8
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Should you read for fun every day?
W
hether you’re sitting down to read one of the
Harry Potter books, or a non-fiction book
bursting with facts about the solar system, reading for
fun is a wonderful hobby to have. Not only is it
enjoyable to read about topics and stories that you’re
interested in, but research has shown that reading for
fun every day is also very good for mental health and
helps people feel happier. However, a study in 2021
found that just over half of children (51.5%) enjoy
reading, which was fewer than the year before. Other
research suggests reading for fun declines as children
grow up. Not everybody likes reading for fun; people
may see it as hard to do in their free time when they
could be doing something else to relax. What do you
think? Should you read for fun every day?Yes – reading is a good habit to keep up
Research has shown that pupils who read for pleasure
show positive progress in their vocabulary, spelling
and even maths. This means that you can be learning
even if you’re reading for your own enjoyment.
Reading in your free time also gives you a chance to
relax, as you can immerse yourself in the story that
you’re reading and forget about any other worries for
a while. Reading for fun is also very good for your
wellbeing, and can help develop social skills. It might
encourage you to speak to others about what you’ve
been reading, or even improve your empathy as you
connect with characters in books and learn more
about not only their identities and experiences, but
your own. On so many levels, reading rules.No – reading shouldn’t be a chore
It’s important to recognise that not everyone has the
same hobbies and so not everyone will enjoy reading
for fun. People can do other things in their spare time
that they enjoy, such as sports, practising a musical
instrument or playing video games. Also, people may
love to read but might not have time or want to do it
every day. Instead, they should only read when they
feel like it, and it might motivate them to read for
longer when they do pick up their book. Many young
people do enough reading at school and for
homework as it is, for English or history lessons. They
may need to take a break from reading and do other
things so they don’t exhaust themselves. Reading for
enjoyment shouldn’t feel like a chore.There are around 130 million published
books in the world.Reading for fun encourages young
people to use their imagination to visit
new places, meet new characters and
explore new ideas.
Research shows that children who have
good reading skills are more likely to
have higher levels of mental wellbeing.However, recent research shows that as
young people grow up, the amount that
they read and their enjoyment of
reading falls over time because they
don’t have as much time or it doesn’t
feel as important to them.What you need to know
1
Pupils who read for pleasure show
improvement in their vocabulary,
spelling and even maths abilities.
It also helps with wellbeing and
improves mental health.2
It’s a great way to relax and use your
imagination to explore new places
and characters.3
Studies have shown reading has many
social benefits and encourages readers
to connect with other people.Reasons why you should read
for fun every dayReasons why you should not
YES NO have to read for fun every dayReading helps develop
language and social skills.GETTY^
IMAGES1
People can have other hobbies too, like
sports, drawing, playing an instrument
or playing video games. They might not
have enough time to read every day.2
You should only read when you want
to. You shouldn’t force yourself to do it
every day. Otherwise reading could
begin to feel like a chore.3
Young people do more than enough
reading at school every day anyway,
so it’s important to take a break.The number of young people
reading for enjoyment is falling.Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls.
Vote YES if you think you should read for fun every day, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week.WOR
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r.The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds.
The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking
Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.orgThe big debate
The Week Junior • 11 June 2022
LAST WEEK’S POLL
Last week, we asked if
e-scooters should
remain banned. Most
of you thought that
they shouldn’t but
almost half of you
supported the ban
remaining in place.Junior
SH WScan the QR code
to hear both sides
of this debate on
our podcast.55%
NO45%
YES