New research from the National Literacy Trust reveals fewer than 1 in 2 parents (45.9%) read with their child daily, a drop of 20.2 percentage points since 2019 (66.1%).
With the National Year of Reading 2026 campaign also highlighting the decline in reading for pleasure and the importance of early reading as a foundation for learning, it’s understandable that parents are seeking advice. The most common question we are asked is “When should I start reading with my child?”. The answer is simple, it’s never too early.
Hearing stories, songs and rhymes from infancy helps children develop essential communication skills, strengthening brain pathways and building vocabulary.
But how to get started?
Regularly attending one our Book Babies classes is a wonderful way of embarking on the first stage of your child’s reading journey with us.
Book Babies encourages early language and literacy skills as we hear and sing nursery rhymes and action songs with Music Mouse, enjoy sensory stories Reading Fairy and Phonic Fox, meet animals that represent each letter of the alphabet and share a book with Book Bear.
There’s also lots you can do at home between our weekly sessions. Reading to your child every bedtime, for example, is shown to have a positive impact on their well-being for a number of reasons including cognitive development, emotional bonding and sleep quality. But reading together doesn’t have to be limited to bedtime.
You can find useful expert advice from Kayleigh, our Reading Fairy Practitioner in Isleworth, on reading together at home in our article here.
Would you like to come along to start your child’s reading journey together? You can find your local Reading Fairy class and signup here.
