How long should a child read each day

Age of Learning - Reading study

In Summary

Reading is the foundation of education and vital to children’s success in school and beyond. Regular reading not only improves vocabulary and school performance, but also helps children develop empathy and self-confidence.¹ And when children fall behind in reading, learning other subjects becomes increasingly difficult with each passing school year. Students unable to read at grade level by 4th grade are four times less likely to graduate from high school.

According to the Nation’s Report Card, more than 6 out of 10 U. S. 4th graders are not reading at grade level.² For low-income students at high-poverty schools, that number is worse: 8 in 10 are not proficient.³

To understand some of the causes of this reading gap and identify solutions to help close it, Age of Learning recently conducted nationwide surveys of more than 1,000 parents and 1,000 teachers of children ages 2 to 12. Participants reported on children’s access to books and reading habits, and described what they see as the major obstacles to developing confident and successful readers. The data reveals three important factors contributing to the reading gap:

1.Many children lack access to books, especially high-quality, high-interest books.

2.Parents aren’t sure how to support their children’s reading needs.

3.Children don’t spend enough time reading outside of school.

1. Children lack access to books, especially high-quality, high-interest books.

Parent survey data shows that more than half of American families have fewer than 50 books (of any kind) in their homes, including children’s books. And according to teachers, lack of access to books at home is one of the top three obstacles to getting their students to read.

Unfortunately, many families cannot count on their child’s school to provide access to books. Ten percent of teachers report that their school does not have a school library, and 56% report that their students do not have access to a digital library. This confirms research finding that more than 8,000 elementary schools in the U. S. do not have a school library⁴ and that the number of school librarians has been declining dramatically.⁵

For both teachers and parents, cost and space are the top challenges to providing books for children. Seven out of 10 teachers said the cost of books was an obstacle to building a classroom library, with 77% reporting that they bought books for their classroom with their own money. For parents, cost is the second most cited obstacle to building a home library.

Even when funds are available, teachers and parents report that they don’t have enough room to store books: 54% of teachers and 47% of parents cite lack of space as a major challenge to building a library.

As children learn to read and come to enjoy a wide range of both fiction and nonfiction books, variety and volume of books are key to encouraging their reading development. Based on teachers’ reporting on student performance, students that have access to both a traditional and digital library are 53% more likely to be reading above grade level than peers without such access.

2. Parents aren’t sure how to support their children’s reading needs.

Teachers want parents to be more active in supporting their children’s reading—7 in 10 believe that parents are not involved enough in their child’s education. They cite a lack of parental involvement as the number one challenge to students reading more books.

Parents agree. They want to be more involved, but they are often unsure about how best to help. They may also be missing a complete picture of what their child needs in order to grow as a reader. Two-thirds of parents (67%) are not sure what their child’s reading level is.

And while teachers report that 30% of their students are reading below grade level, only 9% of parents think their child is in that category.

According to teachers, students should be reading between 15 minutes and 1 hour a day outside of school (85% of teachers expect daily reading in this range), but most of their students are reading less than the 15-minute daily minimum. Seven percent of parents report that their children do not read or look at books alone outside of school. With more than 44 million children ages 2 to 12 in the U.S., that represents more than 3 million children who are never reading alone outside of school. Parents report that a similar number of children are reading or looking at books alone only 5 minutes per day or less.

There is also a gender gap in how much children enjoy reading. Parents of girls rated their child’s enjoyment of books significantly higher than parents of boys did: 8. 5 for girls versus 7.9 for boys, on a 10-point scale. Parents of boys were also more likely to report that their child mostly or only reads at the parent’s direction rather than choosing on his own to read, with 27% of boys reading because they were told to versus 17% of girls.

A great way to inspire a love of reading is to give children books that they enjoy. Teachers and parents consistently identified three topics as the most beloved by their students and children: (1) Adventures and Mysteries, (2) Fables and Fairytales and (3) Animals and Plants.

Although there are considerable challenges facing families, they can adopt low-effort, high-impact steps to help their children become strong and engaged readers. Parents should:

• Get on their level! Books are like Goldilocks’ porridge—too easy and kids get bored; too advanced and they get frustrated and give up. Ask your child’s teacher what your child’s reading level is, and make sure he or she has books at that level that are just right.
• Schedule for success. Help kids build good reading habits by setting aside at least 15 minutes every day to read together. Encourage independent readers to read on their own for that long—and reward them when they do!
• Take them on a book treasure-hunt. Help children discover their next favorite book by visiting your local library. Encourage them to find books on the subjects they’re interested in, or ask the librarian to recommend titles that will keep their attention. Digital libraries are a great way to get books anytime and anywhere, and some can be easily searched by topic.
• Help them explore the world of words. Books aren’t the only thing we read. Create a print-rich home by labeling objects around the house. Create a word wall where kids can see the connection between objects and their written names. By showing your kids the letters in their life, you can help them begin to decode the world around them.

