Most children begin reading around ages 6 or 7, but the journey to literacy starts long before that. The first three years of life are essential for developing speech and language skills. Activities like reading, singing, and talking to your baby stimulate brain growth and build early literacy skills. Kristin Miller, director of education at the Celebree School, explains, “Pre-literacy skills can begin as early as a newborn and into the first few months of life. Reading out loud regularly to your infant helps… build vocabulary and encourages a love of reading.”
By kindergarten, children should recognize their names, identify letters, and understand basic sounds. Yvette Manns, a literacy expert, emphasizes the importance of phonics (the connection between letters and sounds) for decoding words. Without these skills, many children struggle in school. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that one in three children enters kindergarten without the language skills they need to be able to read.
To foster literacy, make reading a daily habit from infancy. Reading aloud builds vocabulary and instills a love of books. Kathryn Starke, a literacy consultant, highlights that even providing books for exploration can significantly improve vocabulary and reading skills before elementary school. (Actually, even much earlier.)
Milestones in Early Literacy Development
Toddler Stage (around 18 months)
By 18 months, children start developing basic literacy skills as their language abilities expand. You might notice your child pointing to pictures in books, imitating words and sounds, and pretending to read. Singing nursery rhymes and reading simple stories with repetition can further strengthen their growing vocabulary and communication skills.
Preschool Stage (ages 4–5)
Kids become increasingly curious about letters, sounds, and storytelling. At this stage, children may show an interest in books, recognize letters, and demonstrate phonological awareness, which involves understanding the sounds within words. They also develop storytelling skills, follow longer instructions, and begin connecting words to their meanings. These activities help lay a strong foundation for future reading success.
Kindergarten Stage (ages 5–6)
Children typically build on their pre-literacy skills, achieving advanced vocabulary, narrative abilities, and emergent reading skills. They begin understanding story structures, sequencing events, and writing simple words or phrases. These skills set the stage for phonics-based reading, where they connect letters to their corresponding sounds, a crucial step for decoding words.
First and Second Grade (ages 6–8)
Children at this stage are expected to read grade-level texts with proficiency, recognizing consonant blends, vowel pairs, and digraphs. They also learn about prefixes, suffixes, and patterns in words. By second grade, children can tackle more complex reading materials, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They become more independent readers and writers, able to produce structured writing pieces like short paragraphs.
Reading is a gradual process that starts long before a child’s first book. From infancy to second grade, each stage builds the skills children need to become confident and proficient readers. Parents can support this journey by nurturing a love of books, engaging in conversations, and fostering a language-rich home. With patience and encouragement, your child will be ready to unlock the world of reading and its endless possibilities.
Picture: Two-month-old Scarlett reading (ChildUp.com)
