Should kids be reading at 5 years old?
Your 5-year-old now Some children only put all the steps together well into first or even second grade. In general, at around the age of 5, most children begin to put the pieces together and make the transition from reading aloud to actually reading. Read on according to picture book favorites and some more demanding books that you can’t read yourself yet, such as Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” or Kate DiCamillo’s “Edward Tulane’s Wondrous Journey.” Just as with chapter book readers, middle-class readers like to stick with their favorite characters for multiple books.
Cars, dinosaurs, dogs, and other topics are covered in layered books with lots of pictures designed specifically for kids of this age. Rasmussen said it can also lead to larger gaps in reading skills if children stay at a reading level and consistently give some children in particular texts that are below grade level rather than supporting them to get them to grade level. Keep reading with your child, but also offer a steady stream of engaging books and lots of positive vibes and good conversations about reading and books in general. For this reason, many parents are afraid to bring home branded “leveled reading books,” but there are plenty of early reading books that don’t create the pressurized atmosphere that these figures can convey.
Early chapter books are usually published in series because new readers who finish a book often want more time with the characters.