Reading five times a week without it becoming a chore
1 min read Published 18 Oct 2026
By Holly Keenan, Primary School TeacherI completely understand. Five times a week sounds daunting on top of everything else, and if reading has started to feel like a chore in your house, you're not alone. The most important thing I'd want you to know is that consistency matters far more than duration.
A happy five minutes wins
Always prioritise a happy five minute session over a twenty minute battle. What we're really trying to do is foster a meaningful love of reading, and that only happens when reading feels good.
Ways to lighten the load
Keep it short: five minutes still counts
Share the book: if the whole reading book feels too much for now, take turns and read a page each
Stop on a high: finish while it's still enjoyable, even if you haven't reached the end
In Reception (EYFS)
At this stage, reading could also look like a bedtime story where you read to them, and they spot their tricky words or a grapheme they're struggling to grasp.
What's a grapheme? It's the written letter, or group of letters, that stands for a sound. For example "sh", "ai" or "igh".
This article is published by ParentBoost. It was written or reviewed for ParentBoost by the contributor below and edited by our team. It is general information for parents, not individual professional advice.
Holly Keenan
Primary School Teacher
Holly is a primary school teacher with experience across Reception, Year 1 and Year 3, and currently teaches Year 3. She holds a BA degree and a PGCE. Having taught children from their very first weeks at school through to the juniors, Holly shares the practical, everyday ways parents can support learning at home without it turning into a battle.
This article is general guidance for parents and carers, not medical, health, legal or other professional advice. Every child is different. If you're worried about your child's health or development, talk to your GP, health visitor or another suitable professional. In an emergency, call 999. For urgent advice, call NHS 111.
