28 Kids’ Reading Nook Ideas for a Creative Space

Of course you’ll need books for your child’s reading nook, which means you’ll need to plan how to store them all. Bookcases are a go-to, but one of our favorite reading corner ideas is to get creative with baskets and other storage furniture. Sorting by color is a great activity for your little one.

Design this space with creativity top of mind to keep it fun and engaging for your little reader. Books are a great way to develop imagination, creativity and critical thinking skills—so try to capture that energy with themes from your favorite stories, engaging patterns and fun, cuddly toys.

Themes are a great way to liven up your reading corner while including beloved characters and defining your design. Your child’s tastes may shift over the coming years, so consider a more general woodland, nautical, rainbow or dinosaur theme to get started. You could also theme the space after characters and franchises they can grow into, like Star Wars™, which they’ll love for years to come.

Lighting is important for your reading nook’s aesthetic and to keep your little one’s eyes from straining. Natural lighting is ideal for both, so consider designing the nook by a window with lightweight curtains for plenty of sunshine. Lamps are great for adding a warm and fuzzy feeling and allow your kids to read after sundown.

Comfortability is the key to any great reading space for children or adults. First, you want to pick out seating. Cozy chairs, sofas to lounge in or fun bean bag chairs all work great. This is definitely a choice to make with your child, so bring them along to try out the seating. Don’t forget blankets, pillows and a nice rug to add warmth and comfort. And if you need to make space for the added pieces, consider implementing some room reorganization tactics.

While you may choose more creative book storage options, you’ll likely have at least a few bookshelves. Floating shelves are a great way to open up the space and use the book covers as decor. Consider playful shapes, like crescents and triangles, to add interest or complete the theme.

Unique furniture choices like a raised playhouse or miniature dining table set will help make your kid's reading corner feel like their own special space. Multifunctional furniture solutions like a wall storage system, a day bed or a loft are fun options that offer the dual benefits of being interactive while also freeing up more space for the rest of their room.

While you want your space to be fun and creative, you don’t want it to be overstimulating. Neutral colors are an easy choice, but not the most interesting. 

Is the color scheme in your child’s room more neutral, subtle or toned-down? Whether this is for a boy’s or girl’s reading nook, you can turn the design up a notch by adding pops of color throughout the space by incorporating wall decals, bookends, throw pillows or framed art.

The magic in books is often found in the lessons they share with readers. Frame your favorite quotes, illustrations and characters to decorate the walls and celebrate the stories you love. These can be standalone frames or organized into a collage of prints. Plus, they’re easy to customize to your color scheme.

You may want to include a reading table for your children. Little readers will want to use their hands to track where they are on the page, and the older kids may want a break from holding their books, too. Tables also give your child space to snack while they read, as well as somewhere to write and draw their own stories.

From comic books to Sesame Street®, our favorite characters can often feel like close friends, and it can be hard to let them go once the story is finished. The good news is that you and your family don’t have to say goodbye just yet! Posters, plush toys and accessories featuring storybook heroes make great decor and help personalize the space.

Incorporating patterns is a simple way to add intrigue to your design while keeping a sleek and relaxing aesthetic, especially if you’d like to complement the room’s paint colors. Begin by considering your theme—seashells work great for an “under the sea” look, while a print with acorns or arrows is ideal for a trip through the woods. Of course, you can always stick with classics like stripes, polka dots or chevron for a more playful feel.

What’s better than snuggling up with a good book surrounded by your own fort? Pillows are a great way to add color and texture to a space while making it more welcoming. A variety of sizes, fabrics and prints keep the look interesting and allow your child to sit on the floor, lie on the couch or build a pillow palace to read comfortably.

Shapes are a great way to elevate your design without too much effort. Fun shapes like stars, flowers and clouds add a touch of whimsy to your reading nook. Whichever shape you choose, you can use it in lamps, wallpaper, statuettes or even rugs to create a more unique and creative space.

