5-Year-Olds - Nemours Reading BrightStart!

Writes name from memory – all letters written correctly most of the time and in correct order.
Draws shapes and simple pictures – can draw more shapes from memory and create simple recognizable pictures, such as a person, house or sun.
Uses fingers to grasp a pencil – uses fingertips, more like adults, to grasp a pencil, rather than using his whole hand.
Shows clear left- or right-handedness – definitely prefers one hand for writing, drawing and eating.

Knows most letters and their sounds.
Reads several words and phrases – should be able to remember a growing “bank” of simple words that he sees frequently (the, he, she, this, it, a, an).
Sounds out simple words – sounds out and blends sounds for simple consonant and vowel combinations (cat, hat, bag, big, sun, nut).
Matches and names words with the same beginning or ending sound (ball/wall; bell/will).
Can name words that rhyme when asked - for example, if you ask for a word that rhymes with pig, your child might say dig, big, rig, or a silly word like tig.
Uses growing vocabulary and sentence structures – language is becoming more precise and grammar is more and more accurate, such as feet, not foots, or went, not goed.
Retells a sequence of recent events – can describe your trip to the zoo or beach or tell you what he did at school today.

Read longer stories and have discussions about the characters and events.
Encourage your child to write simple lists or notes. Ask him to help make a short grocery or party list, or write a simple thank-you note to a relative.
Show how you use reading and writing to accomplish tasks. Show your child how you read a recipe to know how to cook, look in the newspaper for sports scores, or look on the Internet for movie times.
Encourage “invented” spelling attempts. Ask your child to figure out the first letter of a word he wants to write. Over time, ask him to write any other letters he thinks may be in a word. Simple invented spelling examples are lo for yellow; tk for truck; wdr for water. The thinking process for invented spelling helps children understand phonics and build writing confidence.

Struggles with letter names and sounds.
Does not read several words – words that he has seen many times in print (it, the, boy, cat, dog, is).
Does not understand rhyming or words that have the same beginning sound – cannot tell you two words that rhyme or start with the same sound.
Dislikes reading and writing – complains about school and reading, and avoids reading at home.
Struggles with phonics – cannot sound out simple words, even with practice (cat, mat, big, sun).