Reading culture
How reading fits into family life: reading aloud daily from birth, a bedtime story, books available for the child to pick up, or reading targets and rewards.
How do we raise a reader?
In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Read aloud daily from birth, well past independent reading; Bedtime story routine; Books available, child-led; Reading targets and incentives. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: around the birth.
- Evidence
- Well established
- Best settled
- Around the birth
- Part of
- Learning & the wider world
Reading culture: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 4 approaches.
1. Read aloud daily from birth, well past independent reading
You read to the child every day from birth and keep going after they can read alone.
2. Bedtime story routine
You read a story at bedtime each night.
3. Books available, child-led
Books are around and the child picks them up when they want.
4. Reading targets and incentives
The child has reading goals and earns rewards for meeting them.
Reading culture: what does the evidence say?
Well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. (Settled in guidance)
AAP recommends shared reading from birth through at least kindergarten
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
Reading aloud from infancy builds vocabulary and is recommended by pediatric bodies. Families differ in how central books are and whether reading is encouraged or required. Children who see adults read tend to read more.
Questions to ask each other
- What was reading like in our homes?
- How early and how much do we want to read to our child?
- What would we do if our child resisted reading?
More in Play, activities and enrichment
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.