Make it a routine, not a chore
A reading habit needs a reliable slot. Pick a time that already exists — after dinner, before bed — and read then, every day. When reading has a home in the schedule, you stop having to summon the willpower to start; it just happens, like brushing teeth.
Let them choose
Nothing kills reading faster than forcing the "right" book. Choice is what drives motivation, so let your child pick — comics, joke books, the same dinosaur book for the ninth time, whatever pulls them in. The goal at this stage is to build the habit and the love; the reading level will climb on its own once they want to turn the page.
Read together and let them see you read
Reading aloud together, even with kids who can read alone, keeps it warm and social. And kids copy what they see — a parent who reads for pleasure quietly teaches that reading is something people choose to do, not just a school task.
Keep books everywhere
Make books the easiest thing to grab: a basket in the living room, a few by the bed, some in the car. Visible, available books get read; books shut in a bedroom shelf don't.
Track progress gently
A reading streak or a simple minutes log gives kids something to feel proud of — as long as it stays celebratory, not pressuring. "Look, eight days in a row!" works. Turning it into a quota that feels like homework doesn't.
Helping a reluctant reader
If reading is a fight, shrink it and widen what counts. Five minutes is a win. Graphic novels are real reading. Audiobooks build vocabulary and a love of story. Let them re-read favorites. The aim is to keep the door open, not to force a chapter book before they're ready.
Goodlings turns daily reading into a habit kids want to keep — a quick reading log, a gentle streak, and a sprout pet that grows the more they read.