Do you enjoy reading to young kids? Sometimes? Maybe not as much as you should? Fewer parents — especially Gen Z — are finding joy in reading to their kids, according to new research from HarperCollins UK. Many see reading to their kids more as a chore or a school subject than fun. Only 41 percent of kids ages 0 – 4 are regularly read to, a big drop from 64 percent in 2012. And there’s a gender gap too: just 29 percent of boys under 3 are read to daily, compared to 44 percent of girls.
Fewer Parents Are Reading to Young Kids
“Despite reading aloud to children being a proven way to boost their enjoyment of reading, the number of parents reading aloud to children is at an all-time low,” wrote researchers for HarperCollins UK. The book publisher collaborated with with NielsenIQ BookData, a consumer intelligence firm.
The reading slide impacts early literacy since reading builds language, thinking skills and the connection that young children need.
The less reading trend is most pronounced among Gen Z parents, the research says. Almost one in three (28 percent) see reading as [more of a] ‘subject to learn,’” said study authors. They polled approximately 2,000 adults across all age demographics for their findings. “As the first generation to grow up with technology, Gen Z parents may turn to digital entertainment for fun rather than books.”
Reading to kids is a proven way to boost brainpower and spark a love for books. And 34 percent of parents with kids ages 0 – 13 say they wish they had more time to read together. But maybe they’re just saying that?
Despite reading aloud to children being a proven way to boost their enjoyment of reading, the number of parents reading aloud to children is at an all-time low
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How to Get Your Little to Read for Pleasure
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Experts say a mix of factors is behind parents’ fading interest in reading to their kids. Jam-packed schedules is the main culprit and the simple fact that reading for fun is getting pushed aside.
“Being read to makes reading fun for children,” says Allison David, the study’s lead author. “So, it’s very concerning that many children are growing up without a happy reading culture at home.”
But all is not lost, David says. Reading to young kids can be easily employed at home by making a commitment to do it and following through.
“The good news is, when children are read to frequently, they very quickly come to love it and become motivated to read themselves,” David noted. “Children who are read to daily are almost three times as likely to choose to read independently compared to children who are only read to weekly at home.”
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