What Is Reading for Pleasure (and Why It Matters So Much)?

If you’ve ever curled up with a good book just because you wanted to, you’ve experienced Reading for Pleasure. It’s that wonderful kind of reading we do for the sheer joy of it - not because someone told us to, but because we’re drawn in by the story, the characters, or the curiosity to learn something new.

In schools, you might hear it called “Reading for Pleasure,” but around the world it’s also known as “free reading,” “voluntary reading,” or even “leisure reading.” Whatever the name, the idea is the same - it’s reading by choice, motivated by interest, and sustained by enjoyment.

And it’s not just about novels or storybooks. Reading for Pleasure can mean diving into a comic, flicking through a recipe book, exploring a football magazine, or even scrolling through an article online. The key is that you choose to read it, and you keep coming back because it makes you feel something - relaxed, inspired, curious, or connected.

For children, being read to can be just as magical. Those shared story moments - whether it’s a bedtime book or a group read-aloud at school - help children see reading as something joyful and social. They start to associate books with warmth, laughter, and connection, which is exactly what builds lifelong readers.

Reading for Pleasure and Children’s Attainment

Here’s the really exciting part - reading for pleasure doesn’t just make children happier, it actually helps them do better in school too. A growing body of research, both in the UK and internationally, shows that children who choose to read for fun tend to achieve higher results across a range of subjects.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which looks at 10-year-olds’ reading progress in around 50 countries, found that children who enjoy reading and choose to read outside of school score higher on reading assessments. It makes sense, doesn’t it? The more children read, the better they get at it - but it goes even further than that.

Studies have shown that reading for pleasure is linked not only to stronger reading skills, but also to better grammar, vocabulary, and even higher grades in maths and science. In fact, the OECD has found that a child’s enjoyment of reading is a stronger predictor of future success than their family’s socio-economic background. That’s huge.

And it starts early. Research shows that children who are read to regularly at age four or five go on to have higher attainment in reading, maths, and cognitive skills by the time they’re eight or nine. So those bedtime stories really do make a difference!

The Decline in Children’s Reading for Pleasure

Despite all these benefits, there’s a worrying trend - fewer children are choosing to read for fun. The National Literacy Trust’s 2019 survey found that only just over half of children and young people said they enjoy reading, and only a quarter read daily. That’s the lowest level of reading enjoyment since 2013.

Younger children still love it - around three-quarters of 5–8-year-olds said they enjoy reading - but by the teenage years, that number drops to just 40%. Boys, in particular, are reading less for pleasure than girls.

And it’s not just a UK issue. International studies show similar declines, especially among boys and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. With so much competition from screens and busy schedules, reading for fun is quietly slipping away for many children.

But here’s the hopeful part - we can change that. Parents, teachers, librarians, and communities all have a role to play in making reading feel joyful again. We can’t make children enjoy reading, but we can create the conditions that help them fall in love with it - by reading aloud, offering choice, celebrating stories, and showing that reading is something to be enjoyed, not endured.

Bringing the Joy Back to Reading

If we want children to grow into confident, curious learners, helping them fall in love with reading is one of the best gifts we can give. It doesn’t have to be complicated - a few minutes of shared reading, a trip to the library, or simply letting them choose what they want to read can make all the difference.

Let’s make reading for pleasure part of everyday life again, one story at a time.