How Much Should a Child Read Each Day? A Guide by Age
How Much Should a Child Read Every Day? A Guide by Age
There's no official number, but there is a sensible guide. Minutes by age, why daily matters more than long, and what to do if your child won't read for that long.
By Jaswanth Nalluri, Co-founder of Bookstaken16 March 20266 min read
"Twenty minutes a day" is the number many schools give, and it's a sensible target for most children. But there's no official rule, and the right amount depends on your child's age and how reading feels for them right now.
What matters most is that reading happens on most days. This guide covers how much to aim for at each age, what counts, and how to build up from wherever your child is.
In short
There's no official number. Around 10 to 30 minutes a day suits most children aged 6 to 14, rising with age.
Daily beats long. Ten minutes every day does more than an hour once a week.
Being read to and audiobooks count, especially for younger children and reluctant readers.
Start where your child is. If 20 minutes is a fight, start with five and build up.
Watch the reader, not the clock. A child who asks for the next book is reading enough.
How much should a child read, by age?
Age
Reading on their own
Being read to, or reading together
3–5
Looking at books and telling the story from the pictures
10–15 minutes a day
6–7
10–20 minutes
15 minutes or more
8–10
20–30 minutes
Still worth keeping, even when they read well
11–14
30 minutes or more
Sharing and talking about books
These are rough guides, not rules. A child who is just learning to read may find ten minutes tiring, while a keen reader may read for an hour without noticing. Both are fine.
What about an 8-, 12- or 13-year-old?
Why a few minutes a day adds up
In a classic study of US fifth graders, the children who read the most outside school read about 21 minutes of books a day, roughly 1.8 million words a year. The child in the middle read under five minutes a day, about 282,000 words. Time spent reading books was the strongest link to how much their reading improved (Anderson, Wilson & Fielding, 1988).
Over the years, that gap becomes millions of words, and with them vocabulary, background knowledge and reading speed. The benefits last, too: in a long-running UK study, children who read for pleasure at 10 and at 16 made more progress in vocabulary, spelling and maths between those ages than those who rarely did (Sullivan & Brown, UCL Institute of Education, 2013).
Why daily matters more than long
Habits form through repetition at the same point in the day, not through occasional big efforts (Lally et al., 2010). Ten minutes after the evening meal, every day, will do more than a long session whenever there's time.
Short sessions also keep reading enjoyable. Stopping while your child still wants to read on makes tomorrow's reading easier to start. Our guide to building a reading habit covers how to set up a routine that lasts.
What counts as reading time?
Books of any kind: stories, non-fiction, comics and graphic novels.
Magazines, match reports, recipes and instructions, if your child is actually reading them.
Being read to. It builds vocabulary and a love of stories, and children can follow harder books by ear than they can read alone.
Audiobooks. They count, especially on tiring days, though children also need practice reading the words themselves.
What doesn't count: scrolling, and anything where the words are only a small part of what's on the screen.
What if your child won't read for that long?
Start with what they can manage, even five minutes, and build up a few minutes at a time once it feels easy.
Read together. Take turns, a page each, or read aloud and let them follow.
Let them choose the book. A book they picked is a book they're more likely to keep reading.
Stop before it becomes a struggle, so the next session isn't dreaded.
Check it isn't too hard. If the words themselves are hard work, talk to their teacher. Our guide to why children don't like reading lists the signs.
Reading with someone helps too: a parent, an older cousin, or a mentor. In our 1:1 online reading classes, your child reads a real book picked for their interests and talks it through with a trained college mentor. Between sessions, a short reading quest keeps the book going. For ages 6–14; the first session is free.
Try a reading routine that fits tonight
Here is one possible routine to adapt, rather than a daily quota:
Signs your child is reading enough
Minutes are only a rough measure. These are better signs:
They talk about the stories they read.
They ask for the next book in a series.
They sometimes read without being asked.
They can manage longer or harder books than a few months ago.
Reading time doesn't start with an argument.
Frequently asked questions
Is 20 minutes of reading a day enough?
For most children aged 6 to 14, yes. It's a good daily target, and children who enjoy reading will often read for longer on their own.
How long should a 7-year-old read each day?
About 10 to 20 minutes on their own, plus being read to. If reading is still hard work, shorter sessions and more reading together are fine.
How long should a 10-year-old read each day?
About 20 to 30 minutes. This is also the age when many children stop reading for fun, so keep the books matched to their interests and the routine relaxed.
Does being read to count as reading time?
Yes. Being read to builds vocabulary and comprehension, and it's worth keeping up after your child can read alone. Aim for some reading on their own as well.
Do audiobooks count?
Yes. They build vocabulary and a love of stories, and they're a good way to keep reading going on busy or tiring days. Mix them with reading the words.
For an 8-year-old, look at the 8–10 row above; for a 12- or 13-year-old, look at 11–14. Treat the times as flexible suggestions, not a minimum your child must reach. Start with what feels manageable, even if that is a few minutes together.
Reading aloud and reading independently are different activities. You can keep sharing a story after your child can read alone, and a shorter session is fine on a tiring day.
After homework or dinner, let your child choose a manageable book or comic. They can read a little independently, or you can take turns.
Share a favourite moment or one question about the story. Stop at a comfortable point, even if that comes sooner than planned.
Keep a book chosen just for enjoyment alongside school reading. If homework has already been demanding, make this a short shared moment.
If five minutes feels hard, check whether the book is too difficult, the topic is uninteresting or your child is tired. Try an easier format, a different choice or reading together before asking for more time.
Yes, as long as sleep, homework, play and time with friends still happen. A child who loses track of time in a book is exactly where you want them to be.
