“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader” is one of the sayings that I firmly believe in and that I go by in my parenting, just like “It takes a village to raise a child.”
Maybe one of the things I am most proud of as a mother is my kids’ love – even passion, sometimes bordering obsessions – for books. The first thing they do when they open their eyes in the morning is to grab a book and start reading. When they are having a snack, they are once again accompanied by their favorite books. For Adam and Jude, taking a break from studying is equivalent to grabbing a book and lying on the couch. Reading in bed is the last thing they do before falling asleep, as an indispensable part of their bedtime routine. Indeed, books are the only things that my kids engulf faster than cheese sandwiches and sliced apples.
However, if I have to be honest, I don’t really know how we got to this point. Of course, like most parents, my husband and I read plenty to our children when they were young, but turning them into little bookworms was never really the intention.
This got me thinking: “What does it actually take to raise a child that reads?”
To answer this crucial parenting question and to help you raise a child that reads tomorrow so that they lead the world tomorrow, I spoke to four parenting and education experts to ask for their tips and advice.
Here are their recommendations:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
1. Create Daily Reading Rituals Your Child Will Love
Gia Gambaro Blount, Parent Educator and Owner of Gia Gambaro Blount:
If you want to raise a child who loves reading without making it feel like a chore, here are a few simple ideas that have worked wonders for me.
When I was a Kindergarten teacher, we had a time called DEAR – Drop Everything and Read. It was magical to see the entire school, from students to teachers to janitors, reading all over the campus. You can easily bring this into your home by setting aside time for everyone to read independently. When your child sees you enjoying a book, it’s contagious.
Another trick is to weave reading into your everyday life. For example, if you’re visiting the zoo, instead of just reading animal names, say something like, “Reading helps us get good information,” to show how reading plays a role in everything you do.
Reading together is a timeless tradition for a reason. When children experience the warmth of connection through shared stories, it helps them develop their own love for reading. It’s a practice that shouldn’t be skipped, as it lays the foundation for their enjoyment of books.
Keep the excitement alive with a fresh stack of library books, and buy the ones your child loves to hear over and over again. These small, meaningful moments will help your child associate reading with warmth, connection, and joy.
2. Share Reading Joy Without Pressure or Deadlines
Ashley Peña, National Executive Director of Mission Connection at AMFM Healthcare:
I’d advise parents to share their child’s love for reading by engaging with them like reading together, asking questions, and discussing their books. Keep a variety of books easily accessible and let them choose what excites them. Read together, even as they grow older; it can be a bonding experience rather than a chore.
I also encourage incorporating storytelling into daily life, whether through books, oral stories, or imaginative play, to nurture curiosity. Most importantly, be patient; pressuring a child can create resistance, while gentle encouragement and excitement about books can inspire a lifelong love of reading.
3. Let Children Choose Books That Spark Joy
Kendall Boone, Owner of TinyOnesTreasures:
As a parent, I learned that the best way to raise a child who loves reading is to create an environment where books are seen as fun, comforting, and personal – not as a chore. I made it a habit to read in front of my child and include them in story time from an early age. We made trips to the library an adventure, and I always let them choose books that sparked their interest, even if it wasn’t “typical” educational content. Comics? Fine. Animal fact books? Perfect. When children feel they have control over what they read and see their parents enjoying it too, reading becomes a source of joy and connection. By making it a shared experience and not a forced activity, I watched my child naturally fall in love with books at their own pace.
4. Morning Reading Trick Gets Kids Up Willingly
Cynthia Dvorak, Founder of Screen Less Play More podcast:
Quick tip: Instead of begging your kids to get up in the morning and have them groan and moan, sit on the side of their bed and start reading! They will pop open their eyes within a few seconds because they can’t resist looking at the pictures! This is a quick and easy way to sneak in a book every day aside from the usual bedtime story. You’ll easily add hundreds of reading hours within one year.
Kids begin to love reading because they love the people who read to them!
5. Make Reading a Lifestyle
Daniela Andreevska, Owner of Parenting with Daniela and Mother of Two Wonderful Boys:
While I don’t have a clear-cut strategy for raising a child who loves to read, here are a few tips that have worked with my own kids:
- Start reading from young age: When my kids were as little as a few months old, we introduced plastic and hardcover books with beautiful colors and pretty pictures. While my babies were too young to read, we would show them the books and talk about the pictures, the animals and objects on them, and the colors that filled up the pages. We would even make up short stories to go along with the pictures.
- Offer reading over screentime: OK, I admit I am one of those moms that severely limits screentime for my children. While I understand that technology has become a major part of our lives, I see first-hand the negative impact that excessive time in front of the screen has on my kids, making them more edgy and tense. So, instead of leaving my children in front of the TV or the PlayStation for hours on end, I always sat down next to them, hugged them, and started reading a book to them. A book would turn into two books, two books would turn into three books, and so on and so forth, until we realize it’s time to go out or get ready for bed.
- Provide a diversity of books: Offer your kids different books – that are age-appropriate, of course – so that they can find what appeals to their taste and that makes them happy. For instance, while I might not be a fan of Diary of a Wimpy Kid because of the ridiculous storylines and the faulty language, both my sons are obsessed with the series and have read each book at least a dozen times. After all, there is value and something to learn in each book.
- Surround your children with books: I grew up in homes with shelves stuffed with books and was raised by people who respect and appreciate reading. My parents had bookshelves in the living room and in the bedrooms, and ever since I remember, I was fascinated by the colors and the magic words on the book covers. Similarly, my grandparents’ homes hosted more books than one can imagine. So, when I had my kids, I tried to replicate this atmosphere by surrounding my children with books. Growing up with books around turns them into a key part of life.
The Measurable Benefits of Raising a Reader
Reading is more than a pastime – it’s a powerful tool for your child’s development.
Here’s what the research reveals about the benefits that come with cultivating a passion for reading from a young age:
- Better school outcomes: Children who read for fun during early childhood are more likely to achieve higher scores on cognitive assessments and experience fewer emotional or behavioral issues later in adolescence.
- Boosted brain development: Reading aloud to toddlers supports early brain development, helping to strengthen vocabulary, listening skills, and critical thinking, even by age two.
- Stronger language skills: Kids who are read to daily can encounter up to 1.4 million more words by age five than those who aren’t regularly read to – a head start that supports literacy and language fluency.
- Higher reading proficiency: Children read to by family members at least three times per week are almost twice as likely to rank in the top quartile for reading achievement at school.
- Lasting educational advantage: Simply having books at home makes a huge difference – children in homes with 100+ books are far more likely to reach ninth grade and beyond compared to those with little or no access to reading materials.
All these statistics support the saying, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”
To get your kids’ reading habits started on the right footing, here are some all-time children’s favorites and parents go-to books:
- Best Books for 3 Year Olds
- Best Books for 4 Year Olds
- Best Books for 5 Year Olds
- Best Books for 6 Year Olds
Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader: Final Thoughts
With these simple tips from experts, you can raise a child who reads today and will lead tomorrow. While experts recommend different techniques that parents can try, the recurrent themes focus on 1) Building consistency, 2) Making reading fun and entertaining, and 3) Leading by example.
What have your experiences been? Do your children enjoy reading? What strategies have worked in your family and what haven’t? What are your kid’s favorite books? Other parents and I are eager to hear from you.
