Australian Kids & Family Reading Report™

Key Findings

• More than half of children aged 6–17 (58%) believe reading books for fun is extremely or very important and 60% of kids also say they love reading books for fun or like it a lot.
• Just over one-third of children aged 6–17 (37%) report they are frequent readers, with kids aged 6–8 being the most likely to read 5–7 days a week.
• As children grow older, reading competes with many screen-related activities, and 75% of parents with kids aged 6–17 agree: “I wish my child would do more things that did not involve screentime.”
• Across ages, three-quarters of children (76%) say they know they should read more books for fun; a similar number of parents (78%) wish their child would read more books for fun.

Spotlight: What Makes Frequent Readers

• Frequent readers, those who read books for fun 5–7 days a week, differ substantially from infrequent readers—those who read books for fun less than one day a week. For instance, 91% of frequent readers are currently reading at least one book for fun, while 80% of infrequent readers haven’t read a book for fun in a while.
• There are three dynamics that are among the most powerful predictors of reading frequency for children aged 6–17:
• How often a child is read books aloud
• A child’s reading enjoyment
• A child’s knowledge of their reading level
• For children aged 6–11, additional predictors of reading frequency include where they read books for fun, parental involvement in encouraging reading, and how early they started being read books aloud.
• For children aged 12–17, additional predictors of reading frequency include having parents who are frequent readers, the belief that reading books for fun is important, and in-school opportunities to talk about, find and read books.

More than six in 10 children aged 6–17 (64%) say they are currently reading at least one book for fun, with younger kids being more likely to say this than older kids.

Whether Children Are Currently Reading Books for Fun
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

Overall, just over one-third of children (37%) report they are frequent readers, with kids aged 6– 8 being the most likely to read 5–7 days a week (61%).

Frequency with Which Children Read Books for Fun
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

While nine in 10 parents of children aged 6–17 say it is extremely or very important for their child to read books for fun, 58% of kids say the same.

Parents’ and Children’s Views on the Importance of Child Reading Books for Fun
Base: Parents of Children Aged 6–17 (Left), Children Aged 6–17 (Right)

 

Children’s views on the importance of reading books for fun declines with age.

Children’s Views on the Importance of Reading Books for Fun
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

Similarly, 74% of children aged 6–8 say they love reading books for fun or like it a lot, yet this reading enjoyment decreases with age.

Degree to Which Children Enjoy Reading Books for Fun
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

Four in 10 children (40%) think kids their age should be reading books for fun 5–7 days a week.

Frequency with Which Children Feel Kids Their Age Should Read Books for Fun
Base: Parents of Children Aged 6–17

 

Children feel strong computer and strong reading skills are among the most important skills they should have. Parents, by a fairly wide margin, perceive strong reading skills as the most important skills for their children to have.

Parents’ and Children’s Views on the Three Most Important Skills Kids Should Have
Base: Parents of Children Aged 6–17 (Left) and Children Aged 6–17 (Right)

 

Younger children are more likely than older children to value strong reading, writing, and maths skills, while the likelihood to say strong social and critical thinking skills are important increases with age.

Children’s Views on the Three Most Important Skills
Kids Should Have
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

More than half of children (52%) consider themselves good readers, while fewer than two in 10 say they have trouble reading or that reading is hard for them (17%).

How Children Describe Themselves as Readers
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

As children grow older, reading competes with many activities.

Percentage of Children Who Do Activities 5–7 Days a Week
Base: Children Aged 6–17

 

Parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend on screen-related activities, particularly parents of kids aged 12–14.

Percentage of Parents Who Feel Their Children Spend Too Much Time on Each Activity
Base: Parents of Children Aged 6–17 (Left) and Children Aged 6–17

 

Just over three-quarters of parents (78%) agree they wish their child would read more books for fun; a similar number of kids (76%), across ages, say they know they should read more books for fun.

Parents’ and Children’s Agreement with Statements on Reading More Books for Fun
Base: Parents of Children Aged 6–17 (Left) and Children Aged 6–17 (Right)