If you have an 'average' reader (ks1) when did they start reading for pleasure?

[fuzzpig]

DD is plodding along happily with reading at school, teacher is happy with her progress anyway, she is on orange. Just turned 6, in yr1.

She does read her school reading book which they are encouraged to change daily - if she forgets we use level-appropriate library books (often relating to topic work which she loves). She is usually happy to read to us as long as she isn't too tired, is confident with new words etc although comprehension needs some work I think.

I have only recently started reading chapter books to her at bedtime, and she loves that, she does still love picture books too (and we have reassured her that we will still read to her even when she reads to herself too) but hasn't read to herself yet, not at home anyway.

Might sound a daft question but is it ok that she's not reading for pleasure yet?!

I think it takes them a while to decide to just sit and read for pleasure. My DD doesn't really. she has patches where I think she has just reached that stage as she will it and read a tiny bit on her own but then doesn't do it again for weeks. I agree that there seems to be a bit of a fear they won't get to listen to stories once they read to themselves but I also think they are just so tired after school/at bedtime that they just want to listen and relax rather than read and not find it relaxing.

I know a couple of children who have sat and read on their for pleasure at just turned 6 but not many, I think for many it is between 6-7 judging by my friends children.

You may well find over the summer holidays she starts to do it a bit more.

my daughter actually said the other day that if someone hadn't invented playing then she would read all the time but they did so she prefers to play! that kind of sums it up I think

When I found the books that he actually finds interesting! He loved Flat Stanley at 6.5, and from 7 ish it has been Diary of a whimpy kid. He has started to 'get' Roald Dahl and enjoy his books. But it took a lot of trial and error. Get books with subjects that match her interests.

Around Y2/Y3. It was the Rainbow Magic books that got her going in the end. I think because they are quite predictable & formulaic, they gave her confidence.

Magazines/comics worked for my DC

DD at 6.8 has recently gone from reading her school reading book every day without fail to rejecting them completely. She now wants to be able to read chapter books for pleasure, either on her own, or to me and is trying the Magic Finger. I'm worried it's too tricky, so let her do a bit then ask her what's happening and then read a bit to her. She's struggled with reading to some extent all through year one but seems to be getting a bit better lately! She didn't pass the phonics test either by the way....if that's of any relevance!!

Dd at end yr 2 is now reading in bed before going to sleep for a while. I let this happen because I was worried she wasn't reading for pleasure. And it seems to be working. Her reading has really improved since she started.

Periwinkle what your DD said is lovely :) and very true. DD does play a lot more than I ever did (I was a very early reader, and very shy/introverted/unhappy as well so just escaped into books) and has a little brother too so always on the go.

I guess I am still learning that this little person we created is actually different from me :o

It has just occurred to me though that she does write a lot - particularly at bedtime to help her sleep. She writes diary type sentences and occasional little stories.

She will be doing the summer reading challenge at the library (I work there :o) so maybe that will encourage her, although I have a feeling she would still want to read with me - I am not well and reading/listening to her is one of the only things I can manage to do with her even on my worst days, it is very special :)

Thank you all for your replies

DD (5 and in Yr1) started reading for pleasure at the start of Yr1; she read a few of the utterly dire Rainbow Fairies books and started reading Roald Dahl too. Having said that, her interest has dipped and peaked during the last school year. She has just 'caught the bug' again after I bought her a couple of 'Daisy and the trouble with...' books - she read both books in 5 days and read 186 pages in one sitting!

Even though DD is a book worm, she still adores having a picture book for bedtime and often does a dance/play act to it. At this age I think it is important to forge a love of books through listening as well as reading - they can learn many skills like expression and inference and interpretation from reading with/ listening to an adult.

It sounds like your DD is doing absolutely fine, and that you are supporting her wonderfully too.

My dd is Y2 and a good reader. But she didn't start reading for pleasure till a few months ago. I found this quite disconcerting - I was obsessed with books at her age. I tried not to push it, but left loads of enticing looking books lying around. No joy.

Then a few months ago she discovered Harry Potter and has just finished the sixth book. She reads under her bedclothes and everything

I guess it takes awhile for reading to become so fluent that it is no longer an effort, and at this stage it's still associated with school, and so can't compare with having your mum read to you. But your dd sounds like she's doing great

DS didn't start reading for pleasure until a good way through Y3. By contrast DD started towards the end of Y1 (both good readers btw - the thing that motivated DS was that he suddenly realised he could read something easier than his school reading book for pleasure).

DS would still rather that I read to him rather than reading himself (now Y4), whereas DD likes my reading to her but tends to snap the book at some point so she can read herself!

Yes, OP, it is absolutely fine that she is not reading for pleasure yet

My eldest dd (best reader in her class) goes through phases of reading for pleasure, but also phases of not being remotely interested in reading. She started reading books for no reason other than pleasure - really reading, as opposed to flicking through - in Y3.

My little one is in Y1, on lime level, and will very very rarely read for pleasure - she is too tired, too busy, too bouncy etc the rest of the time! I am not worried at all.

I agree it is fine that she is not reading for pleasure yet.

My DS, who is nearly 12 and a very good reader, speller, writer lazy layabout , reading for pleasure extends to his weekly subscription to Match Magazine!

My two DDs have both read for pleasure from about Year 1 but I wouldn't say that they doing any better or worse than their brother academically. Just wired up differently.

DD turns 6 on Friday and loves snuggling on the sofa at the weekend and goes through her books. Also early mornings or if she is in bed before the "light out" time.

I know she reads a bit, we have lots of Usborne Young reader books and Early Reader-Series so still lots of picture.

At bedtime, if she wants more than the normal chapter than she has to do a bit herself. She gets into the habit of it and we try to read books to her a level up what she can read herself.

We often take a book with us when we go somewhere and if she gets bored she reads. Made carpet buying recently very easy.

I have 2 good readers.

DD is in reception and is obsessed with reading and will sit and read to herself for a long period of time considering she is only 5. She says that books are her friends as they make her laugh and tell her things

DS is just finishing yr3 and although a good reader since the very end of reception has only started reading to himself for pleasure this school year. He was always very happy (and still is) to read aloud to me but would not pick up a book by himself.

What has worked this year is his teacher starting a class library.