For the Love of Books: How To Keep Reading Fun During the School Year

Here we go: school is BACK in session! From the homework to after-school activities to the family obligations, fall is the kickoff to busy season, and sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to fit reading into the mix.

The thing is, raising passionate readers is about more than phonics and reading comprehension. It’s about the joy and fun that reading brings into our lives. During the school year, kids will work on their reading skills in the classroom, but families also have an important role: protecting the joy that comes with reading for pleasure.

Now that summer is over, schedules are tighter, and there’s less free time. Reading time needs to be more strategic.

So yes, we’re planning out how to read for fun.

These simple tips will help busy students keep reading for FUN, even when school is taking up most of their time.

Why Reading for Fun Still Matters

If kids are already reading at school, why does supplemental reading still matter? While schools provide important reading instruction, this doesn’t replace reading as an independent habit.

There’s a difference between reading because you have to and reading because you WANT to.

According to the latest data from The Nation’s Report Card, average reading scores for 9-year-old students were 4 points higher in 2025 compared to 2022. However, only 37% of students read for fun almost every day. That number drops to just 14% for 13-year-olds. We’ve got a gap. Students are becoming better at reading, but are they enjoying reading?

Reading for fun isn’t just about becoming a better reader. It gives kids a chance to choose what interests them, get lost in a story, and take a break from the demands of the school day. Research has also linked reading for pleasure with positive well-being and stronger social and emotional outcomes.

Reading for fun matters because reading isn’t just a skill. It’s something we want our kids to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

And during the busy school year, protecting that enjoyment may take a little more intention.

5 Ways To Keep Reading Fun During the School Year

The most important thing about balancing school assignments and reading for fun is to honor that both are important. We aren’t going to try to merge these tasks (unless your child has an independent reading log).

Of course, finding time to read is part of the equation. Those small pockets of time can make a big difference during the busy school year, but that’s only half the battle. The goal is to create the conditions where your child WANTS to make time for reading. These small parenting choices can help communicate that reading is special and worth making time for.

Let bedtime reading be their choice.
No matter what else your child is required to read throughout the day, when it comes to bedtime reading, they’re in charge. A favorite reread? Sure. Graphic novel? Absolutely. A book that seems way too easy. Fine! The point is that this is their reading time.

Make books and reading an easy “yes”.
Maybe your kid has to save up for that new toy they want, but when they ask for a book? If you can swing it, say yes! Building a home library sends a powerful message that books are worth having.

Similarly, if your child wants to stay up an extra 15 minutes because they’re absorbed in a book, let them (within reason, of course!). This makes reading feel like a treat, not an obligation.

Give permission to take a break – or quit.
Reading fatigue is REAL, especially during the start of the school year. Your child may just not have the energy to pick up a book. Give them grace. Ten minutes of reading is great – but so is taking a night off and trying again tomorrow.

And if the problem is the book? Let them quit that too. We all have books we didn’t finish! Move on and help them find another book they will enjoy. We want to maintain a positive relationship with books, so reading doesn’t become synonymous with work.

Let them see YOU reading.
This is classic advice, but it works! If every spare minute we have is spent scrolling on our phones, it’s hard to convince kids that reading is a fun way to spend downtime.

So put down the phone, pick up your book, and let them see that reading isn’t something you only do because someone told you to. And honestly? Couldn’t we all use a break from doomscrolling?

Make books a part of daily conversation.
Talking about books shouldn’t feel like a book report or comprehension check. Instead, try asking about a character, whether they like the story, or what they would do differently. Better yet, read the same book and talk about it together. These conversation starters can help!

Overall? Make sure that even when reading becomes part of the school day, your child still has opportunities to experience books as something fun, relaxing, and completely their own. Because reading isn’t just a skill to master. It’s a lifelong gift — one they should enjoy.