When I commenced reading lessons with Daughter Q., she was still three-years-old (a few months away from four). I always knew she would read earlier than Daughter A. (who began at just under five), but later than Son E. (who began almost exactly on his third birthday). I still think there is a lot to be said for beginning reading lessons closer to five years of age, but sometimes children are just ready, and we have to go with it.

I will say, however, that with three-year-olds it is of the utmost importance that we keep the lessons to ten minutes or less. We do not want to overwork their little minds, or discourage them when they are just starting out. As for my “preschool” time with Daughter Q., we often begin with a story, or a couple activities from her Kumon cutting and folding workbooks. We do ten minutes (or less) of reading, and then I send her outside to play with her younger brother.

And this only three or four days per week.

So I will show you what we did for Days 1-3, and you will see that it is much slower than we would do with a five-year-old. That is the nature of the beast. If you teach a child something at 3 it will take you a month or more. If you teach them at 6, it’ll take you ten minutes. But if they insist on learning at 3, then take the long road you must.

As my husband likes to say, “‘Tis my duty to.”

Ahem.

Lesson One

• Introduce new sounds: short-a, m, soft-s, t
• Build a word and practice sounding it out: at, Sam
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) pp. 1-2

NOTE: Please remember the prerequisites for commencing with reading lessons! 

Lesson Two

• Review sounds: short-a, m, soft-s, t
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) pp. 3-4

If reading only two pages per day seems slow, you might be interested to know that I had anticipated only one! When I taught Son E., I think it took a month to get through all of Book 1. Just remember that slow and steady wins the race.

Or something like that.

Lesson Three

• Review sounds: short-a, m, soft-s, t
• Introduce new sounds: short-o, n
• Build new words: Mom, not
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) pp. 5-6

At this point, she was slowly understanding the idea of trying to slide the sounds together as she read so that it is easier to figure out the word. This particular child has always had a good memory, and it is coming in handy for her as she quickly memorizes the words and knows them anywhere. She has proved to be one of the easier children to teach.

Lesson Four

• Review sounds: short-a, m, n, short-o, soft-s, t
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) p. 7

I can’t remember why we only read one page. Did we get interrupted or distracted? Or was the page difficult? I’m sorry…I should have noted it in my binder. 

Lesson Five

• Review sounds: short-a, m, n, short-o, soft-s, t
• Build new word: Tom
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) p. 8

This was the first time my daughter read “The End,” which appears (appropriately) at the end of each Bob Book. I never really bother to teach it. The vast majority of children know, even at the young age of three, that stories end with “The End.” I just point at it and tell them what it says, and they can usually read it the next time they finish a Bob Book.

It is important to keep in mind that it is helpful that they distinguish the two words from the very beginning. Soon enough, she’ll be reading “the” in a story context, and she will already know it. Here is a tip on teaching “the.”

Also: remember to tell your student if you plan to have them read most of the books twice. This avoids any unnecessary disappointment.

Lesson Six

• Review sounds: short-a, m, n, short-o, soft-s, t
• Build words: Mom, sat
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) pp. 1-5

Lesson Seven

• Review sounds: short-a, m, n, short-o, soft-s, t
• Read: Set 1, Book 1 (“Mat”) p. 6-ff