Eighty six percent of children, aged 6-17 years, say that “my favourite books are the ones that I have picked out myself’”, reveals the report of the survey conducted by Scholastic India, part of the global children's publishing, education and media company Scholastic Inc.
Its first-ever 'Kids & Family Reading ReportTM', India Edition, a national survey of Indian children aged 6-17 years and their parents, and also parents of children aged 0-5, aimed at exploring their attitudes and behaviours. reveals , “88 percent of boys and 86 percent of girls equally agree that they would read more if they could find more books that they like”.
The majority of children, 81 per cent, in this critical age group enjoys reading books for fun and more than three-quarters, 77 percent, of children believe reading books for fun is extremely or very important. While the report also shares that 92 percent of children are reading books for fun at least once a week, only 32 percent are reading 5-7 days a week.
Speaking on the report findings, Neeraj Jain, Managing Director, Scholastic India said, “The love of reading books can transform a child’s prospects for success”. The survey was conducted among 1,752 parents and children.
One of the most powerful predictors of reading frequency in children aged 6-17 is being read to by parents 5-7 days a week. Across all ages, 85 percent of children love being read to aloud, and among kids aged 6-11 whose parents have stopped reading aloud to them, more than half, 57 percent, wish their parents had continued.
Parents of children aged 0-5 shared that the top benefit they want for their child when they read books for fun is development of vocabulary and language skills. Overall, only 27 percent of parents started reading aloud to their children before age one, and 60 percent began reading books aloud to their child at two years or older.
The survey findings show that children who are given time for independent reading at school are more likely to be frequent readers, yet only half of children aged 6-17 have the opportunity to do so as a class or school. More, only 11 percent read a book of their choice independently every school day. Nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, of children express positive feelings about independent reading time at school and more than four in ten, 45 percent, feel that reading time is one of their favourite parts of the school day.