While reading is an activity that can be done anywhere, there is something about having a reading nook that elevates the experience. Getting cozy with a book in a relaxing, intimate, designated place can help readers lose themselves more completely in the story they’re reading. This space should be comfy, inviting, and magical. Once this is achieved, your children will want to spend time there each day. 

Remember that your reading nook will have to rival your TV and video game setup. Otherwise, they will simply pass by it on their way to the couch and controls. So up your decorating game (and don’t rule out that snack dispenser)! Here are some ideas on how to create that special spot for your burgeoning readers.

Make it Comfy

Grab your softest, coziest pillows, throws, floor cushions, or rugs to assemble in one area. Put them on or near a rocking chair, recliner, armchair, oversize bean bag, day bed, or window bench. Show your child how important reading is by setting aside a specific spot for it. Perfect locations for converting could be a small corner, playroom, landing, loft, alcove, attic, opening under the staircase, or unused closet with a sheer curtain. Most importantly, surround this pillowy, hallowed scene with books!

Make it Inviting

Make it Magical

You can really kick your nook up a notch by incorporating a way to escape the bustle of the house. Put up a small teepee, a bed canopy, or make a fort to block out interruptions, interferences, and disturbances. The shrouded entrance will make it feel like your children are crossing into an enchanted scene. Some soothing music could also help.

If you are tight on space, consider allowing your child creative license to build temporary reading refuges from time to time. A table or desk covered in a light blanket will do in a pinch. And if your climate is agreeable, try moving your reading nook outside! Make a stack of outdoor cushions on your balcony, porch, patio, or in your treehouse. Place pillows and throws in your hammock or bench swing. Load a basket with books for ease in transporting them in and out. You might even consider wheeling a utility cart outside, stocked with books to ensure a variety of reading options. Many summers in my youth I was transported to other worlds by reading outside. The magic is real!

This doesn’t have to be an expensive or extravagant project. It just needs to be deliberate. The picture above shows one reading area in our house. The bean bag* makes it super comfy and the colorful books and stuffed characters are inviting. What makes it magical is that the shelves cover a whole wall. It upgrades the space into a universe of possibilities: a child’s reading oasis.

Do you have a space set aside just for reading? If not, how soon can you make one?

*Our “bean bag” is filled with stuffed animals, not beans. It’s an ingenious and affordable way to store your fluffy friends and put them to good use, too!