Parenting Insights for Raising Young Readers

Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life. Among all the gifts you can offer — experiences, skills, values — raising a child who loves to read may be one of the most enduring. A love of reading opens doors to knowledge, creativity, and empathy that no single school or curriculum can fully provide. At Libros, we work with parents every day who want to nurture this love. Here is what we have learned.

Start Before They Can Read

You don’t need to wait until your child knows the alphabet to begin a reading life together. Reading aloud to infants and toddlers is one of the most powerful things a parent can do for language development. Babies who are regularly read to develop larger vocabularies, stronger listening skills, and a positive emotional association with books from the very start. The rhythm of your voice, the warmth of being held while you read, and the colourful images of picture books all combine to create a deeply comforting experience that your child will want to return to again and again.

Let Them Choose

One of the most common mistakes well-meaning parents make is steering their children toward books they think they should read, rather than books they actually want to read. Research consistently shows that when children have autonomy in selecting their reading material — even if it is comic books, graphic novels, or stories about dinosaurs — they read more, retain more, and develop stronger reading skills. Your job is not to curate a perfect literary education; it is to make books available and let curiosity lead the way.

Create a Reading Environment

Children are deeply influenced by their physical environment. A home where books are visible, accessible, and valued sends a powerful message. You don’t need a grand home library — a small basket of books in the living room, a few shelves at child height, and books on bedside tables are enough. More importantly, let your child see you reading. When children observe parents genuinely absorbed in a book — not just telling them to read — they internalize the idea that reading is something worthwhile that adults do for pleasure.

Make It a Shared Ritual

The bedtime story is one of the most beloved traditions in family life for good reason. A regular reading routine — whether at bedtime, after school, or on weekend mornings — gives children something to look forward to. It creates connection, calm, and a sense of safety. For older children who can read independently, consider having family reading time where everyone reads their own book together in the same space. The companionship of shared silence around books is a quiet but powerful thing.

Respond to Their Questions and Reactions

One of the greatest joys of reading with children is witnessing the questions that books spark. When a child asks why a character made a certain choice, or feels upset about something that happened in a story, that is a golden moment. Engage with it. Ask what they think. Share your own reaction. These conversations build critical thinking, emotional reflection, and a deeper relationship between you and your child. At Libros, our parenting resources are designed to support exactly these conversations — helping you find the right books and the right words to make reading a lifelong adventure for your family.