The New Parent’s Guide to Reading to Your Child
When is too soon to start? What if my toddler won’t sit still? Is it really ok to read the same book 8,000 times? All your burning questions answered.
29 August, 2025 ● Written by Sarah Silverkey
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
You’ve just become a new parent! Congratulations! Right now, you’re probably wondering how to do everything right. If you’re a book lover, you might also be wondering how to raise a book lover. Should you read The Lord of the Rings aloud when your baby hits six months, or is nine months the safer bet? Do babies even see color yet, or have you been wasting money on beautifully illustrated board books? And what if my child only wants to hear one book over and over and over again?
We’ve got all the answers you might need to start your child off on the right foot as a curious listener, watcher, and knowledge-gatherer.
Reading With Your Child: The Practical FAQ for Parents
When to start
Is my baby too young to benefit from being read to?
Not at all! Even newborns benefit. Your baby loves the rhythm of your voice, and early exposure to language helps build the foundation for future reading.
How much should I read to my child each day?
Aim for a little bit every day. Even 5–10 minutes matters. Don’t make it a chore or try to fulfill a quota, but do try creating a daily habit that feels natural and joyful. Children thrive on stability and predictability, and consistent reading is a great way to contribute to that.
Does it count if I just talk about the pictures instead of reading all the words?
Absolutely. Talking about the pictures, naming objects, and asking questions — even if you answer the questions yourself for a very young child — is a great way to build vocabulary and comprehension.
The fact is, reading is only one of the many steps in raising a happy, curious child. The fun starts when you connect with your child over what you’re reading. Ask her questions, tell him your thoughts, let her tell you whatever she thinks in response to the book, even if it doesn't seem directly related to the story. Bring the book into the real world through discussion.
What to read
What kinds of books are best at different ages?
Babies (0—12 months): board books, high-contrast images, simple rhymes, especially if you sing them. Note that newborns see mostly in shades of gray. Their color vision then develops gradually over the first few months. By the time they’re 4–6 months old, most babies can see a full range of colors. So yes, high-contrast and beautifully illustrated books will absolutely capture their attention.
Toddlers (1—3 years): picture books with repetition and daily-life themes, such as food, animals, and home-life. Look for good quality in the writing and illustrations, as these books are already shaping your child’s mind and character and can become favorites for years to come.
Preschoolers (3—5 years): stories full of humor, feelings, and imagination. Simple factual books about the world, both your child’s everyday surroundings and faraway places, are wonderful at this age. Preschoolers are beginning to notice nature, patterns, and the people around them, so feed their curiosity with books that spark questions and wonder.
School-age (5+): a mix of early readers, chapter books, and nonfiction. This can include fairy tales, ancient myths, history stories, simple biographies, action-packed adventures, and poetry.
Do I need to stick to educational books, or is it okay to read silly or fun ones?
Fun books are educational! Humor, rhyme, and silly stories spark joy, which motivates children to keep reading. We recommend reading widely, and balancing both the serious with the imaginative and playful.
Are e-books or audiobooks as good as paper books?
Research shows that paper books encourage more parent–child interaction, especially with younger children. Physical books also allow for more flexibility in reading, expression, and pauses for explanations or discussion. And they’re better for our eyes due to the lack of blue light and flickering. That said, audiobooks build listening skills and e-books can be practical for older children who don’t have a lot of backpack space.
A healthy mix is great, but we do recommend beginning with paper books so that children can have the tactile experience of learning to handle a book carefully, how to turn pages, and how to carry books and store them. It also helps children understand and appreciate books as physical repositories, where ideas and stories have real weight and value.
How to read
What if my toddler won’t sit still for a whole book?
That’s normal! Try shorter books, or just read a few pages at a time. You can also let your child move around while you read.
Tip: Babies and young children love exaggerated expressions, funny voices, and sing-song rhythms. Often, it’s not the book that holds their attention, it’s you!
Do I have to read every word, or can I just tell the story in my own words?
Feel free to adapt. Point to pictures, simplify the story, or expand on it. What matters most is shared attention and conversation.
Should I correct my child when they mispronounce a word?
Gently model the correct pronunciation instead of stopping them. For example, if your child says “aminal,” you can reply, “Yes, that’s an animal!”
How do I make reading interactive without making it feel like homework?
Ask open-ended questions (“What do you think will happen next?”). Let your child turn the pages, and use funny voices. Keep it playful. Try letting your child narrate back to you what you just read. It’s a good way to learn what stuck out most, what interests your child, and what you can expand upon in conversation.
Child’s interest and motivation
What if my child doesn’t seem interested in books?
Try different formats: lift-the-flap books, books about his or her favorite things (trucks, dinosaurs, princesses), or even magazines. Sometimes, you can also simply tell a story, one you know from a book, or one from your own life. Books will follow. For young children, your voice and attention is the most important.
Should I let my child read the same book over and over again?
Yes! Though reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar 7,000 times might not be every parent’s dream, it’s a great thing to do. Repetition builds memory, confidence, and mastery. Children often study books this way, and it’s a sign they’re engaged.
Tip: Repeat all sorts of things! Do the same with little rhymes, poems, and songs. Committing a piece to memory builds connections in your child’s brain that will be useful for future learning.
