How to Teach Kids to Read

If you're a parent who feels overwhelmed trying to help your child read at home—you’re not alone. Many parents suffer from common frustrations like the lack of time, your child doesn’t focus, or simply not sure where to start.  I’ll show you simple and proven ways to teach reading at home easier.

5 Simple Steps to Teach Reading at Home

1. Start with Letter Identification and Sounds

Begin by matching beginning sounds to everyday items around your home. For example: Review the letter A and the sound it makes. Show them first by grabbing an apple. Then, have your child find another item that starts with the same sound. Repeat this daily until you've explored all the letters of the alphabet.

2. Build Sight Word Recognition

Sight words are common words children are encouraged to recognize instantly, without needing to sound them out — like like, he, she, the, etc. Look up a pre-primer sight word list and make flashcards with your child to review a few each day. This builds speed, confidence, and fluency.

3. Blend Sounds into Words

Start with CVC words — simple three-letter words that follow the consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, like: cat, hat, bat, dog, lip, etc. Sound out each letter slowly, then blend the sounds together to form the word. It may take a few tries, but with practice, your child will begin to recognize and say the words on their own!

4. Daily Read-Aloud and Listening Sessions

Choose books with simple words and repetition. Use these read-aloud strategies to build fluency:

• Echo reading: You read a line, your child repeats it.

• Choral reading: Read together at the same time.

• Shared reading: Let your child read words or phrases they recognize.

Over time, they’ll gain the confidence to read aloud to you!

5. Get the Right Tools

With encouragement, consistency, and the right support, your child can become a confident reader—and you’ll feel proud knowing you helped make it happen.

To make the process even more stress-free, grab your reusable learning binder today. It's designed to help your child build reading and math skills, boost confidence, and develop a love for learning—one page at a time.

Choose the Binder That Matches Your Child’s Level:

• For Preschool & Kindergarten learners: Grab the Success Binder here

• For 1st & 2nd Grade students: Get the Reading & Math Binder here