How would you solve the growing reading crisis?

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My toddler is napping and I've ended up watching Vanessa. They have had a segment about who should be teaching children to read. They glanced over multiple issues and didn't state which studies they were talking about. But it got me thinking about the what the solution actually is.

Rates of older children reading for enjoyment is at an all time low. Similar story with the number of parents who are reading regularly to their younger children. Children are starting school not know how to turn pages of books. Screen time is often cited as the problem and there are studies showing the amount of screen time children are receiving can be associated to socioeconomic status.

So how would you try and fix this? Or do we just accept it?

That's awful. Punishing a child for something that's almost certainly out of their control is the absolute opposite of how to encourage children to read (and especially to read for pleasure).

I can absolutely imagine how children feel, too, when they realise that naice Mrs Jones from down the road, whose husband is an investment banker and who doesn't work, comes in every month for those Friday meetings (and her free coffee and croissant), while their mum and dad, who actually have to work, can't.

My daughter's school is in most ways excellent - her last year's teacher was such a spellbinding storyteller that I have literally just finished reading DD the book they had for class reading aloud last year, because she enjoyed it so much she wanted it again. But even they don't seem to understand that it is a totally shitty thing to do, to set up activities that parents can only make if they already have time off work/don't work.

No screens in class

No homework online

Screens should be banned for under fives

It's not a parenting aid. It's a hindrance

https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/teenage-reading-reframing-the-challenge/

https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/children-and-young-peoples-reading-in-2025/

https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/05/how-s-life-for-children-in-the-digital-age_c4a22655.html

https://goallin.org.uk/about/

https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3791

There are quite a few comments on here about the quality of children’s books (Dork Diaries, Wimpy Kid, 13 Storey Treehouse) being easy, quick reads and not ideal for kids to be reading.
Don’t be judgemental about what your kids want to read- far better to read Dork Diaries and enjoy it than to plough through something a parent considers worthy. If kids are engaged then that’s a good thing. Wanting to read is what’s important, not the perceived quality - that can come later. I read the Sweet Valley books almost exclusively when I was a pre-teen- didn’t stop me doing English Lit (and quite frankly most Shakespeare could be improved with a bit of Lila Fowler!).

Thank you.

So, quite a long way from what the OP said!

I do think it's nice to do surveys and ask children what they think, and it is interesting how results compare to previous years, but personally, this doesn't feel like anything very much to worry about it. I'd be equally unbothered if a charity focussed on healthy eating had surveyed the same number of children over 20 years and came back saying more of them had claimed to enjoy biscuits rather than apples this year. That is to say: yes, absolutely, interesting to have the responses, but not quite the same as claiming that literacy levels have actually fallen, or that reading for enjoyment is 'at an all time low' (which it manifestly isn't).

Where's your evidence for that?

I am the OP and it really isn't.

Forgive me, but is there actually any proof of literacy levels declining in a measurable way?

I don't mean a self-reporting survey, or comments on that survey from third parties, or studies of screen time.

I mean actual hard evidence?

If there's not, or if I'm just missing it and it is buried in those links, that's fine too.

Your OP claimed that reading for enjoyment was at an 'all time low'.

That's manifestly nonsense, isn't it? It's relatively recently that we even tried to teach all children to read!

It matters, this stuff.

Yes, of course, if we cherry-pick evidence we can always find a reason to wring our hands about how awful things are in the modern world. And yes, there may be genuine concerns about screen time and time-poor parents struggling to support schooling, and all sorts of other issues people have brought up on this thread.

But to imply that children in the UK in 2026 are measurably, demonstrably worse off than they have been for most of history? That's absurd and insulting.

Even if we only look back a couple of generations, so, so many children were badly failed by school systems that did not expect anything of them. So many children were not expected to learn to read. Please let's not whitewash over that. We are so very lucky, today, and so are our children. Even if it could be better, we shouldn't forget how far we've come.

For which bit?

I'm struggling to see where I issued a statement of fact that could need evidence, rather than an opinion (which, obviously, doesn't).

@SarahAndQuack

In response to data:

Yes- the OECD data. Measurable declines in adult literacy.

The PISA data - international tests given to 15 year olds with a literacy section.

Secondly,

reading for enjoyment is 'at an all time low' (which it manifestly isn't).

I agree with this. I mentioned the quality of the kids books in our library earlier on the thread because the choice and selection itself seems very poor but in general, whatever kids want to read, let them read. My daughter has read DOAWK repeatedly, she has read plenty of other things also but DOAWK is her go-to. She's clearly still getting something from it and I'm just happy to see her reading. Her best friend wasn't allowed to read it which I find mad. I also loved the Sweet Valley books but I read everything going, Mills & Boon at 10, cereal boxes, my grandpa's Unexplained magazines. If a kid is picking something up to read, just sshhh and let them read it. We do need to allow and enable reading for enjoyment.

I agree, the loss of most Children's Centres has had a devastating effect on early education and family support.

Yes, parents need to model reading for pleasure and information and should read/share books with babies and toddlers.

