4 steps to prepare your child to learn to read (and what to use when they’re ready)
Like anything in life, it is easier to learn something when you have the desire to learn that thing. Teaching your children to read does not need to be a fight. With some preparation and household habits, it can be a joy.
In this post, I will share steps that I taken to prepare my children to learn to read (in addition to the resource I am currently using—and loving—to teach my son to read at home):
1. Instill a love for books and stories
2. Converse with your children often (& broadly)
3. Surround them with words
4. Teach them their letters
5. The tool to equip any caregiver to teach their child to read
Often our kids will push back when we try to teach them things we know will benefit them later in life. Here are the 4 steps I have used (and continue to use) to prepare my boys to learn to read. Let’s get started!
1. Instill a love for books and stories
It might seem intuitive, but I’ll say it anyway: if your kids don’t want to read, they won’t want to learn to read. Instilling a love for books and stories is a key part of preparing their hearts and minds to take on the challenging task of learning to read. Start fostering this love of books by making it a part of your child’s routine (even as an infant). Make sure you’re reading with enthusiasm and joy as you choose books that capture their interest.
*For more detailed tips on this step, check out 5 Tips to Give Your Children a Love for Reading (& Enjoy Time Together in the Process)
2. Converse with your children often (& broadly)
Regardless of age, talk to your child. Get on their level physically, but don’t feel the need to stay on their level verbally. Your children will feel important as you invite them into your high-level conversation (or your infant will simply feel love with the continuous sound of your voice). Conversing with your child, without altering your vocabulary, introduces them to a whole world of words and ideas in context.
Once your child is a little older, say 3 or 4, help them tell stories or expand their comprehension by answering their questions and asking your own. (Why do you think that is? What makes you say that? What do you think about…? Have you ever thought about…? Etc.)
3. Surround them with words
Word recognition sparks excitement and the desire to know and understand more words. Well-illustrated books encourage exploration and can kindle the desire to read and understand the words they see on each page. Place children’s books in each room throughout the house. (Using small bookshelves or baskets like these can help you maintain a tidy room while hosting a collection of books to peruse at their leisure). Also consider labeling toy bins and using room décor that has words/phrases that are clear to read, all while complementing the space.
See some simple examples from our home below:
4. Teach them their letters
This might technically be the first step in learning to read, but avoid treating it as a lesson. Exposing your kids to the alphabet through toys and songs help them grow familiar with their letters at a slow and natural pace. While some kids will be eager to memorize (and “earn”) the letters, other will simply listen as you tell them each letter’s name or sound as you encounter them throughout the day. For my boys, a simple Foam Alphabet Set in the tub was their preferred method for alphabet introduction and letter recognition. Just playing in the tub as my husband taught and quizzed them—when they showed interest—helped them pick up a large chunk of the alphabet. Outside of bathtime, don’t miss opportunities to write things down when they ask: their name at the bottom of their artwork, something they want added to the grocery list, etc. This will help your children connect ideas to letters and, eventually, to words & reading.
For more tangible examples of this step, check out 10 Toys, Shows & Activities to expose your children to the alphabet
Whether you’ve had a chance to implement some or all of the steps above, there will be a time to teach them to read in a structured, intentional way. Whether your child is in love with storytime and wants to be able to do it on their own, or their school/society dictates that it is time that they know how, there are an abundance of resources to tackle the job. Don’t feel the need to pressure your child to read by a certain age simply because their peers are reading early. However, don’t wait for school when your child shows interest. If you can read yourself, you can teach them to do it with the right tool.
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Engelmann, Haddox, and Bruner
I have been using this book for over a month now and am so grateful it was recommended to me. I am not a teacher. Nor do I usually have the patience to teach my children things that I don’t remember learning (riding a bike, reading, etc.) This book gives me a script to follow as I complete each 15-20 minute lesson with my son.
As long as you can approach the task with enthusiasm, and make sure you don’t treat it as a chore, the book equips you with everything you need. Be patient and celebrate their little accomplishments freely, as they slowly build into big accomplishments!
For more recommendations, enter your email to stay in the loop with additional resources around joyful motherhood and stewarding our homes and families well! I’ll also send you a sheet of FREE Coloring bookmarks for your kids to decorate before tonight’s story time!
I also have an awesome resource library containing literally everything we’ve used to give our family a love for reading—our favorite books, resources, toys, and more!
Check it out!
RELATED POSTS:
How to Place Books at the Center of Your Child’s Entertainment
5 Resources to Raise Little Book Lovers
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