So many kids these days are doing things earlier and earlier than our generation ever did — getting cell phones at age 9, shopping at Sephora at age 10,…and reading before the age of 2? 

It’s possible and honestly, probably not as hard as you think to teach your toddler to read, says Spencer Russell, an educator and dad who helps parents get their toddlers reading via his social media channels, @toddlerscanread, as well as with courses and other resources at toddlerscanread.com. Russell had trouble reading when he was a student, so, using his personal experience as a kid and professional experience as an educator, he began to teach his son to read at 18 months old.

We know there are benefits of reading to children starting in infancy; it helps set the foundation for great vocabulary and thinking skills. Russell argues that teaching toddlers to read independently has its pros too, namely that learning these skills from the get-go means kids will struggle less academically later on, and therefore they’ll have higher self-esteem in the classroom. He also stands strong in the belief that learning one-on-one and through play is more beneficial for little ones than screens, which studies have proved.

But how does Russell suggest going about this, especially when reading is generally not taught in daycare or even preschool? Where does a parent begin?

Russell says one of the main ways to make it happen is to teach through play. Two year olds aren’t going to sit at a desk and memorize letters. Instead, turn learning into a game. In an interview with Edutopia, an online resource for teachers, Russell gives the example of hiding flash cards around the room, and having kids “dig for treasure” with a flashlight to find them.

He also recommends teaching littles ones to read in increments. “You teach three sounds at a time, you review them until the kids master them, then teach three more,” he says in that same interview. There are a ton of videos across his socials @toddlerscanread showing exactly how to teach little kids specific sounds and vowels.

Of course, Russell says that whenever possible, parents should work with their kid’s teachers to support their learning, whether they’re in PreK or middle school. But the point of Toddlers Can Read is that it’s doable as a parent to teach your toddler to read. Ultimately, however, you as the parent decide if this is a skillset you think your child needs right now and if you think it would work for them. Don’t read this article and then feel badly if your three-year-old can’t recognize letters yet. They’ll get there when the time is right!

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