1. Practice Letter Sounds and Blending Daily
By age five or six, most children can recognize letters and are learning how those letters come together to make words. Practice a few minutes each day—no long lessons needed! Focus on sounding out simple words, like cat, sun, map, or dog.
💡 Try this: Use your finger to slide under each letter as you say the sounds slowly—/c/…/a/…/t/—then blend them together to make cat. This blending skill is the foundation for decoding new words.
2. Read Simple Books Together Every Day
Set aside time for daily reading, even if it’s just ten minutes. Choose books with short sentences, predictable patterns, and pictures that support the text. Let your child point to words or “help” you read repeating phrases.
💡 Example: Books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? or The Cat Sat on the Mat are great early readers that build confidence and rhythm.
3. Build Confidence Through Praise and Patience
Early readers need lots of encouragement. It’s normal to stumble over words or guess based on pictures. Gently guide them back to sounding out words and celebrate every success.
💡 Say this instead of correcting harshly: “Let’s look at the first sound together” or “You worked hard on that word!” Confidence is key to a lifelong love of reading.
4. Talk About Stories to Build Comprehension
Reading isn’t just about sounding out words—it’s about understanding what they mean. After reading, ask simple questions like, “Who was your favorite character?” or “What happened first?”
💡 Why it matters: Talking about stories helps your child learn to think about what they read, make predictions, and connect reading to real life—all vital comprehension skills.
5. Keep Reading Fun and Part of Real Life
Reading shouldn’t feel like homework. Point out words in your everyday environment—on cereal boxes, signs, or menus. Let your child “read” short words they recognize. Keep books in the car, in their room, and anywhere you spend time together.
💡 Remember: The goal is to make reading a habit your child looks forward to. A few minutes of joyful reading each day builds skills faster than long, stressful sessions.