What is the right age to teach children to read?

Parents are very keen to help their children learn to 'read' before they go to school.

So what is the right age to start teaching them to read?  When should parents start teaching their children the skills of reading?

There was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about  a new product, called 'Your Baby Can Read', endorsed by model Miranda Kerr, of all people, .

It claims that babies as young as 3 months old can learn to read if you buy their program for $200.
Guess what! You can do this for your children for free!!  Reading to your babies, toddlers, preschoolers and big schoolers is an easy, enjoyable and effective way of helping your children learn to read.

In Finland children don't get taught to read until they are 7 years of age after 1 year of compulsory prep school where developmental play is provided.  Finland has one of the highest literacy levels in the world.

So from one extreme, 3 months old or to 7 years old, which is the correct age??

Basically, in NSW schools, children as young as 4 and 6 months and up to 5 and 6 months start school and begin to learn to read, write and spell all at once.

My advice to you as parents is that you do not need to teach your preschooler to read.  You need to get them ready to read.

There are many good sites and apps which can help you do this without drilling, pressuring and training children to 'read'.  Teaching them to love words, sounds, letters and books and stories will enable your children to get to school and rocket in their literacy learning.  It is all linked: talking, listening, reading, writing and spelling.

Phonological Awareness and vocabulary development are the 2 most important and key areas of learning that children need to get ready to read.

I wrote my website gettingreadytoread.com   and book series Carlos the Caterpillar and Friends to help you all in a fun and relaxed way to get your children ready for school literacy learning.
So jump on in and start enjoying stories, rhymes, poems, plays and craft all the while accompanied by quality talking and listening.
Easy as ABC! :)