Preschool Activities: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons {Book Recommendation}

By Tiffany Rudd

When my oldest, Cameron, was in preschool I remember having a moment of panic when I realized he was ready to start learning to read. I have a degree in Elementary Education and I took class after class on reading, but even still the thought of that responsibility on my shoulders made me nervous. I knew how important reading would be for his future success and I really didn't want to screw up wanted to give him a good foundation.

Cameron is such a cute kid, but from the beginning he has been my challenge. He has such a strong personality and he struggles sticking with tasks that are difficult for him. He is such a smart kid, but he has never reacted well to me in the role of his teacher.

Add on top of that the fact that I had just had baby #2 and was teaching preschool everyday in our home. I really didn't have time to prepare any kind of lessons.

I was at a loss.

Luckily, a good friend of mine recommended the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." I was familiar with SRAs programs and had had success using the Distar program as a teacher, so I decided to give it a try.

Thank goodness! I really can't say enough good about this book. Each lesson is very literally spelled out for you. All you do is read the script they provide. I've started the program with Brooklyn and don't feel the need to stick exactly to the script with her, but with Cameron the fact that I was simply reading instructions out of a book to him was a lifesaver. He had a much easier time following the books instructions than he would have had mine. At about lesson 80 he got frustrated, so I skipped back 20 lessons. All of a sudden it was easy for him again and he finished just fine.

In 15-20 minutes a day, with no prep on my part and no frustration between the two of us, he was reading. When he started Kindergarten he was testing on a 1st grade level.

Knowing I would be using the book with each of my kids, I took it to Kinkos and had it ring-bound. Brooklyn and I are about 25 lessons in now (she is 4) and I'm loving just as much, if not more, this time around.

Here is the description of the book. You can find it on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble. Totally worth $13.07!

"Is your child halfway through first grade and still unable to read? Is your preschooler bored with coloring and ready for reading? Do you want to help your child read, but are afraid you'll do something wrong?

SRAs DISTAR® is the most successful beginning reading program available to schools across the country. Research has proven that children taught by the DISTAR® method outperform their peers who receive instruction from other programs. Now for the first time, this program has been adapted for parent and child to use at home. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a complete, step-by-step program that shows patents simply and clearly how to teach their children to read.

Twenty minutes a day is all you need, and within 100 teaching days your child will be reading on a solid second-grade reading level. It's a sensible, easy-to-follow, and enjoyable way to help your child gain the essential skills of reading. Everything you need is here -- no paste, no scissors, no flash cards, no complicated directions -- just you and your child learning together. One hundred lessons, fully illustrated and color-coded for clarity, give your child the basic and more advanced skills needed to become a good reader.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons will bring you and your child closer together, while giving your child the reading skills needed now, for a better chance at tomorrow."