27+ Reading Nook Ideas For Kids With DIY Tutorials

QUICK NOTE: This collection contains DIY reading nooks for kids (window reading nook) and photos of complete reading corner ideas.

To encourage your children to read in 2023 you would do anything possible to minimize distractions and let them enjoy a good story. If you are looking for inspiring reading nook ideas for kids, then let’s check out a selection of some creative and fun reading nook concepts for kids from all over the world.

Reading Nook Ideas For Every Child

A lot of projects listed here won’t break the bank if you are willing to take things into your skillful hands and let your inner kid’s imagination out. Find the one you like and follow provided easy step-by-step tutorials. Feeling like making it a family project? Easy! Make your favorite reading space with your child while having fun learning new skills together. Even a little bit of your effort in creating a special and unique reading space can inspire your child to enjoy reading.

As a parent myself, to make the best out of your reading nook idea, I recommend starting with the most important things – listening and observing your child’s preferences. Unleash your imagination and creativity, and get ready to have fun. If you are not

So.

How to make a cozy reading nook for your child?

• Find a quiet spot preferably with a source of natural light. A window, a corner, or a wall will work fine.
• Decide on what theme and type of reading nook you want. A teepee, a tent, a window bench seat, etc. Your budget, level of personal involvement and experience will determine your final result.
• Think what lighting fixtures you could install to utilize your reading space in the evening. The brightness of light is very important in reading.
• Have some options for comfortable sitting. Keep in mind, your reading nook has to be comfy.
• Personalize your reading space by adding a couple of themed wall and floor decorations, add an inviting throw.
• Reserve space for book storage. A bookcase or a couple of books shelves on the wall will do the job.

Let it Shine – The Importance of Natural Light

To promote a healthy indoor environment every kid’s room needs a proper amount of natural light coming in. Numerous scientific studies show that natural light has a significant impact on our mental, and physical health and academic performance. Based on the extended analysis of the European investigative surveys, experts discovered that in most cases students who study in classrooms with larger windows facing south perform better on logic and mathematical tests.

There are several ways to improve your child’s well-being by bringing more natural light into the room. Examine your options according to your budget and the type of your home to see what will make more sense. If you are not planning to move into a new house from one of your most trusted home builders anytime soon, perhaps replacing that old window or making it bigger will offer the best results. See if adding a skylight or a couple of solar tubes fits your plan. When it comes to your child’s mental and physical health such an improvement will be worth the investment. If you already have enough light for reading then move on to the artificial light section.

Selecting Proper Artificial Lighting For Reading Space

Today’s market is flooded with lighting options offered in different shapes and sizes. To navigate through them freely, it’s very important to understand the proper lighting settings for a reading space. There’s something you need to know about the colors of light: yellow, blue, white and how they affect our bodies.

The light color temperature is measured in a unit called Kelvin. In simple words, the higher the Kelvin number the brighter (whiter) the light. Yellow light (soft white) is voted to be a good option for evening reading. It doesn’t stress your eyes and maintains your natural day cycle, so you can easier fall asleep. The number is 2700K to 3000K. White light is meant for better alertness and mimics daylight (bluer tone). The number is 5,000K to 6,500K. (By the way, if you stumble upon legitimate studies on this topic, shoot me a message on Twitter @SBojinski) According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists “For tasks such as reading, the light should be positioned to shine directly onto the page and not over your shoulder to avoid any glare.”

Simple Reading Nooks For Kids

Along with a brand new room, a minimalistic lifestyle can bring many other benefits such as enhanced focus and improved organizational skills. Most of the following projects take anywhere from $25 to $500 to complete depending on complexity, and the number of tools and materials involved – except for the very last one on the list 😉 By making a simple yet comfy reading space by using repurposed cushions and furniture, adventurous DIYers will have more financial advantages than parents looking for ready-to-go solutions.

Let your imagination lead the way.

Reading Corner Ideas for Kids

Check out this step-by-step tutorial provided by Jonny Builds who will demonstrate How to Build an Awesome Reading Nook With Book Storage

While I strongly suggest reading Jonny’s article and subscribing to his YouTube channel, here’s how’s the final result should look like

And here’s the full video:

Pick a spot where you want to place repurposed cushions, an oversized pillow, or a comfy bean bag for your young reader. Make one of the walls stand out by painting with a contrasting color , or simply add a texture. If you don’t mind spending a little extra time on the project, then add a few bookshelves around the reading area. Look for appealing wall decals by browsing through one of your local home improvement stores. For more encouraging decal ideas, check online on Etsy and Amazon. The nice thing about the simplified setup is that you can involve your children. Working on home projects together improves family bonding, teaches youngsters new skills, and boosts creativity and confidence in their own abilities.

Watching this step-by-step video tutorial below please make sure to use wall anchors to make your shelves practical and last longer.

Here are a few more simple reading corner design ideas for you:

Canopy Reading Nook Ideas For Boys & Girls

Tents, canopies, and teepees work great for novice readers ages 6 and under. It’s a favorable multipurpose addition to every child’s room that serves as a hideout for role-playing as well as reading space. While you can always buy a canopy on Amazon, there are also fun DIY ways of creating a happy space for your child. A passionate problem solver Carrie offers a step-by-step guide on How to Make a DIY No-Sew Kids’ Play Canopy Tent… in an hour.

That’s right!
Just one hour.

