Rediscovering the joy of reading

Parents and carers shared that they don’t always find reading fun, and many struggle to fit it in with other daily pressures. Alongside this, data from the National Literacy Trust (2024) shows that one in six adults in England (aged 16–65) have very poor literacy skills, making reading aloud a daunting task.

With the EYFS placing strong emphasis on working in partnership with parents and carers, how can early years educators support families to share books, stories, and language-rich experiences at home in ways that feel achievable, enjoyable and non-intimidating?

A made-up story doesn’t require reading from a book and can be prompted by anything from a bus journey to a found treasure. Perhaps the story arises from a significant event, such as “The day you were born”, or a loved family member: “The day Grandma met a mermaid.” Stories like these can build a sense of connection and shared history. The children themselves can contribute to the story and families can create favourites that can be retold many times.

Through familiarity and context, this technique can expose children to new vocabulary and demonstrates story structure.

Lending story boxes or bags can be an effective way to bring a story to life. These could be themed around a favourite book and contain story props, photos, interactive objects and further activity ideas. They might even include a blanket, a bear and even a hot chocolate mix (or an alternative for those with food allergies). Include books from different cultures and dual language books to support multilingual families. Wordless books are also available to give the experience of handling a book while removing the pressure from adults who may struggle with literacy.

Families can explore story boxes in whatever way feels comfortable to them – talking about the items, retelling familiar tales or inventing new ones. Remind families that there are valuable learning opportunities in telling and retelling the same story.

Offering a simple, accessible ‘take a book, leave a book’ library could encourage book-sharing at home. Include books for a wide age range, multilingual families, different family structures and different cultures. The library should have a good mix of fiction and non-fiction, longer books and quick fiveminute reads. Don’t forget to think about the interests of the children.

There is also an opportunity to encourage families to access their local library and attend the events held there. The website Library On can help practitioners find out more about what is happening at nearby libraries (https://libraryon.org/).

If possible, have more than one copy of a book so that it can be sent home with a note about what the child particularly enjoyed. Perhaps it was turning the pages, looking at the pictures, or having their own personal connection to an event or place in the story. Educators could also include some ideas for families to try out, such as including sound effects or trying to predict what happens next.

Extending the learning into the home environment and empowering families as key partners gives greater opportunities for children to develop their love of books and improve their long-term educational outcomes.

Do you have a storyteller on your team who could lead story workshops for parents and carers to attend? This could be a relaxed way to show adults how to enjoy reading with their child. Adults can rediscover the joy of being read to and learn how to read expressively. Educators can also share videos and top tips as further guidance.

Poetry is compelling, short and easy to remember storytelling that can be shared anywhere. The structure and predictability of the rhythm make them easier to recall and, when combined with imagery, helps support speech, language and communication skills.

Start with shorter poems or nursery rhymes, bring in actions and use the tone or volume of your voice to enhance the meaning of the words. Once children are familiar with the rhyme, you may find that they initiate storytelling and finish the lines off for you. You can pause to encourage them to do so.

In early years provision, the aim is to make reading a pleasure for all families, letting children see the important people around them enjoying books and stories. Every family is different, but by supporting them to see sharing a story together as a moment of connection, language and joy, even if they only manage a few minutes, will make a positive difference to their child.