Working together to overcome challenges to reading, families and teachers can help close the reading gap and improve educational outcomes for every child.

In September and October 2018, Age of Learning conducted an online survey of 1,002 parents of 2- to 12-year-olds and 1,000 preschool- through- 6th grade teachers who taught reading. Survey questions aimed to understand their sentiments and behaviors around children’s reading. Parents and teachers were diverse with respect to ethnicity, income, and geographic location in the U.S.

1 https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/reading-fiction-improves-empathy-study-finds. html; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/quiet-the-power-introverts/201107/why-reading-makes-you-self-confident
2 National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2017). 2017 NAEP National Achievement-Level Results for Grade 4. Retrieved from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_2017/#/nation/achievement?grade=4
3 Retrieved from https://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-EarlyWarningConfirmedExecSummary-2013.pdf
4 National Education Association. (2016). Library/Media Centers in U.S. Public Schools: Growth, Staffing, and Resources. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Trends%20in%20School%20Library%20Media%20Centers%20Executive%20Summary.pdf
5 Education Week. (2018). Schools See Steep Drop in Librarians, New Analysis Finds. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/05/16/schools-see-steep-drop-in-librarians-new.html?intc=eml-contshr-shr-desk

How long should you read with your kids every day?

ByBecky Mansfield Updated onDecember 17, 2022

You may be wondering  How long should you read with your kids every day?  I am here to tell you why the magic number is reading 20 minutes a night or more.

Why Reading with Kids is Important

There are so many things that I, as a teacher, wish that the parents of my students knew about reading with their kids.  Reading for 20 minutes a night is just one of the most important things parents can do to help their kids succeed.

What’s the difference between kids who read more than 30 minutes per day and those who read less than 15 minutes per day? Twelve million. Between kindergarten and twelfth grade, students with an average daily reading time of 30+ minutes are projected to encounter 13.7 million words. At graduation, their peers who averaged less than 15 minutes of reading per day are likely to be exposed to only 1.5 million words. The difference is more than 12 million words.

–Renaissance, The Long Term Effects of Reading Practice

It totally makes sense that kids who read more have better vocabulary, reading skills, fluency, reading comprehension and overall literacy. What is surprising is how a consistent 15-20 minutes a day over time can really add up.

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It means that your kids are reading out loud to you. When kids read aloud, they are able to practice their reading in a safe and supportive environment. Unfamiliar words that can’t be sounded out can easily be identified and learned. Fluency and the ability for kids to put words into context happen because kids are reading and listening at the same time.

It is one of the best ways to spend quality time together.

My Child Can’t Read for 20 Minutes Aloud

This is a pressure-free zone of reading fun! Set a timer for 20 minutes and let your child read as long as they are willing and then you can take over. If you want to split it up where they read a page and you read a page, that works really well too.

Don’t overlook the power of YOU reading chapter books aloud no matter what age your kids might be. It is a fun family activity that helps kids fall in love with words, stories and reading. It is also a really good example of how reading is an important life skill.

Reading with Babies & Toddlers

This is a good time to start with a routine that stresses reading and time spent exploring books together. Start with a regular good night book or a short reading time before a nap. Work into sitting on the couch together longer times until your child’s interest can be held by books for 10-15 minutes together.

You can read to your child, your child can point to the pictures and guess the story, or anything else playing with books might look like for a pre-reader. The goal is to get kids interested in books and realize they hold stories inside.

Recommended Books for Babies & Toddlers

Start with a trip to the library or some of my favorite baby and toddler books in subjects that interest your child. Here are some to consider for your home library:

• 1, 2, 3, Do the Dinosaur colorful board book
• 199 Things on the Farm book (see also 199 Dinosaurs & 199 Zoo Animals)
• The Alphabet of Peculiar Creatures book
• Kisses, Cuddles and Good Night!
• More Great Books for Kids Ages 1 and 2 years old and older

Reading with Preschoolers

If your kids are in Pre-school or Kindergarten, they are probably reading the small, repetitive books like “I went to the store.  Mommy went to the store.  Daddy went to the store.  We all had fun!”.

Remember that every journey starts with one step and this is your first step.

Recommended Books for 3 Years & Up

• Alfie and Bet’s ABC pop up book
• Amelia Who Could Fly Picture Book about Amelia Earhart
• The Biggest Story
• Bob is a Unicorn
• More Great Books for Kids Ages 3 years and older

Recommended Books for 4 Years & Up

• Bears Don’t Read!
• Cordelia can fly.
• Different! Flo the flamingo always feels too different, but her friends help her to see that everyone is different.
• Hooray, it’s Garbage Day!
• More Great Books for Kids Ages 4 years and older

REading with Kindergarten Age Kids

For this level, I would suggest reading each of those small books three times each.

1. The first time you are reading to sound out the words and identify sight words.
2. The second time you are reading for comprehension.
3. The third time you are reading for fluency (to read at a faster rate.)

Reminder: If you have not reached 20 minutes yet, this would be a great chance for YOU to read to your child.

