Family reading facts
Children's Reading & Storytime Statistics
A current collection of U.S. numbers on children's reading, family storytime, libraries, and the media habits that shape childhood. Every statistic below links to the organization that reported it.
Last updated August 25, 2026. Source dates are shown with each statistic.
At a glance
Reading together can be wonderfully ordinary, and the numbers show why it deserves a place in family life. These facts bring together the early years, school-age reading habits, library access, and the bigger media environment families are navigating.
85%
were read to at least three times in one week
Among U.S. children ages 3 to 5 who were not yet in kindergarten, based on parent reports.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Home Literacy Activities With Young Children (2019 parent survey data)87%
were told a story by a family member
Among U.S. children ages 3 to 5 who were not yet in kindergarten, at least once in the prior week.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Home Literacy Activities With Young Children (2019 parent survey data)96%
explored letters, words, or numbers with family
Among U.S. children ages 3 to 5 who were not yet in kindergarten, at least once in the prior week.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Home Literacy Activities With Young Children (2019 parent survey data)37%
visited a library with family
Among U.S. children ages 3 to 5 who were not yet in kindergarten, at least once in the prior month.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Home Literacy Activities With Young Children (2019 parent survey data)28%
of children say they read for fun most days
Among ages 6 to 17, a frequent reader was defined as reading books for fun five to seven days a week.
Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Reading Lives of Kids and Parents (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)46% / 15%
frequent readers at ages 6 to 8 versus 15 to 17
The same report found that children’s frequent reading declines sharply across these age groups.
Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Reading Lives of Kids and Parents (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)70% / 46%
say they enjoy reading at ages 6 to 8 versus 12 to 17
The figures describe children who say they enjoy reading books for fun.
Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Reading Lives of Kids and Parents (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)83%
name parents as their primary reading role models
Among children ages 6 to 17 surveyed about who influences their reading lives.
Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Reading Lives of Kids and Parents (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)63%
get most of their books from libraries
This includes public, school, and classroom libraries in the Kids & Family Reading Report.
Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Key Findings (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)31%
of fourth-graders performed at or above NAEP Proficient
This is a national reading assessment result from 2024. NAEP notes that its Proficient level is not the same as a state or district grade-level standard.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2024 Reading Results (2024 assessment)2.5 hours
of daily screen time for children age 8 and under
The 2025 census also found that 40% of children had a tablet by age 2.
Source: Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (2025 report)What these numbers can and cannot tell us
The studies use different age groups and methods, so the figures are not meant to be stacked into one scorecard. They do show a useful picture: family storytime remains common in the early years, children's reading-for-fun habits change as they grow, and libraries continue to matter for access to books.
For a family, one shared story can be a small, easy place to talk, laugh, imagine, or try a brave next step together. For anyone writing about children's books, storytime, libraries, or early literacy, the linked sources provide the full context behind each number.
Sources and methodology
This page includes only figures published by the named source organizations. Survey results are labeled with their survey period, and the national reading-assessment result is labeled with its 2024 assessment year. No figures have been estimated or rounded beyond the source's own published presentation.
- Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Home Literacy Activities With Young Children (2019 parent survey data)
- Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Reading Lives of Kids and Parents (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)
- Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, Key Findings (2022 survey data, reported in 2024)
- Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2024 Reading Results (2024 assessment)
- Source: Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (2025 report)
Cite this page
Super Duper Pajama Kids. (2026, August 25). Children's Reading & Storytime Statistics. Retrieved from https://superduperpka.com/childrens-reading-storytime-statistics
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