Here’s how her ready-to-use DIY canopy reading nook looks like

You can also browse through ready-to-buy canopies on Etsy or Amazon. Here are a few ideas for your boy or girl.

Teepee Reading Nook Ideas For Boys & Girls

Another great example of a creative approach with around $25 budget by Tanya Memme – momtrepreneur and DIY expert from TanyaMemme.com

All you’ll need to build this colorful teepee nook is 6 pieces of 8 ft. wood, twine, tacks, glue, fabric, drill and nails.

Watch the video of the building process below. For your convenience, it starts at 2:27

Papasans Reading Nook Ideas For Kids

A Papasan chair, also known as a bowl chair, came to North America around the 1950s from Asia. Apparently, it was and still is common in the Philippines and Japan. Today every book lover from all over the world can’t resist a comfy Papasan chair. I know I can’t.

Creative Reading Nooks For Kids

Transform an old unused fireplace in your living room into a reading space for your children. Prioritizing precious moments with your kids over personal extra comfort will help to bring your family together again and again. This is another worthwhile family activity to spark fruitful discussions and adopt rewarding habits. I’m absolutely in agreement with Emily Henson on this, our children’s warm memories are very important.

This cozy kids’ bedroom DIY reading nook was created by a wrangler of chaos, a thrifter of all the things and a tireless mom of 5, Charlotte Smith of At Charlotte’s House. Before jumping to the step-by-step building guide, look at some photos of the complete project. Here you’ll find FULL DIY Instructions for Kids’ Bedroom Reading Nook. The series of photos with a complete

“Problems are always the best inspiration.” Ignited by everyday challenges, an Italian couple Alisée Matta and Giovanni Gennari from Milan built their creative studio, Nobody & Co., and dedicated themselves to designing unique home items like Bibliochaise.

Here’s what happens when daring DIYers armed with tools and building materials adopt the bookshelf design. There are no limitations to creativity and everyone is welcome to come up with his or her own modifications. Personally, I like rounded shapes. Softly rounded chair corners are safer for the whole family.

Feeling adventurous already? So, what are you waiting for?
Go for it!

Join the army of DIYers and try to build your own bookshelf chair by following this step-by-step tutorial by Darko K. You are free to make your own modifications to add your own unique ideas to your creation.

This one-of-a-kind bookshelf chair called “Sunflower Chair” was designed by He Mu and Zhang Qian from the Shanghai University of Engineering Science. This fascinating model won the Redtory Design Award of the fifth “Design for Sitting” Grand Prix Exhibition.

This UK-based, creative company specializes in library furniture and came up with this futuristic design for the reading chair for kids. Will you dare to tackle this DIY project to create this brilliant idea?

If you feel a little handy, combine elements in one playing area.

Reding Nook Ideas For ‘Tweens’ and Teens

When my kid’s reading level evidently improved, not only the reading spectrum became broader but his reading space preferences. Often times I’d notice his craving for bigger windows and cozy window seats. Can’t blame him for it.

Window Bench Seat / Reading Nook

This medium-to-advanced level DIY window bench seat reading nook project was made by Jenna and Lucas from Jenna Sue Design. It offers another fun place for the whole family and adds value to your home. Follow their thorough step-by-step window bench seat building guide and see how it turns out. Replacing the window they added extra thin insulation to improve energy efficiency.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you decide to replace a window yourself, do thorough research to avoid air leaks that can create the perfect condition for ice on windows during winter and overall loss of energy efficiency throughout the year.

You can DM Lucas at @lucasleblanc if you have specific questions about their approach. As Jenna said, “…he’d be happy to answer your DMs.”

Unused space by the window can become an awesome cozy reading nook for all ages. In our future posts, we’ll collect fascinating reading nook ideas for the whole family.

One of a Kind Reading Nook Ideas for Kids

And last but not least.

This is one of the most fascinating themed designs for kids’ rooms I’ve ever seen. It was built by Steve Kuhl from Minnesota. Not only kids but adults would love to explore this pirate ship. I would! Enjoy the intricate details of this epic project and don’t forget to share this post with someone who’s looking for inspiration and guidance.

Creating a personalized reading space for your child can become a fun and memorable project for the whole family. Even a beginner-level DIYer will be able to tackle some of the simple ideas collected in this article. Think of the reading space that your child would love to visit more frequently. Get an idea, evaluate your expertise and resources, decide on the level of your involvement. And act! There are a lot of ready-to-buy reading nooks and their elements out there. And there’s nothing wrong with that because the main goal is to stimulate your child’s desire to read more.

FAQs About Reading Space For Kids

Do you have some leftovers from your home renovation that could potentially be used in building a reading space for your child? If you’re leaning towards DIYing your reading nook, then the following answers will get you started right. Depending on the project’s complexity it is recommended to plan out the details.

How to make a simple reading area for children?

If you have minimal to no DIY experience in building and handling power tools, go for a simple corner nook like a canopy or tent. Use paint or wall decals to decorate the corner of your choice. Throw a couple of bean bags or pillows on the floor. Put a small bookcase that may also work as a privacy wall.

How can I decorate my corner nook area?

• Pick colours that compliment each other
• Consider using wall decals
• Add Pictures
• Choose bean bags or an l-shape corner seat
• Utilize space for wall or floor book shelves
• Add more lighting to the reading space

What makes a good reading area?

• Bright light
• Comfortable seating
• Book storage