Teach Your Baby to Read Early: Everything That Worked for Us
Ever wondered if your baby can really learn to read early?
I’m here to tell you—yes, they can!
My oldest daughter was able to recognize sight words and begin reading by a little over two years old, and it wasn’t because we had a strict curriculum or spent hours a day drilling.
It was about being consistent, intentional, and making learning fun and repetitive.
In this blog post, I’m breaking down everything that actually worked for us, in the exact order we did it. And yes—I’m sharing free resources like printable flashcards and trusted videos we used from day one.
🎥 Watch the Video Version
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📚 Step 1: Start Reading as Early as 6 Months
Even before she could talk, I read to her daily—just one book a night before bedtime.
We stuck with repetitive stories that were fun, familiar, and easy to remember. Here are some of our absolute favorites:
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- Llama Llama series
- Sandra Boynton board books
- Mother Goose nursery rhymes
- Five Little Monkeys and Five Little Ducks
- The Three Little Pigs (baby-friendly version)
🔤 Step 2: Flashcards — Keep It Simple
I made my own flashcards with uppercase and lowercase letters on each card. BIG, bold, and no extra distractions. I’d show her just a few at a time—1 to 2 minutes a day.
Pro tip: Print them on cardstock and laminate if you can!
📺 Step 3: Preschool Prep Company Videos (Game-Changer)
These videos taught my daughter so much without feeling like school. We started with:
- Meet the Letters
- Meet the Colors & Numbers
- Meet the Sight Words (Levels 1–5)
The repetition made it stick. We played them casually during breakfast or while folding laundry.
Not sponsored—just something we truly used daily!
📖 Step 4: Move Into Sight Words & Bob Books
Once she recognized letters and a few sight words, we started using Bob Books for early reading.
These beginner readers were simple, short, and used a lot of the same words she saw in the videos. I’d read one line, then let her try the next.
🗣️ Step 5: Narrate Everything
I started narrating everything I did—grabbing groceries, cooking, folding laundry—and I’d sound out and spell words out loud as we went.
“Let’s grab the cereal. C-E-R-E-A-L. That spells cereal!”
It sounds simple, but it made a huge difference in her vocabulary and awareness of letters in everyday life.
✨ Bonus: Daily Routine & Encouragement
I didn’t follow a strict schedule, but we had small moments built into the day that added up: 5 minutes of flashcards, one video, and a bedtime book. That’s it.
And now I’m using this same exact method with my six-month-old!
📅 Recap: Our Reading Timeline
- Started reading daily at 6 months
- Introduced simple flashcards (uppercase + lowercase)
- Used free printable flashcards
- Watched Preschool Prep videos regularly
- Moved to sight word flashcards
- Introduced Bob Books for early reading
- Switched to lowercase-only flashcards for phonics
- Used magnetic letters to build simple words
- Narrated daily activities out loud
💛 Final Thoughts
There’s no magic formula—just intention, repetition, and love.
And remember, the goal isn’t just to “teach them to read early,” but to build a lifelong love of learning.
Grab the Free Flashcards Here →
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only share what we personally use and love.