Reading with children can be a positive experience for both parents and kids – yet it seems to be a job that many dads delegate to mums.

New research from the National Literacy Trust has found that far fewer dads than mums encourage their children to read (66.3% compared to 82.6%), and one in three fathers gives no reading encouragement to their children at all. What’s more, results from the charity’s annual survey showed that while children who see their parents reading think more positively about reading than those who don’t, a third of dads (32.9%) are never seen with a book in their hand, compared with one in seven mums (14.9%).

This is a worsening trend, as two years ago only one in four dads (24.9%) was never seen reading by their children.

The Trust’s campaign for parents, Words for Life, is calling for more dads to get involved with their children’s reading, as the research also found that children who are encouraged to read by their parents achieve higher reading levels at school.

Conversely, below average readers are four times more likely to say their dad doesn’t encourage them to read.

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, said: “It’s old-fashioned to think that encouraging reading is just down to mothers.

“Children learn behaviours from both parents, and boys in particular benefit from male role models.”

He pointed out that the role of fathers in encouraging communication and literacy development in their babies and young children is set to become even more important under the new system of flexible parental leave being introduced in 2015. New mothers will be able to return to work two weeks after childbirth and share the rest of their maternity leave with their partner.

“With the forthcoming changes to parental leave, a father’s role in their child’s communication and literacy development is set to become of even greater importance,” said Mr Douglas.

Clare Bolton, Words for Life’s campaign manager, acknowledged that many dads have such busy working lives that it can seem daunting to fit yet another thing in.

But she pointed out that if dads try to set aside a regular time to read with their children, or to listen to them read, it can help fit book time into the daily routine.

“Fathers can seize opportunities to read when they are out and about too by asking their child to tick items off a shopping list at the supermarket, or to read road names as they pass by,” she said.

And it’s not just reading with children, it’s making sure the kids see their dad reading too, she said.

“Male role models are especially important for boys to develop good reading habits, and dads can play their part by letting their sons and daughters see them reading.

“It doesn't have to be a novel, it can be the newspaper or a magazine, but in copying their father’s reading behaviour, children will gain confidence and enjoy reading too.

“Our research shows that children whose fathers are involved with their lives from early on are more likely to do well at school and be happier, more secure and have fewer behaviour problems.

“There are benefits for the dads too, in that not only will they improve their own literacy skills, but best of all they’ll build a closer, warmer relationship with their children.”

TV presenter Richard Madeley is supporting the call by Words for Life, and suggests that dads step up to the mark by reading a chapter a night to their kids, reading school books together, or making sure the kids see them reading a book or the newspaper.

“I started reading to my children when they were just babies, having fun with the stories. My kids have grown up to be book fans and I think this was partly down to me enjoying books with them.”

Dads can find activities they can do with their children to help them develop better literacy skills at www.wordsforlife.org.uk