Your child’s earliest years are key for developing a solid foundation (and love) for reading. One way you can help: learn more about your child’s reading readiness skills. The more you know, the better you can help your child prepare for reading success. Keep in mind that kids develop at their own pace and on their own timetables. Talk to your child’s doctor or teacher if you have any concerns.
If your child is 3, 4, or 5 years old, take the Preschool Reading Screener. It's free and easy, and offers an instant snapshot of your child's reading readiness, plus a plan for moving forward.
- Begins smiling
- Coos and begins to babble
- Turns toward sounds and voices
- Starts paying attention to faces
- Enjoys large clear pictures
- Vocalizes with a growing number of sounds
- Watches your face when you talk
- Attends to language, music, sounds
- Says first words
- "Labels" things consistently with the same sound
- Points correctly if asked, "Where is..?"
- Names familiar objects and pictures
- Brings books to you to read
- Fills in words in stories
- Pretends to read to stuffed animals or dolls
- Recites phrases from stories
- Corrects you if you read the story wrong
- Enjoys the same book over and over again
- Likes stories with rhyme and patterns
- Understands that printed words are different than pictures
- Moves finger left to right under print
- Shows longer attention span for stories
- Pretends to read and write
- Knows a few letters
- Reads and writes name
- Learns letter names and sounds
- Finds words that rhyme
- Claps syllables in words
- Understands story line
- Reads several words
- Knows most letters and their sounds
- Matches words by beginning or ending sound
- Sounds out simple words
- Attempts some spelling
