Because it means a few extra minutes before lights out, is something most parents quietly wonder how to pull off, getting a child genuinely excited about books, rather than just tolerating story time.
Reading regularly with kids does far more than fill idle time, it actively builds their language skills, and books can become a gentle way to talk through big feelings or tricky real-world moments that are otherwise hard to bring up directly, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP has laid out ten simple, genuinely doable steps to help weave reading into a child’s everyday life, whether that’s something they do curled up alone or as a shared family ritual.
Reading together before bed is one of the easiest ways to fold books into an already existing routine, and it doubles as genuine quality time at the end of a long day. Reading out loud helps bring the story to life in a way silent reading can’t quite match at a young age, and pausing to ask something like what happens next keeps them actively engaged rather than passively listening. For school-age kids, flipping the script occasionally and letting them read to you instead can be just as rewarding. Friends and family can turn birthdays or holidays into another chance to nurture this habit, gifting books instead of, or alongside, toys. Asking the gift-giver to write a short personal message inside the cover turns it into something a child can hold onto and revisit for years, long after the story itself has been read.
Kids notice what the adults around them actually do, not just what they’re told to do, and reading is no exception. If your child regularly sees you with a book in hand, whether it’s a novel, a magazine, or even a recipe you’re flipping through in the kitchen, they’re far more likely to pick one up themselves without needing to be asked. Modelling the behaviour tends to work better than any amount of encouragement alone.