Get Your Child Ready to Read
You may have thought you weren’t sure how to get your child ready to read, but it’s easier than you think! There are lots of ways to help your child get ready to read. You’re probably preparing them already without even knowing.
As your child grows from that tiny bundle you brought home from the hospital, he/she is taking in a lot of information and getting ready to learn! A child learns to listen and speak a language which prepares them for reading.
There are milestones for language and speech, but every child is different so there is an estimate of milestones each child should meet. There are ways to prepare your child to read, so there is no reason to stress!
There are tons of ways that you’re already promoting language and reading readiness. In this website alone, there are other posts that give suggestions and ideas such as 50 One-Minute Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten and 25 Ideas for Reading Skills Practice at Home! and Kindergarten Readiness Ideas from an Expert!
All children develop at their own pace, but there are general reading readiness skills that children develop. It’s good to know those general skills so that you can recognize any potential problems that your child may have. You can help your child get ready to read and your child may be ready to read already! A good test that you can take online for free is ReadingRockets.
In oral language, your child develops an understanding of language and speech. As a child develops oral language, they increase their vocabulary, speaking skills, and their comprehension skills strengthen. If your child is almost ready for kindergarten, click here to find out how to help your child in the other areas of kindergarten readiness.
How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Birth to 1
AGE
-Birth to 1
DEVELOPMENT
-Babbles, coos
-Recognizes faces
and peoples’ names
-Says “mommy” and “daddy”
HOW TO HELP
-Talk to your child – whatever you’re thinking, say out loud
-Sing- silly songs, rhyming songs, etc.
-Tell your child about objects in the room
-Read to your baby
-Show pictures of objects and repeat what the object is
How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Age 1 – 2
AGE
1-2
DEVELOPMENT
-Vocabulary of 100-300 words
-2-word sentences
-Points to pictures in a book
HOW TO HELP
-Talk to your child – just say what you’re thinking
-Read books and have books all over your home
-Bring your child to the library, let your child open books, look at the letters, words, sentences, etc.
-Point to letters and words in museums, the post office, grocery store, and around your home
-Create happy memories of reading – read in the park, outside on a blanket, under a tent, take pictures of your child reading, etc.
How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Age 2 – 3
AGE
-2-3
DEVELOPMENT
-500-900 words
-Follows 2-step directions
-Points to objects and says their names
-3-4 word sentences
HOW TO HELP
–Rhyme time-say a word and find a word that rhymes with it – then have your child do the same
–Letter magnets on the refrigerator, go over the ABCs, make 2 letter words, etc.
-Point to the items in the kitchen, living room, etc. and say the name of the item – have your child repeat the word
–Place words on index cards, and hide around the house and when your child finds it, they read it
-Create fun reading times, use a flashlight, sip hot chocolate, read in the car, etc.
How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Age 3 – 4
AGE
-3-4
DEVELOPMENT
-1,000-2,000 words
-4-5 word sentences
-2-3 step commands
-May be able to answer questions about a story
HOW TO HELP
-Ask questions that start with who, what, where, when, how
-Ask about the beginning, middle and end of a story
-Categorize things such as animals, days of the weeks, etc.
-Summarize a story, and sequence the events of a story
-Match things that go together – socks and shoes, etc.
-Listen to CDs, read and sing along
-I Spy Game – a letter that start with /t/, /s/ etc.
-Practice letter sounds – b sound -bah, etc.
-Write name, letters, words, etc.
How to Help Your Child Get Ready to Read – Age 4 – 5
AGE
-4-5
DEVELOPMENT
-10,000 words or more
-5-6 word sentences
-Knows letters, sounds of letters, etc.
-Can understand a short story, summarize the story, state the sequence the events, and answer simple questions about the story
HOW TO HELP
-Have a bunch of words and make a silly sentence with them.
-Place words on cards and hide around the house – have your child find enough cards to make a sentence.
-Practice sight word flashcards that you purchase or write on index cards.
-Have them repeat letters, objects, colors, shapes, etc.
-Copy words from a book, magazine, tablet, etc.
-Read books, ebooks, magazines, brochures, cookbooks, menus, etc.
-Have them read words on a flash card, sentences, books, etc. to you, a neighbor, relative, sibling, friend, a real animal, a stuffed animal, etc.
-House scavenger hunt-find items that start with /d/, find something that rhymes with more (floor), etc.
For this information email me at jean@reading-love.com or mrs.dehm@gmail.com and ask for the “Preparing Your Child To Read” chart.
In general, read to your child, talk to your child, question your child about everything, and make them think, think, think and talk, talk, talk! And then they’ll read, read, read!!!
There are so many resources to help your child get ready to read, so there’s no reason to ever get discouraged. When your child starts kindergarten, he will be taught to read so it is so important to give him the tools ahead of time.
A Few Posts on Getting Kids Ready for Kindergarten and More
Help Your Child Get Ready For Kindergarten
How Else Do You Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Are You Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?
Activities to Help Your Child Get Ready for Reading
Fun Car Games that Also Promote Learning and Thinking
50 One-Minute Ways to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
25 Ideas for Reading Skills Practice at Home!
10 Tips to Improve Your Child’s Reading Comprehension
Super Fun Ideas For Reading Practice
Qualities of a Good Preschool
Top 10 Independent Learning Activities so Mom Can Get Stuff Done!
How to Get Your Child to Read – Kindergarten and First Grade
You may have thought you didn’t know how to get your child ready to read, but by now you probably realize that you are already helping your child get ready to read. Just the exposure will help your child make a connection between what the teacher suggests to them and what you suggest to them.
A few of these ideas can be done every a day, (and there are a ton more that you can create) but even if you do one a day, you’re helping to prepare your child to read! If you and/or your child’s teacher think that there is a true reading difficulty, there is a ton of help available.
As always, please leave me a comment or request below or email me at mrs.dehm@gmail.com. And also email me at mrs.dehm@gmail.com if you’d like the “Preparing Your Child To Read” chart. I’d love to hear from you!!!!