6
2015
Homeschooling a Toddler – Reading Activity
The reason I prefer to homeschool Ayden than to send to playschool is because I can guide him as and when he is most comfortable and feels like it. This is especially important during reading session as it will be almost impossible to teach a toddler when he is sleepy and cranky.
At 16 months old, reading is not limited to word cards though I use mostly wordcards for our reading lessons. I introduced word cards to Ayden since he was 12 months old. Though he was not yet speaking then, he is already digesting the words I flashed to him.
I made our own word cards from recyclables. I cut out boxes or any hard paper and write words on it and let Ayden play with it. He’ll sometimes crumple them but it’s okay. He might want to eat them too and it’s okay too for that is a sure way he’ll ‘digest’ those words. Just kidding! :P
By 13 months old, he was able to recognize the words shown to him and match it as shown in the video below:
I kept flashing word cards to him everyday. A card a day is fine and I even use the same card throughout the entire week. It takes only several minutes a day for this word card activity. He is now 16 months old and is starting to read out loud. Here’s the first word he read out loud:
And here is Ayden’s big brother Ethan reading when he was 16 months old too. Pardon my loud voice >_<
And this is Ethan at 21 months:
It only takes a minute a day to play with these word cards. They’ll read it out loud to you when they are ready. I waited 4 months for Ayden to finally read out loud. Though his brother Ethan started reading earlier, I always believe every child is different and special in their own way. No need to rush them. Reading is good but is not a priority at this tender age. Building up their fine motor skills is more important.
By the way, I love reading to the boys before their bedtime. It’s a good routine. I used to read to Ethan but now it is Ethan who reads to Ayden and I find that very cute :D
My phone crashed and I lost the following video so I am unable to upload it onto Youtube but I do have it in my Facebook account so I’m sharing it here first before I figure out how to download that video from FB to be uploaded onto Youtube. I am an idiot when it comes to all these technical stuffs >_<
Update:
Here is Ayden at 19 months old:
Check out the rest of our homeschool activities here:
Bravo Ayden! Can read from such a young age.
Clever boy! Bet every teacher would wish all their pupils had mums like you – would make their lives so much easier.
Wow…so fast started the home schooling ! And Ayden really a fast learner ! He sure can memories the A – Z soon !
Well done! Kids learn very fast and it is good to start at early age.
Good job, Merryn!!
Love how dedicated you are.
If only there are more parents like you haha!
Ayden seems to be a very smart boy to me!
Hope i can be parent like you..
samrt boy Ayden and Ethan…