Your 4-Uear-Old: Ready to Read?

Comparing your child's abilities to his peers' is an irresistible impulse that persists long after those infant developmental milestone charts have been left behind. Among parents of 4-year-olds, reading is a topic that can cause a lot of anxiety, especially when those first few kids start reading. Whether you have an early bird or a kid who's more on track with his age-mates, what's important now is to keep the books coming.

Your 4-year-old now
Preschoolers who read independently are the exception. These early readers use picture clues and have learned to match letters to sounds and words. They may have longer attention spans and have memorized a few sight words. (Sight words are common words like "and," "the," "her," and "there" that can't be learned through pictures.) If your child is an early reader, you don't need to do anything more than offer encouragement and provide plenty to read.

If your child isn't on the fast track, don't give it another worry. At 4, many children just aren't ready to sit still and focus on a book for long. Others may learn the mechanics of reading but aren't cognitively ready to comprehend the words. Reading is truly one of those skills that children acquire when they're darn well ready, no matter how much their parents or teachers coax. In fact, too much prodding can turn your child off reading.

Right now, it's most important to get your child excited about books. If he loves stories and language, he'll start putting the basic elements together on his own when it's right for him. That happens at age 5 for some kids, 6 or 7 for others.

Your life now
Running out of fun local excursions because it seems like you've already done everything a dozen times already? Here are some fresh ideas that fascinate 4-year-olds:


The firehouse. Even if it doesn't offer tours, just stopping by and seeing the fire engines up close is a winner. Your child may be ready to ask the firefighters questions, especially if you read about fire trucks ahead of time.
The airport. The vastness of the lobby and the moving sidewalks can be as much fun as seeing the planes take off and land. Your child may be interested in where the planes are going, what the pilots do, how the suitcases get on board, or how they put food on the plane.
A farmers' market. It's more fun than a grocery store, with more people to watch and often live music. Go on a hunt for a particular vegetable or fruit. Practice counting skills on tomatoes or oranges.
A garden shop. Even the flowers and plants at the local hardware superstore offer a close-up look at some new-to-your-child greenery. Buy a hardy, fast-growing plant for him to take care of himself. Go on a smelling tour in the flower and herb section.