Schools need to concentrate more on reading for pleasure/information than in the mechanics of reading, which isn't to say that they shouldn't teach the mechanics but the emphasis should be put onto comprehension. Children should be expected to read 'real books' rather than 'Oxford Reading Tree' or similar.

The Dept of Education/OFSTED should stop forcing schools to treat all children as identified gingerbread biscuits. Children should be treated as individuals with their own needs and talents - and not just in reading!

I'm sorry, it's probably me, but when I searched 'adult literacy' in the PDF of the OECD link you gave, the term didn't come up? I googled the PISA data you mentioned - thanks. That's what I was getting at. Interesting to see the suggestion that Covid may have played a large part here, which makes sense. I think that probably also encouraged a lot of children towards screens, so it would make sense.

(Goodness, can you tell I am shattered!? Too many repetitions of 'it makes sense' there.)

They are surveying readers. There are still non readers today, people who don't have the capacity to read. They are not included.

I have never said that we are unlucky. I think its absurd and insulting to say that because most people over the entire history of mankind hasn't had the opportunity to learn to read that it doesn't matter if the rates of children enjoying reading are dropping.

All three of my children read books, that’s because I read daily , we have lots of books every where and we still read with the younger ones. We also go to the library, do summer reading challenge.

Once kids are past toddler age a lot of parents stop bothering and will just do their school reading book which is not designed to give them a love of reading.

@SarahAndQuack

https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2024/12/adult-skills-in-literacy-and-numeracy-declining-or-stagnating-in-most-oecd-countries.html

Press release on it there!

This is super unfashionable, but on the subject of books for enjoyment ... I really don't think anyone has ever improved on Puddle Lane for learning to read. Lovely stories, lovely artwork, really nice imaginative language that's also simple. I loved them and I bought them for DD who also loved them.

I get the argument for letting children read trash to promote enjoyment (though goodness knows there's nothing like the lure of a banned book - I burned my way through Sweet Valley High for just that reason). But I do see some of the stuff children are given and think it's no wonder they don't think reading will be very enjoyable.

There you go.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jun/11/children-reading-enjoyment-falls-national-literacy-trust

Thanks.

I know I sound picky, but there's a massive difference between 'we've measured a decline since 2013' and the scaremongering of 'levels at an all time low'.

Should we be bothered about a survey suggesting there's been decline in literacy in the past decade or so? Yes, worth thinking about IME. I'd definitely be worried about the general state of the world and the impact that's having on all of us. And I'd definitely be worried about the indication that there's not just a decline in literacy, but a broadening of educational inequality.

Should we act as if this generation is in a state of unprecedented crisis? Mmm, seems a bit premature!

Sorry, no, this is just the Guardian reporting on the same old survey.

It's not indicating levels are at an 'all time low,' which is what the OP said.

I think surveys asking people to self-report are interesting and valuable, but they have limits.

Capacity to read isn't binary: that's the point. Many people, throughout history and today, can read a bit, but not easily; many people can't read well enough to find it enjoyable.

I do see you're not saying we're unlucky, but I think the tone of your OP and of the thread is one of crisis and hang-wringing, and ... I'm just not really sure it's fair.

I must admit I also think (and I don't think this is your fault!) that the thread has a strand of smug parenting about it, which isn't helpful. The extreme example of that would be someone apparently happy about a school shaming children who didn't have SAHP/parent who could get time off work to come into school. That's awful! That's not ok. And the poster who explained how she desperately needs more support, as a carer to her child, is making an excellent point too.

Schools giving reception children reading books on apps is a cost saver, can be seen as the only viable option for underfunded schools. I’m an EYFS link governor and those thin book cost a few pounds each. You’d be astounded at the number that go home and are lost/never to return by parents who don’t give a stuff. Providing reading to children on apps stops additional cost, depressing but as simple as that.

I think books are appreciated by children if the caregivers place as much emphasis on them as they do on other pastimes. If you take your child to football matches regularly, they’ll probably grow up to become a fan. Likewise if you show a child how to read for pleasure, this joy will flourish into adulthood.

I take my kids (toddlers to teens) to the library at least twice a week. I read to the toddler for a good half an hour where he will happily sit listening and engaging. The teen takes himself off to look at some factual books but the middle, primary aged child protests she ‘can only read at bedtime’ and so just mooches about.

She and my teen will happily read at bedtime for a good long while once screens have been ‘put to bed’. I don’t restrict reading time, so if they are engrossed they can read until they fall asleep.

I also make sure my kids always have a few books of their choosing in stock at home (regular trips to the charity shop at 50p a book). I want them to read for pleasure, although teachers have told them to broaden their genres, I’d rather they read what they want to. I think having access to books is a huge issue. Even the toddler has books available at eye level. Books become a part of everyday life, in this way.

Indeed, my kids are miffed when they go to someone’s house and report back, ‘There are no books anywhere mum! Not one book in the whole house!’

I recall times at school when reading projects were set and other kids didn’t participate because they had no books. My brain just couldn’t accept this information?! We are not talking about poor impoverished families on the breadline. These are kids who have multiple luxury holidays a year and the latest technology. But zero books. Mind boggling to me.