Preparing a Child to Read from Ages One to Three

We use reading everyday in life and we usually don't think twice about what we are doing. For children who struggle to read, reading has become a chore and they can get easily frustrated by it or not be able to function in school to the best of their abilities. Teaching a child to read should begin as early as ages one to three. Teaching a child to read at an early age doesn't mean that they will be reading chapter books by the time that they are in kindergarten; it just means that you are preparing them for a life long adventure in reading.

The question still remains for many who are reading this; how do you teach a child to read that can verily even talk? Many think that children learn to read by seeing but they actually learn to read by hearing. A child must hear what you are reading to understand that those sounds go with those words. If you are preparing to get your child ready for reading then this guide is for you, if you want to teach your one year old how to read big words then you fall into the class of people who aren't exactly being logical.

Age one and preparing a child to read

At age one a child will more than likely not know the alphabet or what letters are but there are ways to get your child ready for what is to come. Children learn a lot through memorization early in life and this should not be mistaken with actually knowing the alphabet or what letters are. Although a child may not know what the alphabet is this doesn't mean that you should prepare them with things like reciting the alphabet song or playing other alphabet games. A child this age can verily talk but they will still enjoy listening to you sing to them or read them books.

What you should do at age one

At age one in teaching a child to read you should read books as often as you can. Limiting a child's television time is also essential so that they can learn to appreciate reading. If you choose to allow your child to watch television then you should opt for education videos that teach the alphabet.

Age two and preparing a child to read

By age two most children will be starting to extend their vocabulary and will be able to try and sing to you. If you have been practicing the alphabet with your child then by this time they might be able to help you sing it.

What you should do at age two

At age two you can use flash cards with pictures of animals on them and go over them with your child everyday. Flash cards are used in schools around the country in teaching a child to read. Just hearing the sound of words can help a child to read. Each word should be said slowly as you show the picture to the child. Children learn by hearing and they need to hear these words often. A child may not understand what you are showing them but overtime they will see that the sound of cat belongs to that fuzzy little creature that they often play with.

Age three and preparing a child to read

By age three children will start to see what the alphabet is all about. They can probably say the alphabet with you and know what most of the animals are. Teaching the shapes of each alphabet is also important so that they will know what shape each letter is. Coloring pages of each letter of the alphabet is a great way to get them started.

What you should do at age three

I helped my child to learn the letters of the alphabet by practicing one letter at a time through a week's course. Each week I would choose a letter from the alphabet and allow them to study it by playing games or having coloring pages with that letter on it. By the time that my daughter way four, she could recognize each letter of the alphabet and say what each letter was.

Practice makes perfect but don't encourage any parent to push learning on a child by making them study day in and day out. Children need time to grow and play. I highly recommend using practice throughout your day by singing playful songs, playing games together, or using your imagination to create a fun filled learning day. A child that does nothing but study when it isn't fun may end up not liking to read at all. I usually do hard studying for fifteen minutes a day for children this age and this includes flash cards and reciting the alphabet. Although I only do this for fifteen minutes a day I use the rest of the day to practice through playing instead of trying to get them to site down.