Your kids will love having their own reading corner and the personalization doesn’t have to stop there. Consider monogrammed chairs, pillows or blankets with their names to help them feel extra special. You may also have them help you make art for the walls, or you can order and frame prints of their names or custom illustrations of them dressed as their favorite characters.

Consider planning your reading nook around a window for natural light and fresh air. A bumped-out window seat is a classic favorite, but you can always choose a cushioned bench with plenty of pillows to place in front of a standard window. Decorate the window with suncatchers and some mellow chimes outside for extra color and soothing sounds.

Book covers can be beautiful and say a lot about your child and their personality. Have them help you choose their favorite books and pretty covers to place with their front covers outward for simple decor. They can be displayed on floating shelves or magazine racks, and lighter books can be stood up on top of standing bookcases and other tables.

Books can open up a world of magic, so what better way to decorate your kid’s reading corner than with some magic inspiration of your own? Fairy lights are a must for whimsy and warmth, and you can hang canopies to soften the space. Decorative stars, fluffy clouds and garlands are all creative ways to add charm.

Remember, you don’t have to stick with your theme forever. Try incorporating elements that are easy to change out, like pillows, wall art or throws so you can transition from spooky jack-o-lanterns and broomsticks to a festive wreath or Santa hat.

Comics are books, too! If your little reader has a favorite superhero, try incorporating Marvel or DC decor into the space to help build the excitement for reading. You can make DIY art by framing original comics to hang on the wall, setting up a mini movie scene on a shelf with action figures or even just using their costume colors as a theme. Web patterns with blue and red evoke Spider-Man, or a tiara with a whip and stars suggest WONDER WOMAN™ with the same color scheme.

For some kids, having a more private space can help them concentrate on their book. It can also help them stay immersed in the world of their story as they read. Try hanging a curtain to set the space apart as its own little “room,” and when it’s not in use you can still tie it back to open the space back up.

Bring elements of their favorite book’s setting into their reading nook, and every time they sit down to read they will be instantly transported there. If you’ve got a HARRY POTTER™ fan in the household, for example, you could decorate the space with candles, robes, wands and the colors of their favorite HOGWARTS™ house.

What kid wouldn’t love reading just a little bit more if they could take their book to their own little hideaway in the backyard? Bring the same feel to their reading corner with a raised, treehouse-style fort and forest-inspired decor so they can hide out in their own personal indoor treehouse.

Who doesn’t love reading a great book on a warm, sunny beach? Whether it’s raining or shining outside, you can incorporate nautical themes to lend a touch of brightness, warmth and comfort to make the reading experience extra relaxing with themed wallpaper, a bright color palette and even a beach towel if you want to make it feel really authentic.

Books have a way of sparking our imagination, and it’s important to enable children to exercise their creativity and have an accessible outlet. When designing a reading nook for kids, you want to make it easy for them to write, paint, draw or create in any way the inspiration strikes them by supplying their reading nook with craft supplies like stickers, stencils, paint, markers, crayons, pencils and anything else they can use to create something magical.

Nothing sets a literary mood like a bookcase full of old books. To replicate a kid-friendly version of the quintessential dark, musty, mahogany-and-leather style university library, stock a small bookcase with vintage kids’ books from your local thrift or antique shop. Then, round it out with a plush armchair and even build your own sliding librarian’s ladder.

For kids with active imaginations, a book is a portal to another world. Their favorite stories take them to places they’ve never been, so why not design their reading space to reflect that? Create an outer space setting with rocket ships and shooting stars, an underwater landscape with submarines and octopuses, a rainbow fantasyland with unicorns or any other fantastical theme you know your child will adore.

If a themed reading nook isn’t quite your child’s style, you can always just make it as comfy as possible. Beanbags are extremely versatile and come in a range of fun colors and textures to complement your child’s space. Try adding a few to their book corner so they can arrange them into fun custom furniture.

From themed decor to creative furniture, there are several ways to personalize your kid’s reading nook and create something special. Still, you don’t need much more than some great books and a comfy space to enjoy them. Have your kids help you plan their reading corner to jumpstart some of their favorite memories exploring the big, beautiful world of books.