Raise a Reader: Proven Tips to Help Your Child Love Reading

1. Start with Story time Early
As soon as your child can sit up in your lap and look at the pictures of a book, you should start reading to them. Board books (short books that are just a few pages long that are constructed from cardboard) are designed for babies and toddlers. They are rugged and can take punishment that books with paper pages can't handle. 
Keep story time short and engaging. Say things like, Do you see the cow? Moo..... as you point to a cow on the page. If your child gets restless, stop. It's okay if you haven't finished the book, the focus of early reading is to create a loving bonding moment that includes books.
2. Create a Book-Friendly Home
Keep books in baskets and low shelves and allow children to have access to them just as they would have access to their toys. "But what happens if they rip the pages?" Children will learn how to turn the pages of a book without ripping them with practice. If your child is still learning how to be gentle with books, keep board books and old magazines low for practice. Then bring down the books that are special for reading together. Keep in mind that some pages may rip; that's why tape was invented! Replacing a book is easy. Making books and reading a part of your child's life is more important than a ripped page.
3. Follow Your Child’s Interests
Reading is reading. Lists, magazines, picture books, comics--> any type of reading counts toward developing a love of reading. If your child loves dinosaurs and picks up an encyclopedia and looks at the pictures  (even at 3yrs old), encourage it. My son LOVED dinosaurs at an early age and began to memorize the facts I read to him from encyclopedias. Then he would 'read' the facts to himself while looking at the same book.  By the time he was four years old our librarian called him the dino expert and referred other children to him with questions about dinosaurs!
Even if you know your child is not actually reading the words, but has memorized the words on each page, they are reading for enjoyment. Eventually, they will read the words from those same books. Never call them out on a word and say, "What is this word?" when they are reciting a book from memory. This will develop negative emotions and discourage reading a part of their play time choices. 

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4. Make Reading a Scheduled Experience
Create special times of the day where reading is a part of your schedule. For my young children, our reading times were after lunch and before bedtime, but we read anytime they requested a book to be read to them.
In my classroom, I scheduled SSR time (sustained silent reading) after lunch recess. The children in my class were able to pick any place in the classroom (on the floor and under their desk was allowed) and bring a small item to sit with them while they read for 30 min. For many of my kindergarten students, this time was a restful time where they looked at the pictures of a book. 
5. Model the Joy of Reading
Let your child see you reading books, magazines, or even cookbooks. Read appropriate sections of your books to them. Get excited about books and magazines when you see them. Take trips to the library and book store and spend time snuggling up and reading. Take books with you to the park and make reading a part of your outdoor play experience too. This is especially easy if you are bringing snacks and a blanket to the park. Just start reading while they are snacking.
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One last thought on creating a life-long love of reading within your children-- read from real books. Tablets and other reading devices create a disconnect from the actual experience of reading a book. The physical turn of the textured pages, the smell of the binding, and the vivid imagery of the artwork all create an immersive experience when you read from a book.  When your child goes to school and reads from a text book, they will reconnect to their emotions of early childhood and love of reading, if you have read to them from books. Reading from a device just doesn't create the same experience.  I encourage you to check out this catalog to find some great titles for the children in your life --> Must Have Picture Books 2025-2026

I hope that this list help you in fostering a love of literacy in your child. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.