if you can recite the book by heart.

Use Technology Wisely

Tech isn’t the enemy; it’s just a tool. The key is using it with your kids, not just handing them a screen and hoping for the best.

Try Audiobooks

Perfect for car rides or quiet playtime. Listening to stories helps build attention span, vocabulary, and imagination. Plus, they’re great for kids who aren’t quite reading independently yet but love complex stories.

Use Interactive Reading Apps

Some apps are loaded with interactive stories and games that promote phonics and literacy skills. Just screen them first and try them yourself—after all, not all apps are created equal.

Celebrate Reading Milestones

Kids get pumped up when they feel their progress is noticed. Celebrate when they finish a book, manage to read a tricky word, or simply sit through a longer story than usual.

Give Praise (But Be Specific)

Instead of a vague “Good job!”, say “I loved how you sounded out that tricky word!” or “You concentrated through the whole book—that was awesome!”

These little affirmations build reading confidence and keep them coming back.

Don’t Stress Over Perfection

Here’s the thing: not every child will be an early reader, and that’s totally okay. Some kids blossom later. Some prefer visual books. Some take their time with letters and words. The key is not to turn reading into a chore.

If a child senses stress, they’ll associate reading with pressure instead of pleasure. Keep it light, joyful, and pressure-free.

Make Books Personal

Kids connect more deeply when they see themselves in stories. Look for books with characters who look, speak, and live like your child—or expose them to people from all walks of life.

Books should be mirrors and windows—reflecting their world, but also opening their eyes to new ones.

Final Thoughts

Fostering a love for reading isn’t about teaching phonics or drilling flashcards. It’s about creating positive emotional connections with books. It’s about adventures before bed, giggles over rhyming words, and curiosity sparked by colorful pages.

So read often, read together, and read joyfully. Build a book-loving culture in your home, and you’ll plant seeds that can grow into a lifelong love of stories, knowledge, and imagination.

And remember—every page turned is a step closer to raising a reader.