Reading level for 5 yr old?

Question

Daughter just turned 5 and I'm curious at what level she should be "reading". We've been practicing sight words a lot and she can easily recognise between 40-50 words already. We've also been doing the hooked on phonics and she has read one of the books already. Is this about where she should be? How old are kids before they can just pick up a simple book and just start reading??

Answer 1

When I started teaching mine to read I went to Enchanted Learning (it has free stuff and paid member stuff, but it's all good) and it has wonderful resources for this - even word lists and small color-and-read type books ranging from two to ten pages. -- It's a site I learned about from teachers that use it in this area.

They have the average word list for each grade level. Those are the "sight words". I wrote on index cards and he would flip through them, just looking, while we were in the car.

He'd get excited seeing a letter on the card and on a sign. It helped him connect that words have bigger meaning.

Pick a word for the week and put it on the fridge or bathroom mirror - seeing it often it will seem like she just suddenly knows it. :)

It's a great feeling when they start reading to you! (Even when it's accompanied with: Mom, that sign said no right turn on red, and you did!)

LOL Hope that helps you gauge where your's is on the journey.

Answer 2

Sounds to me like your daugter is doing remarkably well.  At this age, she may be able to "read" very simple picture books with a max of 2 sentences per page.  Please don't expect too much too soon.

Answer 3

sounds about right where my five year old son is too.

you'd be suprized how many five year old kids really don't read and are very low level.

you are doing a great job and your kid is exceptional.

Answer 4

maybe 2,3,4 or 5

Answer 5

Sounds like she is right on track.  My son is 6 and since he was 5 he has been reading real simple books, like with 2 sentences on each page.  

If you want to encourage her to read, my advice would be buy level 1 books on topics that she's really interested in.  It takes a while for kids to realize "they can read" and this will boost her confidence (your biggest concern at this point is to instill a "love" of books and reading if you can achieve this she will do extremely well!)  

I like the scholastic books, at age 5 my son loved the ones on baby animals ;  spider man and other favorite cartoon characters.  Now he loves books on sharks; valcanoes and  the solar system.  

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

She's doing fine. Don't Worry!

Answer 7

WELL I THINK YOU SHOULD BUY DIFFERENT LEVEL BOOKS AND START HER OFF WITH THE EASY ONES AND KEEP GOING UP FROM THAT, AND WHICH EVER BOOK IS THE HARDEST FOR HER THEN U STOP THERE! BECAUSE KIDS R ON DIFF. LEVELS AND YOUR CHILD COULD BE VERY SMART