How old were you children when they learnt to read?

[pairsinparis]

My DS is 4, he starts reception in September this year. He has n Pinterest in trying to read yet. He enjoys stories, the library, and being read to. We do picture books and smaller chapter books. Should I be doing more to encourage him to read independently?

Leave him. An interest in stories is enough. Work with him on recognising letters but leave the rest until he gets to school.

Just wait until he's at school. They'll do all the teaching. My children knew their phonics sounds before school from preschool but learned to blend etc at school.

You could encourage him to tell you stories using the pictures in books or make up silly stories together. 5minute Mum has some good games to play with phonics/letters that might be useful too. But I would say fostering an enjoyment of books and reading, as you are doing already, is far more important at this age than learning to physically decode the words.

So like alphabet jigsaws, pointing out when we see a curly c like his name starts with etc? Is that enough to be helping him? He can write his name independently but doesn't hold a pen properly. Sometimes shows an interest in writing and colouring, most of the time he'd rather be doing something else so I try not to push it

The best thing to do at that age is read to him lots and just develop a general love of books. No pressure at all.

Ds was 7 before he started to read properly. He is 12 now and before tonight’s bedtime story he was telling me about Animal Farm that he is reading in school at the moment. He loves reading now

Honestly it won’t make any difference in the long run. In reception yes of course there will be a difference between those who can read already and those who can’t but by junior school there’s likely to be little difference.

Mine could both read at an early age because we taught them. In the long run it hasn’t given them any advantage

Honestly I did everything, read reams to them, library every week, sang, charts, word based games - neither could read properly until well into year 1 (not reception). It'll be fine.

DD was 3. They were taking her off to read in nursery.

Sounds like a brag but it so isn't. School will teach them whether they know it or not. She was so bored in reception it was heartbreaking.

Just encourage enjoying books. If they pick up some words brilliant if they don't then no worries. I regret encouraging DD. I wish she had enjoyed early school years more.

Yes, unless there is something getting in the way (eg dyslexia) it just seems to click at some point. My son (now in yr3) was like “b…i…f…f s…t…o…p t…h..e b…a…l…l”, a year later it’s like living with Trevor McDonald.

Dd knew all her letters before she was 2 but just did not get the bit about joining them together to make words. Within a couple of days of starting school she had it completely nailed. I still can't get over how fast it happened - no idea what kind of magic her teacher used! She was 5.

My DS was slightly different as he didn't start talking til he was 4 - he is autistic. We couldn't believe it when his school hit him started on reading when he was 6. We thought he'd never be able to read.

I would just enjoy reading the stories for now. They teach them at school anyway so it will be soon enough. My DD is 5 and has picked up phonics really well in reception. She didnt know any words before starting school but i still read to her each night. She reads to me now

Mine slowly and painfully learned to read, until the age of 7 when the magically just got it, and are now both really strong readers. I suspect we could have skipped the 3 slow and painful years and got the same result. So at 4 I'd say just let him enjoy books in whatever way he likes.

My DC was making very slow progress right up until the end of Y1 and then suddenly it clicked into place over the summer holidays and he was able to read whole books by himself

DS 7 (asd) only just since going into year 2 started to read a bit more fluently without sounding the phonics out. He lacks confidence. DD picked it up much faster and has been blending sounds properly since she was just before 5. But during homeschooling periods she spent a lot of time hearing her older brother's books being read so I think that helped. Don't worry, they'll get there in their own time. Just keep encouraging the love of books and making it fun.

DS learnt at school, five before I'd say he was reading, six before phonics clicked (just wasn't ready at five, but he remembered hundreds of words before then).

Take his lead. If he shows an interest e.g. asking what a word says, or pointing out letters on signs etc., then absolutely do some stuff with him. Otherwise I wouldn't bother to push it - he will learn it at school.

Before school, DS would finish sentences in books, especially rhyming ones, if I stopped reading mid sentence. I've been told that is a pre reading skill.

My son started phonics at school and within a matter of weeks he could read. I'd practice phonics with him. Alpha block videos/magazines are great for this.

I’d be more bothered about developing fine motor control so he’s ready for writing. Sewing. Play-Doh. Etc

Dd1 was very interested so I taught her early and she was reading beginner books at 3 and proper stories at 4. Dd2 is only just starting to show an interest now at 3.5 so we've started looking at letters. Doesnt make any real difference in the long run - if they can read their name before reception thats useful, other than that I'd just follow their lead.

DS was 4 and dd 5... they go at different rates. I waS good at reading and last year when DS had his reading test aged 13 he has the reading age of a 16 year old. DS didn’t talk at all until he was 3. They go at thier own rates.

My dc were 4,5 & 7. All different but got there in their own time. It's important not to push them they'll become intrigued in their own time, you don't want to turn them off books. I knew a reception teacher who used to say unlearning things was harder than learning things and so she'd rather kids weren't taught to read then have to teach them a different way.
As pp have said making up stories (imagination) is a big part of learning. Recognising their name is also important when they start school, being able to correctly hold a pencil, being able to undress/dress/use the toilet are also helpful. As is taking turns, lining up and manners.
I'd forget about reading but put a conscious effort into noticing letters/numbers /colours /shapes in everyday life which will help. Also there's been great threads in the past that list what's useful for dc to know/ be able to do before starting school, might be worth a look.

Children vary hugely, OP. Mine were v high IQ autistics, and were reading fluently at age 2 and writing stories by 3. By the time DD1 started reception class, she had a reading age of 12.
Kids whose parents don’t teach them in advance at home have to go through school reading schemes, but get there in the end.
Some countries don’t even start formal schooling until 6 or 7, but their populations don’t seem to have any resulting trouble with literacy!
Just encourage a love of books, read loads of stories together, get magnetic alphabet letters for the fridge and foam rubber letters to play with in the bath - it all helps.