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Original poster

How much do you help your young child with reading?

15 replies

Loub1987 · 04/12/2025 17:46

Just had parents evening for our 5 year old (I wasn’t there DH went). The teacher said she had great behaviour and is lovely in class. However, she is significantly behind in reading than they would expect her to be.

So, she has perfect attendance at school and is read to every night and has loads of books etc.

DH thinks we should be doing much more (still waiting to hear what that is), but I feel that she is only 5 and will get there in her own time.

Basically, my question is, how much do you do to support a 5 year old in learning?

Thanks x

OP posts:
Sillysoggyspaniel · 04/12/2025 17:47

I read to my four year old for about thirty mins a day, and he reads to me for 10-15 mins. I'm with your husband, reading is something that takes active practice.

Shinyandnew1 · 04/12/2025 17:49

Obviously, lots of bedtime stories but we also read their school book with them every night and learnt whatever sounds/sight words came home, as well.

curious79 · 04/12/2025 17:51

I read to my DD every night to about 13 yrs old
she would read to me often - not every day but probably 5 afternoons a week

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Celestialmoods · 04/12/2025 17:52

Are you listening to your child read so she can practice? Ideally, she would have 10-15 minutes practice a day, 1-1 with a parent.

Children who practice reading at home make significantly more progress than those who don’t, and it feeds into all areas of learning.

LauraHopkins · 04/12/2025 17:53

DD is 5 and in year 1. We listen to her read aloud from her school reading book for 10 mins-ish every day, sometimes all of it, sometimes just a few pages, and I read a chapter of an “early reader” book such as Isadora Moon etc, at bedtime and encourage her to at least give a line of that book a go to give her a flavour of some harder words. We also badger her to attempt words while she’s out & about, like signs, labels etc which I think is how she developed her splendid eye roll…

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 04/12/2025 17:53

DC5 reads every night for about 10 mins. We read to him for 10 mins or so at bedtime. Luckily, he is in a small class at school, and also reads with the teacher or the class assistant every day too.

Crumpt · 04/12/2025 17:54

Lots. I'm a teacher and think it's the absolute key to success at primary school. Reception child reads to me 4 or 5 times a week. Began practising reading the term before school. Also read a couple of bedtime stories every night. Reading to a child is fabulous but by 5 your child should also be practising reading decodable books.

Jerrytate · 04/12/2025 17:54

At that age dd would read their school reading book every night (about 5-10 min) and we'd read them a story they chose.

Blackbookofsmiles1 · 04/12/2025 17:54

Everyday. Now I’m a full time worker, never. Not enough time for it anymore and other things come higher up the priority list.

VitaminX · 04/12/2025 17:55

My 2 children read 15 minutes a day to us each 5 days a week and I read to them (same story) usually between 30 mins and 1 hour per day, almost every day. But they hadn't started school when they were 5 and couldn't read at all so from my perspective I'd struggle to worry about a 5 year old that was still getting the hang of it.

RafaistheKingofClay · 04/12/2025 17:57

Depending on what she’s behind on how much she is reading is much more relevant than how much you are reading to her. How behind is significantly behind.

Sillysoggyspaniel · 04/12/2025 17:57

Blackbookofsmiles1 · 04/12/2025 17:54

Everyday. Now I’m a full time worker, never. Not enough time for it anymore and other things come higher up the priority list.

Never?! This really should be a much much higher priority.

Bitzee · 04/12/2025 17:57

I would try to have them read to you every night but I’m not particularly rigid about it and we will skip if they’re tired or we go out to dinner or something. Play eye spy on to kill time in the car, on the bus etc. Occasionally ask them if they can spell something simple that comes up in conversation so if they say they want chips, can they spell it. If they get a thank you card after a friends party or a Christmas card ask them if they can read it. So nothing major that feels like learning or a lot of work but overall they all help with reading.

Sunshineclouds11 · 04/12/2025 18:03

Bitzee · 04/12/2025 17:57

I would try to have them read to you every night but I’m not particularly rigid about it and we will skip if they’re tired or we go out to dinner or something. Play eye spy on to kill time in the car, on the bus etc. Occasionally ask them if they can spell something simple that comes up in conversation so if they say they want chips, can they spell it. If they get a thank you card after a friends party or a Christmas card ask them if they can read it. So nothing major that feels like learning or a lot of work but overall they all help with reading.

This is the approach we took and seemed less work for him if that makes sense.
DS was a free reader by Xmas year 1.

Original poster
Loub1987 · 04/12/2025 18:04

Thanks all, this is food for thought. The teacher gave us some useful tips for what we can do etc. We do read every night and do bits of writing practice on the weekend.

I think because I grew up in a family where no one ever read to me, I am possibly underplaying it. Though that wasn’t a good situation, I did end up with the highest results in my high school.

As long as she is happy and well fed, I’m happy but I will do more. I am doing reading practice going forward!

Thanks again x

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