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My son was able to sound out words by 2 1/2 but really didn't enjoy doing so, so i just let him be and didn't push it at all. Like I wrote in a previous post I was writeing words on a chalk board just after he turned 3 and he was reading them, which surprised me because I had put his reading knowledge kind of out of my mind. Now at 38 monthes he is very interested in reading, if it's in the right way. For instance, we play a matching game where he matches a picture with the matching word. He enjoys reading that way and does very well, and playing this game helped me see that he knows many words just by sight. (I think many times he sounds out words, even though he knows them, because thats how I've taught him to read) he also enjoys flash cards with words, I don't like the idea of drilling him so i leave them out on the table and he often goes over to the word cards and reads some. Anyway to my question, He's interested in reading, but not in reading books. If i try to get him to read the words he just looks at the pictures and blurts out something random to do with the picture. How can I get him interested in reading the words in books. I think he doesn't like the idea of reading the story slowly maybe? So he'd rather I read. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Jenafur-

My kids have all been very early readers. One game that they loved was to follow written clues around the house on a treasure hunt. The clues can start off very simply, for instance, "GO TO BED" then on the bed, a clue will read, "SEE DAD" and he will pass the next clue. The hunt may end with a small toy or a treat, or juts a familiar stuffed friend sitting in a dry bath tub! These clues can get more complicated as the child gains mastery. At my most inspired, I wrote the clues in rhyming couplets.

You might also try helping your son to write his own books. Most kids love to read their own writing, and you can help illustrate or have him choose pictures to clip from magazines.

hth!

Lorel

As a toddler my son never read books; he never even looked over my shoulder when I read to him. He loved signs, road signs, signs at the airport, warning signs, signs in the store. He started reading signs at 23 months and just kept asking what everything said (very annoying when you're running late and trying to get to your plane in a busy airport). By 4, he would ask "why does that sign say, 'danger corrosive materials?;' what are corrosive materials?; why do some signs say 'danger' and others 'warning'"? But he didn't read books. Then suddenly, at 5, he read "homer Price" (5th grade level, I think) along with newspaper articles; he skipped the early readers and easy chapter books altogether--no Magic Tree Houses here. There were a couple things that made him follow this path to reading--he hated sitting still and he got very bored with the easy stories that were at his reading level. By 5 he could sit still better and he could read books that he found intersting so it just clicked.

Anyway, I guess my point is that we can just follow their lead, answer questions, and expose them to ideas. We don't really need to teach them--it will gel when it's ready.

And keep reading to him!!!

Thanks for the fun game Idea, and the other advice. My son does actually love books and loves me to read to him. As a baby books were his favorite thing and at 16-19 months he would some days spend up to an hour in his room alone looking at books.

anyway, Maybe seeing the words in sentences is overwhelming to him right now. He'll read like one word out of the book then seems like ok
I'm done. Then he'll start to look at the picture again. It's like he doesn't understand to go on to the next word. Maybe he likes cards and games because it's one word at a time.

p.s. I love hear everyones stories its so fun to hear about your kids, what they do, and what you did...

Jenafur,
What kinds of books do you read to him? Does he like books on tape?
I remember feeling like quite an oddball readidng "Phantom tollbooth" "Ozma of Oz" and "Wrinkle in time" to a 3 year old. I also thought it was weird that other parents actually read "Magic Tree House" books to their children! ACS I am jealous!

Do you have any special favorite books from childhood? If so, try 'em.

As far as "what age they can handle sentences" - I guess when they are ready they will. You may want to have his "vision function" tested - but it may be part of his normal physical development.

I would also encourage him to "read" picture books what are wordless - there are some beautiful ones out there.

My Mom's custom is books on the Computer for each Grandchild when the reach the "word reccognition" phase like yours has.

Love and More Love,
Trinity

Hi Jenafur,
My little guy's reading story goes as follows:
at about 7 months-we noticed him paging thru the yellow pages, and sometimes it really seemed to us that he seemed to be reading. around 1 year old-he became utterly fascinated w/the weather channel and we later realized it was probably because of all the letters, words and numbers on the screen. He could recite and recognize the alphabet by 15 months, and at 18 months was reading the yellow pages to us. We also had to walk him thru our parking lot on a regular basis so he could read the car names to us. When he was 4, i had him at an appointment and while we were waiting, he was reading a book to me. A woman asked me how old he was and when I told her, she asked, "did he just read the words solar system?". I told her, yes. We were so used to his reading by then, that we forgot that he was "different". When he was in pre-school, the school had an arnold lobel (Frog and Toad) group for the second grade. These were my son's favourite books, but he read them when he was 2! Also, during the all saint's mass-the preschoolers were paired with the six graders for special presentations. It was the sixth-graders that read special prayers, along with my son (who was 4 at the time). My husband and I were so proud of him, but later that day, after a teacher congratulated him for doing such a good job reading, a 2nd grader made the comment, "James can read? That's weird!". Fortunately, my son didn't hear the comment and his preschool teacher did a terrific job of explaining to this other child that it wasn't weird, but wonderful. Our biggest problem is finding books that are challenging, but with age appropriate content. That's why we have been doing alot of non-fiction. We are asked constantly, how we got him to read. Other than reading to him everyday, and taking him to the library on a regular basis, I don't think we have done anything special or different. He just loves to read, and we love him!

Wow ariada! No matter how many time I hear stories about highly gifted children, it never ceases to amaze me. : )
Even my own son, (of whom I don't know how gifted he is yet) but Its just funny, do you guys still have those jaw dropping moments listening to your kids years after you know they're gifted?
Thanks for the suggestions Trinity. I just put "the wizard of Oz" book on hold at the library. With the oz books, do you personally recommend starting with "Ozma of Oz"? I just reserved book number one, because it was number one in the series. Is it one of those series' where the books don't connect too much?
I also reserved one of those "Living Books", a book for the computer.
I haven't ever checked out a wordless book for him, just because I don't know what to do with them..lol. But with the suggestion, I will try it with him. What do you feel is beneficial about them? What do you suggest we do?
Thanks Again All!

Hi Jenafur!
Yes, we seem to have "jaw-dropping" moments on a regular basis.
My husband and I are on opposite work shifts-which is good for now since we are in this battle and our son isn't in school yet.
But because of this, we are always hesitant in our excitement until we have checked with each other to see if one of us has taught, explained, experienced, etc. More times than not, the answer is. "no, I don't know where he got that or how he knows it.".
The most recent jawdroppers are: (while handing me a spiderman doll!) " Mommy, here's your Nobel Peace Prize."

" Mommy, today is Yom Kippur. That's a holiday!" ( We aren't Jewish, and have not discussed any religious holidays w/him.) We were just amazed that he was able to read the words and pronounce them correctly.

Then last night, he just rattled off "vitural Insanity".

When we ask him how he knows about these things, he says "they are just in his brain".

Wish I could get a peak inside that brain of his! :-)

As for the Oz books, I didn't enjoy reading the first one, for some reason. "The Land of Oz" and "Ozma of Oz" the 2nd and 3rd book are my personal favorites.

Smiles,
Trinity