Montréal, April 22, 2026. – Children born in the early 2020s are more likely than those born in the late 1990s to have had an adult in their home read to them every day, whether at the age of 5 months (39% vs. 21%), 1 ½ years (61% vs. 47%), or 2 ½ years (65% vs. 40%).
This information comes from analyses by the Institut de la statistique du Québec based on the longitudinal study Growing Up in Québec. This study is following more than 4,000 children born in Québec in 2020–2021 until they reach adulthood. The first edition of the study is following a cohort of children born in Québec in 1997–1998.
Proportion of children1 who had an adult in their home read to them every day at about 5, 17 and 29 months, Québec, 1998–2000 and 2021–2024
Note
1. Born in Québec in 1997–1998 or 2020–2021.
Source
Institut de la statistique du Québec, Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, 1st edition and 2nd edition.
Reading is now becoming a part of toddlers’ lives earlier: a quarter (26%) of children born in 2020–2021 had someone reading to them before the age of 2 months, while this proportion stood at 15% for those born in 1997–1998.
Fewer toddlers flip through books on their own than before
The proportion of toddlers aged 2 ½ years who handle or flip through books, magazines or comic books on their own initiative declined between the two editions of the study, from 66% among toddlers born in 1997–1998 to 57% among those born in 2020–2021.
Differences in reading habits between toddler boys and girls
In the early 2020s, girls aged 2 ½ years were more likely than boys to:
- Have an adult in their home read to them every day (68% vs. 63%)
- Handle or flip through books, magazines or comic books on their own initiative (59% vs. 54%)
Toddlers’ exposure to books is associated with their socio-economic environment
At 2 ½ years, toddlers whose mother had a university diploma and those who did not live in a low-income household were more likely to:
- Have someone read to them every day
- Have access to more than 40 children’s books at home
- Go to a library at least once a month
About the study
The Growing Up in Québec study was started to fulfill a need for knowledge about the development of children born in Québec. This second edition of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development is carried out by the Institut de la statistique du Québec in collaboration with various partners. The study is funded by the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, the Ministère de la Famille, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the Ministère de l’Éducation, the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, the Conseil de gestion de l’assurance parentale, and the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
The children covered by the study were born in 2020–2021 to mothers living in Québec. The initial sample included 4,703 children, and data about them will be collected every year from the age of 5 months to about 8 years. Afterwards, data should be collected every two years, as well as at certain key moments. The third data collection took place from May 2023 to March 2024 when the children were about 29 months old.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistical information about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec