6 ways to use rewards to encourage reading

 

Rewards don’t have to be complicated to make a big impact on your child’s reading habits. From celebrating tiny milestones to turning stories into real-life adventures, these tips help create a positive and lasting relationship with books.

 

1. Celebrate the small wins
Sometimes a little acknowledgment goes a long way - you don’t always need to wait for a big milestone. Especially if your child is a more reluctant reader, celebrating a daily habit can be fantastic encouragement. A simple reward for showing up to read helps a child feel that their effort is seen and valued. 
 
2. Celebrate milestones, not just pages
As children’s reading confidence grows, try celebrating the completion of a whole book or a full week of daily reading rather than every single chapter. This shifts the focus from "getting it over with" to the satisfaction of finishing a journey. A simple sticker on a chart or a "book certificate" can make a child feel like they’ve truly achieved something special.

 

 Parents suggest:
  • Do a reward chart for a month add a sticker for every book etc they read. Then do a day out or a treat. Even a new book they get to pick themselves.
  •  Just start reading every day even for 10mins and build from there. In the holidays give them a reading list and build in rewards for 5/10/15 books read. Ask them about what's happening in their current book each morning.
  • To gamify the experience, introduce ‘reading passports’ or sticker charts where kids earn rewards for reading different genres or completing challenges.
 
 3. Make books the reward
One of the best ways to keep the focus on reading is to make the prize another book! A trip to the bookstore to pick out anything they want, or a special "new book night," reinforces that reading is the treat. It turns the reward system into a self-sustaining cycle of curiosity. You can even use the promise of a new book as a reward for something not reading related, like finishing chores, so a new book is seen as something to be enjoyed and not just another task.
 
Parents suggest:
  • Buy them books and make it exciting and like a reward.
  • Allow your child to pick a book. Shop with your child for new books. Make it fun and exciting. Make the trip to the local library an adventure.
 
4. Use ‘time’ as an Incentive
Sometimes the best reward isn't a "thing," but an experience. You might offer an extra 15 minutes of stay-up-late time if that time is spent reading in bed. This frames reading as a privilege and a way to relax, rather than a task they have to finish before they can do something else.

 

Parents suggest:
  • I let them stay up later if they're reading rather than if they're watching TV or playing video games.
  • The kids' screens have to go off at 9 pm and they can then play in their room or read in bed. Once they're reading, they can keep reading as late as they like but they generally switch off after half an hour.
 

5. Create a family reading goal
Try working toward a reward as a team. If the whole family reaches a certain number of books or minutes, you could plan a themed movie night based on one of the books you read. This takes the pressure off the individual child and turns reading into a shared family mission.
 
6. Link rewards to real-life adventures
If your child finishes a book with a historical setting, a great reward could be a trip to a local museum. If the story involves a natural setting like a wood or a beach, let it inspire a family day out. This shows them that the things they read about have a direct, exciting connection to the world around them. It transforms a "prize" into a meaningful memory.