# Reading culture

**How do we raise a reader?**

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.

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.

- Area: Play, activities and enrichment
- Evidence: Well established
- Best settled: Around the birth
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/play-activities-and-enrichment--reading-culture

## Reading culture: what are the options?

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:

- [AAP](https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/154/6/e2024069090/199467/Literacy-Promotion-An-Essential-Component-of)

## 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?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=play-activities-and-enrichment&topic=play-activities-and-enrichment--reading-culture