Your child may not want to learnt to read – *yet*. It’s completely normal and natural. Reading is hard. Reading is complex. Just keep in mind our Core Marbles.
Do
Core Marbles
- Conventional reading will happen – do not fret.
- Don’t push too hard. Learning to read is most powerful when your child is the one leading you in their interests. Children will read beyond their level when they’re motivated by a topic, like dinosaurs or space. Let it happen naturally.
- Every child is different. There is a large window developmentally in these beginning years for learning to read. Some children start taking an interest in conventional reading as early as 3-years old, others may be ready at 5-years old or older.
- Children will read beyond their level when they’re motivated by a topic, like dinosaurs or space. Let it happen naturally.
Develop Oral Language
- Talk to each other.
- Listen to your child tell a story (Story Time Dice can help).
- Play word games.
Read with your Child
- Interact with books – a lot. Visit the local library. Just being in a space filled with books is inspirational.
- Read together. Never make reading a punishment.
- Read at home as often as you can.
- Re-read favorite books – a lot.
- Read the world – street signs, restaurant signs. Words are everywhere.
- Let your child “read” the story to you as they wish. At the outset, word accuracy is not the most important thing. Focus on building their enjoyment for reading and storytelling.
- Read books that your child wrote as “real books”. Keep them on the shelf with all their other books.
- Search for familiar words in books your child loves.
- Even reading about daydreaming is magical.
Use a Cueing System
- Reading is about establishing meaning. Do not make reading about skills.
- Write together (and draw pictures). Record a story that your child is sharing on paper and read it back to them. Make a “real book” with their stories.
