Between tablets, homework and Dubai’s packed activity schedules, getting children to reach for a book can feel uphill. Yet this is one of the best cities in the region to build a reading habit: public libraries, bookshops, school programmes and a major literature festival all work in your favour. The secret is rarely buying more books — it is making reading easy, visible and enjoyable at home.
Start With Access: Libraries Make Reading Affordable
Dubai’s public libraries, run under the city’s cultural authorities, offer children’s sections, story sessions and borrowing collections in Arabic, English and other languages. In general terms, families can join with a membership — typically involving an application, identification documents and a fee or deposit that can change over time, so check current terms before visiting. A library card changes the maths of reading: children can try ten books to find one they love, without parents worrying about the cost of experiments that do not land.
Make library visits a routine rather than a special event. A Saturday morning trip, a bag by the front door for returns, and letting children choose most of their own books builds ownership. Librarians are excellent guides; tell them what your child last enjoyed and ask what to try next.
Bookshops and Finding the Right Book
Dubai’s bookshops, from large mall chains to smaller independent and second-hand sellers, often have staff picks, children’s corners and reading events. Let children browse physically rather than only ordering online: holding a book and reading a first page is part of falling for a story. Graphic novels, joke books, magazines and non-fiction about football, animals or space all count — the goal is engagement, not prestige titles.
- Follow your child’s interests first, reading level second
- Keep a small wishlist for birthdays and rewards
- Look out for pre-loved book sales to build a home shelf cheaply
- Try audiobooks for car journeys across the city
- Re-read favourites without guilt — repetition builds fluency and confidence
School Reading Challenges and Reading for Pleasure
Many Dubai schools run reading challenges, book weeks, sponsored reads and log-based schemes during the year. In general, these work best when parents treat them as encouragement rather than a test: sign the log honestly, celebrate effort over page counts, and avoid turning a challenge into a nightly battle. If your child is racing through easy books to hit a target, gently suggest one stretch book alongside the easy wins.
Ask teachers what the class is reading and borrow the same titles, so your child can join playground conversations about stories. Dress-up book days, author visits and school book fairs are worth supporting, because they make reading feel social rather than solitary homework.
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
In general terms, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, held in Dubai each year, is a highlight for young readers, with children’s sessions, workshops, storytelling and chances to meet authors and illustrators. Dates, venues and ticketing change each edition, so check the current programme before planning. Even one or two children’s events can have an outsized effect: hearing an author explain where a character came from makes the next book feel alive. Book popular sessions early, and let your child pick one signed book as a keepsake.
Building a Reading Corner and Routine at Home
A reading corner does not need a renovation. A cushion or beanbag, a small shelf at child height and decent light create a signal: reading has a place in this home. Keep books in more than one room — a few by the bed, a few near the sofa — and let children see adults reading too, on paper as well as phones.
Routine matters more than duration. Fifteen minutes before bed, every night, beats an occasional hour. Read aloud long after children can read alone; shared stories are bonding time, not a skill test. Ask open questions — what would you do, what happens next — rather than quizzing.
Balancing Arabic, English and Home Languages
Many Dubai families are raising readers in two or three languages. In general, strong reading in any language supports reading in the others, so do not drop home-language books in a rush to build English or Arabic. Offer stories and comics in each language, let grandparents read aloud over video calls, and treat Arabic reading — including short, enjoyable texts, not only schoolwork — as pleasure too. Children who see all their languages in books learn reading belongs to their whole identity, not just school.