Basic Reading Milestones For Kids (A Guide For Moms)

Is your child’s reading on par with reading milestones according to their age? Check out this guide to see if your child is meeting age-appropriate reading milestones or needs a little extra help to get there.

One of the most frustrating (and rewarding) things as a parent is to watch their children struggle with then reach important milestones in all areas of development.

From smiling to walking to potty training, going to school, staying home alone, and more, childhood is filled with different milestones.

One of the most challenging milestones that kids work to achieve is learning how to read.

Every Child Develops Reading Milestones Individually

Children begin to develop reading ability at a young age thanks to parents and other caregivers reading to them.

Parents should remember that every child is different and develops reading skills at their own pace. The amount of time a child spends with books each day will also have an impact.

If you are concerned about your child’s reading milestones, talk to their teacher at school or their doctor for more information and advice.

Essential Reading Milestones By Age

Here’s a look at reading milestones for kids by age.

Toddlers (Ages 1 to 3)

At this age, toddlers begin to take an interest in books and the words written in them.

Reading milestones for this age include:

Ask questions about the pictures they see in the books and even answer simple questions like “Where’s the cow?” and “What is the rabbit doing?”.
Can name familiar pictures and use pointing to identify the objects they see in the books.
Pretend to read books and repeat sentences from books they know well.
Love to turn pages in books and have a favorite book that they request to read often.

Early Preschool (Age 3)

At three years old, children love exploring books independently.

They will work to meet these milestones:

Develop an interest in longer stories that you read to them.
Retell familiar stories with ease.
Can sing the alphabet but need prompting and cues.
Begin to understand that drawing is different from writing and try to make symbols that resemble alphabets.
Recognize the first letter in their name.
Imitate the action of reading a book.

Late Preschool (Age 4)

Towards the end of preschool, children begin to recognize alphabets and familiar signs in different places, such as on a signboard or a container.

Reading milestones at this age include:

Recognize rhyming words
Identify up to fifteen letters in the alphabet
Recognize all the letters in their name
Write their name
Understand the relationship between letters, syllables, and sounds
Interested in trying to write
Understand they should read text from left to right and from top to bottom

Kindergarten (Age 5)

In kindergarten, children start understanding sounds and syllables well. They start writing at school and develop stability in their pincer hold.

At this age, reading milestones include:

Produce words that rhyme
Match spoken and written words
Write letters, words, and numbers
Identify words in books
Speak better than before by manipulating more minor sounds
Predict what can happen next in a story
Understand simple words (meaning, spelling, using in a sentence)
Arrange the events of a story in a sequence

First & Second Grade (Ages 6 to 7)

After kindergarten, reading becomes an essential part of the learning process in school.

Kids begin to meet these reading milestones:

Read familiar stories from their favorite books
Try to speak unfamiliar words
Utilize pictures and context to decipher new words
Use punctuation in writing
Use capitalization in writing
Comprehend a story through pictures or drawings
Write details in a logical sequence

Second & Third Grade (Ages 7 to 8)

Children who have spent the first five years exploring books usually develop a love for books at this age.

Second and third graders often meet these reading milestones:

Spell many words
Self-correct when they read a familiar word incorrectly
Read longer books independently
Read with expression and with voice modulation
Divide their writing into paragraphs
Write short messages and e-mails
Experiment by using new words, phrases, or figures of speech that they have heard grown-ups use
Express their thoughts in writing

Fourth to Eighth Grade (Ages 9 to 13)

Children usually have almost fully developed reading skills in middle school. Most of their learning comprises reading in school, and they may also develop an interest in books at this age.

At this stage, reading milestones include:

Read different kinds of books, including biographies, poetry, and fiction
Understand the difference between different kinds of writing, including expository, narrative, and persuasive
Extract information from a book they have read, such as a textbook
Understand the relationship between objects
Understand grammar and parts of speech
Read or write on a specific topic for fun

The above milestones are a general guide to how most children develop reading abilities.

But children develop reading skills at their own pace, and there are many variables involved.

As parents, we must continually look for things that work for our individual kids to support their reading because there is no one-size-fits-all formula.

How To Help Your Child Reach Reading Milestones If You Suspect There’s A Problem

Experts advise early intervention to help children who struggle to read. You can easily find resources for young children to learn reading, even at the pre-kindergarten stage.

Be sure to register your child at a good daycare center or preschool to help them learn the skills and get the exposure they need.

You could also help your children with reading by bringing books into your home and reading out loud to them – and you’ll make wonderful memories at the same time!

I hope this list of reading milestones helps give you a general guide to what you can expect in your child’s reading development. If you suspect that anything might be “off,” please don’t hesitate to chat with your child’s teacher or pediatrician to learn more.

More Helpful Parenting Resources

Author Bio: Samidha Raj works as part of the content marketing team at Planet Spark, a platform that provides online classes to K8 learners on “New Age Skills” like, English Communication, Public Speaking, Grammar, Creative Writing, Debating, etc. She is passionate about empowering the youth by educating parents about the importance of 21st-century skills. In her free time, you can find her watching documentaries or animated movies and organizing game nights (board games are her thing)!

Basic Reading Milestones For Kids (A Guide For Moms)

Every Child Develops Reading Milestones Individually