Is it too early to teach my almost 3-year-old to read?

  
While you may want to teach your child how to read as early as possible to ensure that your child has a head start on reading, it is important to not push your child. Most children are not developmentally ready to read until they are 5 or 6 years old. So, let your child take the lead, and nurture your child’s natural interest in reading by simply providing him or her with plenty of opportunities to read interesting and engaging books. Make reading a fun, relaxing activity to help ensure that your child’s love of reading lasts a lifetime.

Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.