Barriers to reading books for under 5s

Accessibility is a huge issue for children being able to read for pleasure. Public libraries have been grossly underfunded for years, forcing many to reduce their services, restricting the ranges of books available by preventing them stocking new books, or having to close their doors altogether.

A similarly dire picture is painted within schools, with decades of austerity leading to a lack of provisions within school libraries. It is shocking when confronted with the fact that, whilst it is a legal requirement for all prisons in the UK to have a library, there is no such requirement for schools.

Sadly, it is children from the most disadvantaged areas who are worst affected by this. Many children from the poorest areas in the UK don't have access to books at home. Research has shown that in 2019 only one third of children aged 0–13 were being read to by their parents every day, or nearly every day.
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This, combined with public library closures and school libraries being severely depleted or non-existent, makes it hardly surprising that kids are looking to digital sources of entertainment instead of picking up a book to read.

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Overemphasis on literacy reduces enjoyment in reading
One of the factors being blamed for children losing interest in reading for pleasure is the heavy focus on reading for literacy in schools. There’s no denying that learning literacy skills is vital for childhood development, but there needs to be a balanced approach.

Too much emphasis on reading purely as a means to an end – to achieve certain grades and be able to get a job – is damaging. Reading for the sheer love of the words, the way the sentences flow, the imagery conjured up, the other worlds to explore and the characters we can relate to and identify with – there is so much more to books than simply learning to read and write.

How to rekindle a love of reading in the next generation
Back to the original question, then – how do we encourage children to read for pleasure in the digital age?
Though the decline in children reading books for enjoyment is clearly an area for concern, that is not to say that digital forms of storytelling and entertainment are bad or should not be used.

There are many benefits to utilising digital formats. The internet and social media are powerful tools for sharing information quickly with a large, global audience.

When used in the right way, they can serve to increase interest in books by promoting new book launches, telling people about upcoming literary festivals and author events, and to connect and communicate with the people who are the gatekeepers of children reading – the parents, carers, teachers and childcare providers who can all help to nurture a lifelong love of reading in children.

Many children’s TV shows have been created from much-loved books, bringing the stories and characters to life and helping to engage children’s imaginations. There are games and interactive online platforms using characters from books, to help children learn whilst having fun.
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Arguably the best way to engage young readers and get children reading books for pleasure is threefold:
1.     Improving accessibility of books for all children within schools and public libraries through proper funding.
2.      Ensuring all school children experience at least one author visit per academic year.
3.      Using a blended approach to storytelling, through digital and printed forms of entertainment and education.
All children, regardless of their background or family circumstances, deserve to have access to books on a daily basis. Only then can we hope to rekindle a love of reading in the next generation.
 
Do you have any other ways to engage children and inspire enjoyment of books? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Follow me on Twitter @MelBrannlund or email me [email protected].

Look out for Melissa's latest articles on Anita Frost's author website, where she'll talk about topics including business and publishing, author news and events, and giving back to communities. You can find her in-depth monthly feature on the News & Media page of the Green Bean Collection website, discussing children's books and reading, early years education, living a greener lifestyle and all things Green Bean! ​