Teaching Toddlers Phonics? 5 Tips for Getting It Right.

For moms and dads who are teaching toddlers phonics, more power to you! Phonics is the easiest way to teach such a small child to read. That said, working with a toddler requires special considerations that may not apply to older children.

​For starters, it's best not to start teaching toddlers phonics until they are three years old. Before the age of three, your child is busy absorbing the world in a less structured way, which is important for developing early learning skills. Plus, a child's vision may not be mature enough to decipher series of letters, so the entire exercise could be one of frustration.

So if your child is three-years old and showing signs of readiness, go for it! As you progress through your lessons, please keep the following 5 TIPS in mind.

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5 Tips for Teaching Toddlers Phonics

1) Timing
The best age to start the process is when you and your child are ready to begin. If you are having fun teaching and your child is having fun learning, then you have chosen the perfect time. If you sense your child needs a break, skip a few days, then reintroduce your lessons for a fresh start. And if it means putting your materials away  for awhile, that’s OK, too. There are no deadlines.

2) Pacing
While some three-year-olds zip right through the program, some don't. Let your child set the pace. There is no rule that says your child must be reading by age four, so if the lessons aren't working for your child, put them away. Give it a year or so for a fresh start, and reintroduce the program when your child's is more engaged. As long as you let your child set the pace, you will find him or her to be a happy, eager pupil.

3) Environment
Make your reading lessons cozy! Snuggle in a comfy chair, or cuddle up right before bedtime. Invite Pooh Bear and Piglet to join the party. The more you surround your lessons with 'positive vibes,' the more your child will associate reading with fun.

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4) Un-Lessons
Refrain from 'testing' your child in any way. In fact, you may want to call your time together "doing sounds," instead of "learning to read." Lessons may need to be repeated more often than with an older child, so don't focus on progress—just the process.

5) Boasting
Please, please, please don't ask your toddler to show off his or her newly-learned skills! The rewards for reading are intrinsic, and we don't want your child to confuse these new skills with external recognition. What WILL happen is that once your child learns to read, people will notice. But let that be a natural outcome rather than a forced one.

The bottom line is, if you are teaching your child to read beginning at age three, you have plenty of time. No pressure, no hurry. Enjoy it! When you are willing to let your child set the pace, reading will come easily and naturally for your child.

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