Kickstart the New Year with a love of reading: 5 low-cost reading activities for families

As we welcome the New Year, it’s the perfect time for resolutions that truly make a difference. For families, encouraging a love of reading is one of the most powerful ways to support children’s learning and imagination. This year, as part of the National Year of Reading, our Mind the Gap campaign is focused on helping children from all backgrounds discover the joy of reading – and helping families find simple ways to make this happen at home.

Children from disadvantaged communities are more likely to start school behind in literacy, which can affect their confidence and long-term educational outcomes. In an exclusive video session, Prof. Teresa Cremin CBE offers some key advice for families on how to help close this gap, and help their child on their reading for pleasure journey.

Why start fostering a love of reading at home?

Starting early matters. Reading for pleasure is, as Teresa explains, children choosing to read and developing the habit of reading. Research shows that children who enjoy reading from a young age develop stronger language skills – so starting off this habit early is key. Reading isn’t just about books – it’s about curiosity, communication and connection. Children who are read to regularly are more likely to do well in school, express themselves clearly, and develop empathy for others.

The great news? Encouraging reading doesn’t need to cost a lot. There are plenty of low-cost, easy ways to bring stories and words into your home and everyday life.

Here are five low-cost activities that families can enjoy together:

1. Visit Your Local Library

Libraries are free, welcoming spaces full of books, storytelling sessions, and fun activities. Many libraries also lend audio books, so you don’t even need physical books at home. Make a library visit a regular habit – children love the excitement of choosing new stories and taking part in library events.

Or, if there isn’t a library accessible to you, check out online libraries like Borrow Box.

👉 Try searching for your local library online or ask at your community centre.

2. Create a Family Reading Corner at Home

Set aside a cosy nook in your home with pillows, blankets and books. Encourage children to choose their favourite stories and read aloud together. Even 10 – 15 minutes of shared reading each day can help build vocabulary, comprehension skills, and a love for storytelling.

👉 Try and build reading into your routine at any point in the day – the best reading time is different for every family!

3. Storytelling Walks

Turn everyday walks into adventures and show children that storytelling isn’t limited to books. Encourage children to notice the world around them – trees, animals, signs – and create stories based on what they see.

You could ask questions like: 

• “If this tree could talk, what would it say?”
• “Can you make up a story about that bird?”
• “What do you think that squirrel is doing today?”

Access the Open University’s ​“Reading Together Treasure Hunt” and discover ways to celebrate different types of reading around the house – and show that the magic of storytelling can exist everywhere.

4. Swap and Share Books

Organise a book swap with friends, neighbours, or your local community group. This is a wonderful way for children to discover new stories without spending money. Encourage children to chat about their likes and dislikes and share how stories link to experiences and places in their own lives. This helps reinforcing reading as a fun, social activity.

5. Make Reading Interactive

Turn reading into a creative activity: draw scenes from a story, act out characters, or even create your own mini-books. Interactive reading makes stories come alive and helps children connect emotionally to what they’re reading, making them more likely to return to books for fun.

Tip: Ask questions to help your child think about the story:

• “What do you think this character will do next?”
• “How would you feel if you were in this story?”
• “Can you spot something in the picture that isn’t in the words?”

👉 You can discover more questions to ask your child through the Open University’s Book Chat guide, or visit our Kahoot! page to find fun, ready‑to‑play quizzes for young learners.

This New Year, let’s make a resolution that lasts a lifetime: read together, explore stories, and inspire a love of reading. After all, the best gift you can give a child is the joy of discovering a world beyond their own.