Literacy for a 3 year old

[Mazzatron]

Can anyone give me some simple basic advice for trying to teach my 3 year old to read a bit, or at least start to try?

He knows the alphabet and can recognise all the letters. We are just starting to work on phonics and the concept of rhyming (hat sounds like cat type thing).

Has anyone got any good links to resources or little games / activities or specific books that we could use?

I'm not trying to achieve the impossible I just want to make sure I'm giving him every chance and he enjoys trying / pretending to read so want to build on it.

Thanks

Honestly? I wouldn't bother. I could read at 3. It didn't help one bit as when I got to school I just switched off as the other children were learning to read. It's also no indication of how they will succeed academically.

With mine we spent the time doing things like collecting leaves and naming them, whilst we made pictures, doing fun games and board games, baking. All the things they learn from but not formal teaching. They're both doing well abs have a fairly good general knowledge. Both learned to read at their own pace once they were in school.

I have followed my 3YO's lead and done bits with her through play or when she's interested. She can read simple words. The 2 things they really need to be able to do before really getting going is recognise what sound is at the start of a word and understand how to blend sounds together to make a word. We talk about what certain words begin with and play little games around this. The blending I taught her by starting off spreading the sounds of simple words out eg 'look at that c-a-t and challenging her to guess what word I'm saying. Once she understood this I would point simple words out in books and then we progessed to her actually reading simple words. I would say it's fine to teach her but don't pressure her, she has all of her school life for that. Also don't forget that the reading itself is just codebreaking really. Remember to also read lots of books and talk about them and what's going on too as this will really improve her language and comprehension. We love the Oi series of books for rhyming silliness and Dr Seuss (one fish two fish red fish blue fish is pure nonsense but I swear a book that EVERY preschooler should read) and also Julia Donaldson books. The best thing you can do at this age is just talk to her and listen to her and nurture her interests. The rest will come xx

Yes I would focus on other things and leave learning to read until school. Otherwise it might be a bit boring while the others are learning.

I also learned to read at at age 3 and it made no difference long term - it all evens out in the end