Book Love: How to Get Excited About Reading To Your Kids

As a children’s librarian, helping families read together is the most rewarding part of my job. And, as a new parent, I understand how challenging that can be—you are underslept, overstimulated, and reading on someone else’s schedule. When I first started working with children and families, it was clear how confusing and overwhelming choosing books can be for some parents. Their gratitude was evident.

The importance of reading as a family can’t be underestimated. It does so much for kiddos, such as expanding their language skills, stimulating their brain activity, and teaching them about concepts and experiences. But the biggest, most wonderful part is what it does for the parent-child bond. Since reading can help relax, it can encourage both the adult and the child to slow down, listen to each other, and chill out. After all, the quickest way to get a snuggle from my excited little almost-toddler is to offer to read her a book. Then she just plops herself onto my lap as the story begins.

Still, sometimes, I just want to zone out and stare at my ceiling or phone. Instead, I must do voices and read yet again the same book about food or shapes with enthusiasm. Librarian or not, reading at the urging of someone else can feel frustrating and even boring at times.

But then I’ll remind myself that kids only want us to read to them for so long, and the internet and my ceiling will still be around after she goes to sleep that night. Usually, that’s enough to propel me out of my reading resentment, but if not, how do you push through and actually enjoy—nay, love—the experience of reading to your kids? First, accept that it will sometimes be tedious and just fake it till you make it. But if that isn’t enough, well, I have suggestions for jazzing up the actual activity.

Pick Books that Interest You

This is so crucial. Look, sometimes you are gonna need to read a snoozer, that’s just a fact. One of my daughter’s faves is just baby faces with minimal words, and that isn’t high on my personal Best Reads of 2025 list. But generally, my daughter’s bookshelf is packed with books I chose because their art or story speaks to me. We are in a golden era of children’s books for all ages, and there is so much quality out there. It’s fantastic. If you don’t know where to start, visit your local library and tell the librarian what sorts of books you and your kid like; maybe they can help you find something that will hit both interests.

Add an Activity

Reading can be combined with a more hands-on activity. Read a book and then cook or bake food inspired by it. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; for instance, put together a Very Hungry Caterpillar charcuterie plate with the various foods that fuzzy little hero eats, or decorate cookies to look like your kid’s favourite middle grade book characters. Or read a book and follow it up with a movie night showcasing the film version. That option has the added bonus of giving you some time to quietly drift off.

Snuggle Up

This will look different depending on the child’s age, but make reading together a snuggly bonding experience if that’s something both you and your kiddo would enjoy. When my daughter is sitting in my lap instead of on the floor next to me, I can breathe in her sweet toddler scent, and it reminds me why exactly I read books to my tiny muffin in the first place.

Exchange Books with Friends

Perhaps you’ve read everything you own a zillion times already, you don’t have time to hit the library, and you haven’t hung out with another adult who isn’t your partner or parent in ages. You should meet up with a child-having friend or two and have a book swap. Get your socializing in while you renew your reading choices, that’s a win-win.

Even after all that, sometimes reading with your small human is going to bore you. We all have bad moods, but by trying some of these ideas, you might gain a new enthusiasm for reading with your kid. And when in doubt, ask a children’s librarian!

Not sure where to start? Check out these guides: