A new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), paints a somber picture of children’s reading levels. The report — based on 2024 test scores — found that a record-low number of fourth and eighth-grade students in the U.S. had below-basic reading skills. This means that the slide in reading achievement has continued and the joy of reading for pleasure is in decline.
Below Basic
According to the NAEP, one-third (33%) of eighth graders had “below-basic” reading skills — the largest number since the exam began in 1969. Additionally, 40% of fourth graders’ reading skills were considered “below-basic,” the most in two decades.
While not all kids are going to love reading, research shows that parents who try to help develop a love of reading in their children early in life actually make a difference. But many adults see the lack of reading for pleasure issue as a cultural one caused by phones and algorithm-driven media consumption affecting the younger generations. It’s true that today’s children and adults both watch more video on their phones than they ever used to.
Below are suggestions from a variety of parents on different online forums (The Bump; Mothering; Parenting Forums) who have fought the hate-to-read battle with their kids.
Don’t Wait to Start
“Don’t wait too long to start reading to your kids. Read to your 1 week old, read to your 6 month old, listen to audiobooks around them, read your own adult book out loud to your infant. This puts both parent and kid in the habit of reading every day and is hugely beneficial for language development.”
“With my kid, we read to her every night at the very least, and even now that she can read herself, we still have a reading time every night as part of bedtime routine.”
“We’ve always had a 30 minute reading time before bed.”
“Read to them as children, and limit their access to screens. Let them choose their own books, and never say “no” when they ask for a new book.”
How to Get Kids Reading for Pleasure
“Part is just finding what interests them. My kid is not interested in the books I liked as a kid. She likes to pick her own books.”
“We got her an e-reader since she wanted to drag books anytime we were going out. Also, even if we need to discipline her, book access is never taken away.”
“Kids love taboo stuff, mysterious stuff, forbidden stuff. You have to find out what they’re interested in and get them books that push those limits. My daughter is obsessed with horror and with shipwrecks and with dark history. You gotta show them that they can find out secrets in books.”
“We took adventures to the library so they could bring home stacks of books and we always made time for reading.”
Encourage Their Interests
“Put them in situations where they have little else to do. Let them hang out with older family members who also love reading.”
“Read to your kids, but also read in front of your kids. Read your own books in their presence for fun.”
“I was an English teacher for a few years and the most success I found was in finding a way to encourage interests that the child already had.”
“The best way to get kids to see reading as a pleasure is to read in front of them. Some people tell their kids to eat fruit and read a lot, but they don’t like fruit or enjoy reading themselves. Kids are quick to pick up on that.”
The Most Powerful One: The Daily Bedtime Reading
“I think kids who grow up in reading families will read. When they are babies, give them stacks of board books and let them play with the books. My kids were “reading” books solo by the time they were 1. Read to them every night, and read them good stuff. Read longer books together even when they’re little (we started with Charlotte’s Web as our first chapter book when my kids were 3.) Go to the library every other week and get a new bunch of picture books. Have lots of good books in the house that they can read over and over. Let them see you read, too. Limit their screen time so that they have to find other ways to amuse themselves most days. When they give up naps, replace nap time with quiet time and let them look at stacks of books in their room. Let them stay up an extra half hour to read (we started this long before our kids were actually reading solo). Look for books they will enjoy. Graphic novels are an excellent gateway into reading. Listen to audiobooks in the car or while eating lunch or coloring together. But the biggest, most powerful one is that daily bedtime reading.”
Don’t Force or Criticize
“I know one thing you should avoid and that is forcing it on them. I have a friend who read everyday for almost all his childhood due to his parents making him and has since never touched a book.”
“What ever you do, do not criticize whatever past time they have instead of reading or force them to read past a certain age/reading level. That will turn reading from a past time to chore and turn them of of reading for fun.”
Discover More Parenting Content