How do I help my child choose books they’ll enjoy?
Visit your bookshelf, local library, or bookstore together and let your child pick (while checking, of course, that it’s age-appropriate). Children who feel ownership over their choices are more motivated to read.
Supporting literacy development
How do I know if my child is “on track” with reading skills?
All children develop at their own pace. Look for steady progress in vocabulary, interest in stories, and attempts at letters/sounds, but don’t push for arbitrary deadlines.
What can I do at home to support what they’re learning in school?
Keep reading for pleasure, play word games, and have many, many conversations together, about everything, not just academic work. Keep modeling reading for pleasure, use thoughtful speech, and help encourage good writing along, as it goes hand in hand with good reading. For example, encourage them to write out their wish lists, make cards for special occasions, write “thank you” notes, etc. Praise your child’s efforts.
If my child struggles with reading, should I back off or keep pushing?
Don’t push, but don’t give up either. Keep reading aloud to your child and make it enjoyable. Children all develop at their own pace. Talk to your child to find out what is hard, what he or she prefers, what kind of rewards (intrinsic or physical) motivates him or her. Children learn best from observing what they consistently live with, so be patient, and model being the kind of reader you would like your child to be.
What’s the best way to support bilingual reading if we speak more than one language at home?
Read in both languages! Research shows that children benefit immensely from growing up in a bilingual environment. If each parent has a different primary language, try switching it up, and have them read in each other’s language. This can be a fun experience for both children and adults to connect.
Family and lifestyle realities
We’re a really busy family. What if I don’t have time to read every day?
Even a quick story makes a difference. That said, avoid making children think of reading as a chore that needs to be checked off a list. Try to read when the child is not very tired and you are not in a hurry. With older children, reading as a family after dinner is ideal. With younger children, a quick story before bed can be perfect. Show your children that you enjoy reading with them and that it is an important part of your day.
Tip: Frequency matters more than the length of each reading. Reading in small bursts (waiting rooms, car rides, breakfast) adds up.
Does it matter if grandparents or siblings do the reading instead of me?
No! Children thrive when many caring adults share stories with them. Do observe what’s being read and whether your children are engaged. If they are, delegate away!
How do I balance screen time with book time?
Ideally, limit screen time, especially when your children are very young. When communicating goals for the day, try making reading feel like the reward, not screen time. (“After we go to the store, you can pick out one of your books and we’ll have story-time!”) Screens and books don’t have to compete, but your children’s development will benefit hugely if their early years are spent absorbing information at a gentle, healthy pace.
Bottom line
Reading with your child is about connection, curiosity, and opening the door to wonder and exploration. No part of the process has to be perfect. But starting early, making a habit of reading aloud, and discussing stories with your children will go a long way toward making them strong, engaged learners and thinkers in adulthood.
Age Guide
Your practical guide on what to read when.
Infants (0–12 months): It’s never too early
What to read: Board books with high-contrast images (black and white patterns, simple shapes) and books with rhythmic, sing-song text (nursery rhymes, lullabies). Babies aren’t following the story yet, but they are absorbing the rhythm of language and building the foundation for sound formation and word recognition. They also love your voice. It’s calming and bonding.
Tip: Let your baby explore the book with their senses. Chewing, grabbing, and turning pages is part of early literacy!
Toddlers (1–3 years): Words in action
What to read: Simple picture books with clear illustrations, repetitive phrases, and familiar daily themes (books about animals, bedtime, or family). Toddlers are rapidly building vocabulary. Repetition helps them predict and join in. They’ll also start pointing at pictures and naming things, which is a huge leap in communication.
Tip: Make reading interactive. Pause to ask, “Where’s the dog?” or let them fill in the last word of a rhyme.
Preschoolers (3–5 years): Imagination takes flight
What to read: Stories with more complex plots, emotions, and humor. Fairy tales, adventure stories, and books that spark questions about the world are perfect. Preschoolers are learning to connect stories with feelings, problem-solving, and social skills. Exposure to rich vocabulary now is strongly linked to later reading comprehension.
Tip: Talk about the story after reading—“How do you think she felt when that happened?” This builds empathy and critical thinking.
Early School Years (5–7 years): Emerging readers
What to read: Early reader books with simple sentences, phonics-based texts, and lots of pictures. Keep reading longer picture books and chapter books aloud too. At this stage, children need to both practice their own decoding skills and hearing more advanced language read aloud. Shared reading keeps the joy alive and prevents frustration.
Tip: Take turns. Let your child read a page, then you read a page.
Growing Readers (7+ years): Confidence and choice
What to read: Chapter books, early novels, nonfiction about their interests, and still — yes! — picture books. Children who get to choose their own reading materials are far more likely to keep reading for pleasure. Family read-alouds (even with older children) boost comprehension and family connection.
Tip: Keep reading aloud at bedtime, even as your children get older. It’s a soothing way to end the day and shows that reading is about joy, not just homework.
Sarah Silverkey
Contributor
Sarah is an educator, writer, and artist with over 40 years of primary and secondary school teaching experience in the United States and in Switzerland. She’s a co-founder of the Homeschool Association Switzerland, and a fervent literacy advocate, believing that all good things (or at least, very many of them) come from an early exposure to books and stories.