Recommended Books for 5 Years & Up

• 2 Pirates + 1 Robot
• Across the Savannah
• Dogs in Space
• Goldilocks and the Three Little Pigs
• More Great Books for Kids Ages 5 years and older

Reading with Older Children

I let our son (second grade) read his chapter book to me for about 15-20 minutes.  He would prefer to read it silently, but he has to read it out loud because I can listen to him:

• I can make sure that he doesn’t just skip over hard words.
• I can help him with his mistakes.
• When he is finished, I will ask him to tell me about the story (what happened, who were the characters).
• I also make sure to read a story to him every night.  Hearing me read aloud is also important.  

Recommended Books for 6 Years & Up – School Age Kids

• Kids this age still love picture books, here are some of our favorites.
• Early chapter books, fiction
• Series fiction chapter books for kids
• Non-fiction books kids will love to read
• More School age books for kids ages 6 years and older

Consistent Reading for Kids

I know that time is tight.

I know that you are busy.

I know that your kids need to get to bed early.  

I also know that if you skip out on reading nightly, your child will slowly fall behind.  Keep it up. It is important. Give your child the best advantage and read with them twenty minutes a night.   

More Reading & Learning Resources from Kids Activities Blog

• Books to teach kids to read <–big list!
• Have some fun with reading games for kids.
• Create your own reading programs for kids.
• Check out Scholastic Kids home reading program.
• These reading comprehension worksheets are free and can instantly be downloaded to practice reading skills.
• These fun reading activities are great for kids.
• Set up a kids reading corner at your house or in the classroom.

How long do you read together with your child each day? Have you seen a difference in your child’s reading ability when you read regularly 20 minutes a day?

Becky Mansfield

Becky shares tips about raising a family on YourModernFamily. com. She was a teacher turned mom to four young kids & play therapist. Becky is the author of 8 books, including the best selling Potty Train in a Weekend

How to read from 7 to 12 years old

In elementary school, a child learns to work with text professionally. The school subject of literary reading is of particular importance, as it teaches children to perceive the text in different ways: listening, reading aloud, reading silently. How successfully the child has mastered these skills depends on his further education in all subjects, since understanding the text, written and oral, is the basis of education and self-education. The goals of education in elementary school and the basic skills that children must master are spelled out in the Federal State Educational Standard, Model Program for Literary Reading, and they are very serious (a brief excerpt from Primary School Literary Reading Program ).

Purposes of home, family reading:
— to have a rest, relax after study (it is good to read such literature aloud to a child before going to bed),
— to master the curriculum in literature and other subjects: reading according to the list of program literature, textbooks, scientific books for children (you need to set aside a certain time for this type of activity and always try to stick to it, developing the habit of studying at home - in the future this good habit will help at school, at the university, and in self-education),
- teach to read and write: riddles, short plot stories, fairy tales are well suited for this.

The child reads by himself.

This work should be joyful and creative.

Expert tip: If your child is just taking their first steps into the world of reading, celebrate every word they read as a victory. Do not draw his attention to reading errors. Do it discreetly. Take for the first readings only suitable books - bright, with large print, where there are a lot of pictures and a plot that is interesting to follow (I.I. Tikhomirova). nine0005

Primary schoolchildren have problems with reading:

1. It happens that a preschooler loves books, but when he becomes a schoolchild, he does not want to read them. Why does interest in reading fade? The reason is that the child is now motivated to read to himself and stop reading aloud to him. Reading from pleasure turns into hard work. The child gets tired of it at school, so he does not want to read at home. At home, he should rest with a book, listening to or reading with his family works "for growth" and those that have already been read before school, and those that are included in the school curriculum. Reading should still be fun! nine0005

The younger student still has a weak reading technique, so he cannot read what he wants and in such a way that it gives pleasure.

Expert advice: Read aloud to children not only throughout their preschool childhood, but also when they become schoolchildren, choosing for this such books that they cannot cope with on their own.

2. The child has learned to read and write, but does not want to read, and parents have to persistently teach him to read on his own. How to do it:

- give your child books with large print and bright pictures so that the book intrigues and does not frighten with large text; nine0009 - read aloud a few lines, the plot of the story, and step away on business - it is possible that the child will want to know the continuation and he will read it himself;
- Meet the school librarian and introduce your child to the library. The librarian will professionally select the right book, then talk about it;
- and most importantly - you need to set an example: the child must see the reading parents.

3. Literature appeared in the child's life, which he must read, that is, interest in the book began to push away the need, the compulsion to read. nine0005

Expert opinion. Forced reading, as a rule, is not fruitful. It becomes fruitful when the child reads because of interest. Interest is the only one of all the motives that keeps reading on, that is, ensures the influence of the book on the reader. The crisis of children's reading is manifested not so much in the fact that many children have stopped reading, but in the fact that they have not developed or lost interest in this area of ​​​​activity (I.I. Tikhomirova).

How to read to maintain interest in reading, in a book? nine0004